AP Psychology - Unit Zero Quiz 2

Single-Blind Study

A study in which the participants do not know whether they are in the experimental group or control group.

Double-Blind Study

A study in which neither the participants nor the researchers interacting with them know who is in the experimental or control group.

Representative Sample

A sample that closely reflects the characteristics of the larger population being studied.

Random Sample

A sample in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.

Sample Bias

A problem that occurs when a sample does not accurately represent the population being studied.

Generalizability

The extent to which research findings can be applied to a larger population or to other situations.

Statistics

Numerical methods used to organize, summarize, analyze, and interpret data.

Descriptive Statistics

Statistics used to organize and summarize data, such as the mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation.

Inferential Statistics

Statistical methods used to determine whether findings from a sample can be applied to a larger population.

Measure of Central Tendency

A statistical measure that describes the center or typical value of a set of data, including the mean, median, and mode.

Mean

The arithmetic average of a set of scores, calculated by adding all scores and dividing by the number of scores.

Median

The middle score in a set of data when the scores are arranged from lowest to highest.

Mode

The score or value that occurs most frequently in a set of data.

Range

The difference between the highest and lowest scores in a set of data.

Normal Curve

A symmetrical bell-shaped distribution in which most scores fall near the mean and fewer scores occur toward the extremes.

Regression to the Mean

The tendency for unusually high or low scores to move closer to the average when measured again.

Positive Skew

A distribution in which most scores are relatively low and a few unusually high scores create a tail extending to the right.

Negative Skew

A distribution in which most scores are relatively high and a few unusually low scores create a tail extending to the left.

Standard Deviation

A measure of how much scores typically vary or spread out from the mean.

Percentile Rank

The percentage of scores in a distribution that are at or below a particular score.

Bimodal Distribution

A distribution of data that has two frequently occurring scores or two distinct peaks.

Statistical Significance

A statistical determination that an observed result is unlikely to have occurred by chance alone.

Effect Sizes

Statistical measures that indicate the strength or magnitude of a relationship or difference found in a study.

Meta Analysis

A statistical method that combines the results of multiple studies on the same topic to determine an overall pattern or effect.

Institutional Review Boards (IRB)

Committees that review research involving human participants to ensure that ethical standards are followed.

Informed Consent

An ethical requirement in which adult participants are given enough information about a study to voluntarily decide whether to participate.

Informed Assent

An agreement to participate in research given by someone who cannot legally provide full consent, such as a minor, usually along with permission from a parent or guardian.

Confidentiality

The ethical requirement that researchers protect participants' private information and personal data.

Deception

The intentional withholding or misleading of information about a study when necessary for the research and when ethically justified.

Debriefing

The process of explaining the true purpose and procedures of a study to participants after their participation is complete.

Defensible Claim

A conclusion or argument that is supported by appropriate evidence and sound reasoning.

Falsifiable

Capable of being tested and potentially proven false through observation or experimentation.

Peer Review

The process in which experts in a field evaluate research before it is published to assess its quality and accuracy.

Replication

Repeating a study using the same or similar procedures to determine whether the original findings can be reproduced.

Reliability

The extent to which a test, measurement, or study produces consistent results.

Validity

The extent to which a test or study accurately measures what it is intended to measure.

Third Variable Problem

The possibility that an unmeasured variable is responsible for the relationship observed between two correlated variables.

Scatterplot

A graph that displays the relationship between two variables by plotting paired data points.

Correlation Coefficient

A numerical value from -1.00 to +1.00 that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables.

Positive Correlation

A relationship in which two variables tend to increase together or decrease together.

Negative Correlation

A relationship in which one variable tends to increase as the other decreases.

Experimental Method

A research method in which researchers manipulate an independent variable and measure its effect on a dependent variable while controlling other factors to determine cause and effect.

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