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AP Psych unit 2 Flashcards

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6218531148hindsight biasThe tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. (also known as the "I knew it all along phenomenon")0
6218552620critical thinkingThinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.1
6218557657theoryAn explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors and events2
6218571497hypothesisA testable prediction, often implied by a theory3
6218583899operational definitionA statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables.4
6218601483replicationRepeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances5
6218607495case studyAn observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles6
6218636488surveyA technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group.7
6218643914populationAll the cases in a group being studies, from which samples may be drawn8
6218675993random sampleA sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion9
6218686608naturalistic observationObserving and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation10
6218703578correlationA measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other11
6218708631correlation coefficientA statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1)12
6218711677scatterplota graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables. The slope of the points suggests the direction of the relationship between the two variables. The amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation (little scatter indicates high correlation)13
6218717880illusory correlationThe perceptions of a relationship where none exists14
6218727130experimentA research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variables). By random assignment of participants, the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors15
6218730383random assignmentAssigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups16
6218746495double-blind procedureAn experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies17
6218760301placebo effectExperimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent18
6218766680experimental groupIn an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable19
6218802132control groupIn an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.20
6218820016independent variableThe experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studies21
6218830185confounding variableA factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in an experiment22
6218851207dependent variableThe out outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable23
7214804051modethe most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution24
7214805155meanthe arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores25
7214807493medianthe middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it26
7214809752rangethe difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution27
7214813505standard deviationa computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score28
7214814661normal curvea symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean and fewer and fewer near the extremes29
7214817650statistical significancea statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance30
7214819311culturethe enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next31
7214839686informed consentan ethical principle that research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate32
7214842857debriefingthe postexperimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants33

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