AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

AP Psychology - Research Methods Flashcards

Advanced Placement Psychology
Enterprise High School, Redding, CA
All terms from Myers Psychology for AP (BFW Worth, 2011)

Terms : Hide Images
4806507929Hindsight 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
4806507930Critical ThinkingThinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.1
4806507931TheoryAn explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events.2
4806507932HypothesisA testable prediction, often implied by a theory.3
4806507933Operational DefinitionA statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables.4
4806507934ReplicationRepeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances.5
4806507935Case StudyAn observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.6
4806507936SurveyA technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group.7
4806507937PopulationAll the cases in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn.8
4806507938Random SampleA sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion.9
4806507939Naturalistic ObservationObserving and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation.10
4806507940CorrelationA measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.11
4806507941Correlation CoefficientA statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1).12
4806507942ScatterplotA 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.13
4806507944ExperimentA 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 variable). By random assignment of participants, the investigator aims to control other relevant factors.14
4806507945Random AssignmentAssigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups.15
4806507946Double-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 studies.16
4806507947Placebo 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 agent.17
4806507948Experimental GroupIn an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.18
4806507949Control GroupIn 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.19
4806507950Independent VariableThe experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.20
4806507951Confounding VariableA factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in an experiment.21
4806507952Dependent VariableThe outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.22
4806507953ModeThe most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution.23
4806507954MeanThe arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores.24
4806507955MedianThe middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it.25
4806507956RangeThe difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.26
4806507957Standard DeviationA computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.27
4806507958Normal CurveA symmetrical, bell-shape that describes the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean (68 percent fall within one standard deviation of it) and fewer and fewer near the extremes.28
4806507959Statistical SignificanceA statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance.29
4806507961Informed ConsentAn ethical principle that research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate.30
4806507962DebriefingThe post-experimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants.31
4819619457APA Code of EthicsThis was developed to hold psychologists accountable for their studies to be done in an ethical way.32

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!