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AP Psychology Unit 2 Flashcards

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7366187020hindsight biasThe tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it- "I knew it all along"0
7366187021critical thinkingIs rationally deciding what to believe or what to do. When one rationally decides something, he or she evaluates information to see if it makes sense, whether it's coherent, and whether the argument is well founded on evidence.1
7366187022validitythe extent to which a test or experiment measures or predicts what it is supposed to do2
7366187023theoryA hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data3
7366187024hypothesisA testable prediction, often implied by a theory4
7366187025operational definitionA statement of the procedures used to define research variables5
7366187026replicationreplicate the original study6
7366187027case studyAn observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.7
7366187028surveyA study, generally in the form of an interview or questionnaire, that provides researchers with information about how people think and act.8
7366187029populationthe whole group that you want to study and describe9
7366187030random sampleA sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion10
7366187031sampling biasflawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample11
7366187032naturalistic observationObserving and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation12
7366187033correlationA measure of the relationship between two variables13
7366187034correlation coefficientA statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1)14
7366187035scatterplotA graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables.15
7366187036illusory correlationThe perception of a relationship where none exists16
7366187037experimentA research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process17
7366187038random assignmentAssigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups18
7366187039double-blind studyAn experiment in which neither the participant nor the researcher knows whether the participant has received the treatment or the placebo19
7366187040placebo effectExperimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which is assumed to be an active agent.20
7366187041experimental groupA subject or group of subjects in an experiment that is exposed to the factor or condition being tested.21
7366187042control 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.22
7366187043independent variable(statistics) a variable whose values are independent of changes in the values of other variables23
7366187044confounding variableA factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in an experiment.24
7366187045dependent varibalethe outcome factor the cariable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variables --what you are measuring (ex. obesity rates)25
7366187046modeMeasure of central tendency that uses most frequently occurring score.26
7366187047meanAverage27
7366187048medianA measure of center in a set of numerical data. The median of a list of values is the value appearing at the center of a sorted version of the list - or the mean of the two central values if the list contains an even number of values.28
7366187049rangeDistance between highest and lowest scores in a set of data.29
7366187050standard deviationA computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.30
7366187051normal curvethe symmetrical bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many physical and psychological attributes. Most scores fall near the average, and fewer and fewer scores lie near the extremes.31
7366187052statistical significanceA statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance32
7366187053cultureBeliefs, customs, and traditions of a specific group of people.33
7366187054informed consentA written agreement to participate in a study made by an adult who has been informed of all the risks that participation may entail.34
7366187055debriefingA verbal description of the true nature and purpose of a study35
7366187056sampleA part of the population you are studying.36
7366187057how does overconfidence relate to everyday thinking?we tend to be more confident than correct and believe we know more than we actually do37
7366187058how do hindsight bias and overconfidence relate to intuition?leads us to overestimate our intuition38
73661870593 main components of scientific attitudecuriosity skepticism humility39
7366187060how do operational definitions keep biases in check?make sure that everyone is going by the same standards and is not changing how they see the data being studied40
7366187061a theory is useful if :- it effectively organizes a range of self-reports / observations and leads to a clear hypothesis that anyone can use to check a theory - it stimulates research to lead to a revised theory that better organizes and predicts what we know41
7366187062wording effect of a surveythe way a question or situation is presented affects how people feel about the matter (ex. better wording = more desired results)42
7366187063case studies, surveys, and naturalistic observations do not explain behavior, but rather ________ behaviordescribes43
7366187064positive correlationtwo variable rise and fall together, such as height and weight44
7366187065negative correlationvariables are related inversely, one goes up and the other goes down, such as inner speech and psychological distress45
73661870661 standard deviation68%46
73661870672 standard deviations95%47
73661870683 standard deviations99%48
7366187069z-score-3,-2,-1,1,2,3 standard deviaitons49
7366187070p-value0.0550
7366187071descriptive statisticsnumerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups, including measures of central tendency and variation51
7366187072measures of central tendencyrefers to how the data measures the center of a set of data52
7366187073skewed graphmode, median, and mean are different53
7366187074normal graphmode, median, and mean are same54
7366187075positive skewhigh outlier55
7366187076negative skewlow outlier56
7366187077measures of variabilitydepict diversity of the distribution (range, standard deviation)57
7366187078higher standard deviation =scores are less similar58
7366187079normal curve59
7366187080inferential statisticsnumerical data that allows one to generalize (T-tests, chi square, ANOVAS)60
7366187081descriptive stats vs. inferential statsd : allows us to summarize info about the sample studied i : determine whether or not findings can be applied to a larger population from which the sample was selected61
7366187082statistically significanthow likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance (p-value) averages are reliable differences between averages is relatively large implies importance of results62
7366187083culture (behavior)enduring behaviors ideas, attitudes, and how people perceive different situations, such as body shape, early sex, etc.63
7366187084collectivist culturegroup goals64
7366187085individualist culturesindividual goals65
7366187086ethics in researchinformed consent protection from harm/discomfort maintain confidentiality debriefing66
7366187087IRB (Institutional Review Board)any academic research needs to be proposed to their IRB, review for ethical violations and/or procedural errors67

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