31 psych vocab terms

independent variable

what is manipulated

repeated measures

participants are measured twice in two different conditions

simple random sample

best sampling technique, everyone has equal chance of being sampled

balancing

keeping conditions controlled and balanced

psychometric test

exam to measure scientifically a person's mental capacities and personality

triangulation

using outside studies and work to check your study

external validity

how well the study can be generalized to population

null hypothesis

A prediction that there is no difference between groups or conditions, or a statement that can be proved wrong

stratified random sample

guarantees correct ratios of all groups are represented in sample

ordinal data

data collected in rank order

standardized instructions

a set of instructions given the exact same way to every participant of an experiment

target population

the total group to be studied or described and from whom samples may be drawn

pilot

practicing materials on people similar to participants to make sure they work

independent measures

compares two different groups in two different conditions

mortality

systematic or random error where participants drop the experiment

experimenter bias

the experimenters opinions/expectations influence the study

nominal data

data of categories only. Data cannot be arranged in an ordering scheme. (Gender, Race, Religion)

population validity

generalizing results to population with same characteristics as participants

quasi-experiments

IV is not manipulated, so cause-effect conclusions cannot be made

opportunity sample

sampling people for a study because they are the easiest to find

filler activity

used to distract participants from experiment

demand characteristics

when participants find out of the purpose of the experiment

random allocation

each participant has equal chance of being in each group/condition

type 2 error

the hypothesis is correct but the experiment cannot show it

interval data

exact differences between values can be found, but there is no absolute 0. (Temp. and Time)

constancy of condition

conditions must be completely controlled

confounds/confounding variables

variables that aren't accounted for and mess up the experiment

instrumentation

systematic errors in data collection

testing and progressive errors

when participants get better at experimental activity after doing them more than once

history

pre-determined characteristics brought to a study

matched pairs

comparing results directly to identical other group