psych

Goal of Psychology

describe, explain, predict, and control behavior

The 6 perspectives of psychology

cognitive, biological, social-cultural, behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic

critical thinking

thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.

independent variable

The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.

Focus of cognitive psychology

how we encode, process, store, and retrieve information

naturalistic observation

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

survey research

gathering primary data by asking people questions about their knowledge, attitudes, preferences, and buying behavior

double-blind study

An experiment in which neither the participant nor the researcher knows whether the participant has received the treatment or the placebo

hindsight bias

the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it

Hypothesis

A testable prediction, often implied by a theory

purpose of control group

The purpose of a control group is create a standard of measure to compare the experimental groups to. The control groups are not given any form of experimental treatment.

experimental research

gathering primary data by selecting matched groups of subjects, giving them different treatments, controlling related factors, and checking for differences in group responses

case study

an observation technique in which one person or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

meta-analysis

a procedure for statistically combining the results of many different research studies

Liket scale

a scale that measures qualitative and quantitative data

Scatterplot

a graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables

positive correlation

A correlation where as one variable increases, the other also increases, or as one decreases so does the other. Both variables move in the same direction.

negative correlation

as one variable increases, the other decreases

social desirability bias

A tendency to give socially approved answers to questions about oneself.

what do correlation studies show about us?

Correlation studies show us the relationships between different variables, indicating how changes in one variable might be associated with changes in another, but they cannot prove causation; meaning they can tell us if two things are linked, but not necessarily which one causes the other to change

operational definition

a statement of the procedures used to define research variables

Term- Stress: op def: Increase in heart rate and cortisol levels measured in a lab setting

Good operational definition

Term- Stress: op def: Feeling overwhelmed or anxious

Bad operational definition

control group

In an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.

experimental method

A method of investigation used to demonstrate cause-and-effect relationships by purposely manipulating one factor thought to produce change in another factor.

illusiory correlation

the perception of a relationship where none exists

mean

average

Mode

the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution

Median

the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it

bell curve

distribution of scores in which the bulk of the scores fall toward the middle, with progressively fewer scores toward the "tails" or extremes