3. Experimental Statistics

Question 1

numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups

Answer 1

descriptive statistics

Question 2

to infer from sample data the probability of something being true of a population

Answer 2

inferential statistics

Question 3

bar graph depicting frequency distribution

Answer 3

histogram

Question 4

a graph cluster of two variables, w/ slope suggesting relationship (used for correlation studies)

Answer 4

scatterplots

Question 5

(graph) goes up together and goes down together

Answer 5

postitive correlation

Question 6

(graph) one goes up and one goes down

Answer 6

negative correlation

Question 7

most frequently occurring score

Answer 7

mode

Question 8

the average score

Answer 8

mean

Question 9

the middle score in distribution (half above, half below)

Answer 9

median

Question 10

difference b/w highest and lowest scores (can be skewed w/ outliers)

Answer 10

range

Question 11

measure how much scores can vary around the mean (square root of sum of deviations divided by the number of scores)

Answer 11

standard deviation

Question 12

what does each experiment have?

Answer 12

independent and dependent variables

Question 13

experimenters manipulate what to observe what?

Answer 13

experimenters manipulate one or more factors (IV) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (DV)

Question 14

in a study about flashcards: the flashcards would be the?

Answer 14

independent variable

Question 15

in a study about flashcards: the test scores would be what?

Answer 15

dependent variables

Question 16

what could impact research results as they are things that could mess up results; out of experimenters control

Answer 16

confounding variables

Question 17

are variables that are anything that remain constant

Answer 17

control variables

Question 18

what are important for experiments integrity?

Answer 18

random selection and random assignment

Question 19

what firstly should be done to a diverse population you want to study?

Answer 19

a representative sample must be RANDOMLY SELECTED from that diverse population

Question 20

what secondly should be done to a diverse population you want to study?

Answer 20

that randomly selected group should then also be be RANDOMLY ASSIGNED to the experimental and control groups

Question 21

what does the random system ensure?

Answer 21

it ensures no bias or lack of diversity

Question 22

what does a valid experiment need? (besides the random system)

Answer 22

it needs a large sample size

Question 23

what’s wrong about small sample sizes?

Answer 23

they can produce inconsistent and abnormal results

Question 24

the less confounding variables in an experiment has the better?

Answer 24

chance of the experiment reflecting the population.