Module 2 Flashcards (Summer Work)

Hindsight Bias

the tendency to perceive past events as more predictable than they actually are

Critical Thinking

the ability to analyze and evaluate information rather than blindly accepting it

Theory

a framework of integrated principles that organizes observations and helps to predict behaviors or events

Hypothesis

testable prediction about the relationship between two variables (gives direction to research)

Operational Definition

a precise description of how a variable in a study will be manipulated or measured (how researchers will execute or measured a concept or part of a study)

Replication

the process of repeating a research study (generally with different participants and circumstances) to see if the basic findings of the original study can be duplicated

Case Study

an in depth and detailed investigation of a single individual, group or event used to reveal universal principles or understand complex issues in real-life context

Survey

a research method involving a questionnaire or interview design to gather self-reported data about the opinions, attitudes, or characteristics of a large group of people

Population

an entire group of individuals that a researcher wants to draw conclusions or gather information from

Random Sample

a subset of individuals chosen from a larger population where every member of the population have equal and independent chance of being selected

Naturalistic Observation

a research method where behaviors are studied in their natural setting without disruption/intervention (does not explain behavior - describes it)

Correlation

statistical measure that describes the relationship between two or more things and how they connect without implying causation (correlation coefficient helps figure out how close things are and how well either predicts each other)

Illusory Correlation

a perceived relationship or connection between two variables that do not actually exist (helps explain superstitious beliefs)

Experiment

a study that manipulates one or more independent variables to determine their effect on a dependent variable (aims to establish a relationship between them)

Random Assignment

an experiment that manipulates a factor to determine its effect

Experimental Group

a group of participants in a study that receives the treatment/”experiment”

Control Group

a group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment or intervention being tested (serves as a baseline for comparison)

Double-Blind Procedure

an experiment set up where neither the research participants or researchers know which group is or isn’t receiving treatment or intervention (minimizes potential for placebo effect)

Placebo Effect

a phenomenon where a person experiences change in their condition when given “sham” treatment that has no value just because they believe it is real (ex: feeling better from sugar pills)

Independent Variable

the factor that a researcher directly manipulates to observe it’s effect on another variable

Dependent Variable

the outcome of an experiment that is being measured to see if it changes in response to the independent variable

Culture

shared ideas and behaviors that one generation passes on to the next