Hindsight Bias - the tendency to believe, after learning the outcome, that you knew it all along

• “I knew it all along” phenomenon

Operational definition

• A specific set of instructions that cover EXACTLY how to replicate the experiment so that psychologists/scientists can get credit - NEEDS TO BE REPLICABLE

Case Study

• Used to examine an individual or a very small group

• Working our way backward - looking through the individual’s past

• Trying to find something unique about the person

• Challenge: is just descriptive research does not give data

Naturalistic Observations

• Observing + recording behavior in a natural environment

• Not changing ANYTHING - no “control”

• Challenge: Hawthorne Effect: changing behavior when you know someone is watching you

The Survey

• GREAT FOR A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE

• Positives:

  • Good to get a ton of results + variety

  • Easy to do, and get data, cheap, anonymous

• Negatives:

  • People might lie

  • Most people who have strong opinions only fill out surveys

  • Wording Effect

Experiment

• A research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors(independent variables) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental processes(dependent variable)

Control Group

• Baseline data

• No messing with just observing and recording data

Experimental Group

• The group we are changing with the independent variable

Population

• The group which is being generalized and put the results onto

• Example: If we’re doing a study for Frisco ISD high schools, then Frisco ISD high schools are our population

• Challenges:

  • Large group - too many people

  • If the number is changing

Random Sampling

• Randomly choosing participants in your representative sample

• Needs to be random and every single person needs a chance

Random Assignment

• Put chosen people in an experimental or control group

  • IT NEEDS TO BE RANDOM AGAIN

  • Everyone needs a chance to be in either group

Independent Variable

• What we are changing

Dependent Variable

• The outcome

  • The outcome is DEPENDENT on the independent variable

Double Blind Procedure

• The investigator doesn’t know who’s getting the medication or the placebo

• The participants don’t know who’s getting the medication or the placebo

• Both sides are blind to what’s going on

Placebo

• An inert substance that has no effect

• Usually given to the control group since they are the baseline data

Placebo Effect

• People might feel better while taking the placebo

• Which is all MENTAL

• We feel better even though there is no reason too