Exercise Science Flashcards

Flashcards to review key concepts in exercise science.

What are the steps of the scientific method?

Observe, hypothesize, predict, design a study, compare data, and repeat.

What is an independent variable?

The variable that you think has an effect on other variables (e.g., age, gender, fitness level).

What is a dependent variable?

The outcome that you think is affected by the independent variable (e.g., likelihood of heart disease, heart rate during exercise).

What are extraneous variables?

Variables assumed to have no impact on measurements or are accounted for through randomization (e.g., hair color, number of siblings).

Positive Correlation

A relationship where both variables increase together.

Negative Correlation

A relationship where one variable increases as the other decreases.

What is an experimental study design?

Manipulating one or more independent variables to determine the effect on a dependent variable.

What is a control group?

A group that does not receive the experimental treatment.

What is a placebo?

A treatment that looks similar to the experimental treatment but has no effect.

What is blinding?

Not revealing to subjects which treatment they have been given (single blind) or not revealing treatment to both subjects and researchers (double blind).

Observational Study Design

Subjects are grouped by the independent variable, without direct manipulation.

Cross-sectional study

Independent and dependent variables are measured in subjects at one time to make correlations.

Retrospective study

Different levels of a dependent variable are used, and the independent variable is measured retrospectively.

Prospective study

People are evaluated over time for both independent and dependent variables.

Research papers

Reports of one or more closely related experiments.

Review articles

Summarizes the current knowledge in a particular topic.

Peer review

Experts in the field evaluate articles for scientific merit, accuracy, and bias before publication.