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Psychology 111 > Chapter 2 > Flashcards

Chapter 2 Flashcards

1
Q

What is empiricism?

A

The belief that accurate knowledge can be acquired through observation

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2
Q

What is the scientific method?

A

A seat of principles about the appropriate relationship between ideas and evidence; Ibn al-Haytham (father of scientific method)

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3
Q

What is a theory?

A

A hypothetical explanation of a natural phenomena; fThe rule of parsimony

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4
Q

What is the rule of parsimony?

A

The simplest theory that explains all of the evidence is the best one

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5
Q

What is an hypothesis?

A

A falsifiable prediction made by a theory

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6
Q

What is the empirical method?

A

A set of rules and techniques for observation; must use methods of observation and methods of explanation

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7
Q

Why are people difficult to study?

A

Complexity, variability, and reactivity

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8
Q

What does it mean to observe?

A

To use one’s senses to learn about the properties of an event or object

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9
Q

What is the operational definition of a measurement?

A

A description of a property in concrete, measurable terms

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10
Q

What is validity?

A

The extent to which a measurement and a property are conceptually related

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11
Q

What is reliability?

A

The tendency for a measure to produce the same measurement whenever it is used to measure the same thing

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12
Q

What is power?

A

The ability of a measure to detect the concrete conditions specified in the operational definition

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13
Q

What are demand characteristics?

A

Those aspects of an observational setting that cause people to behave as they think they should

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14
Q

What is a Naturalistic Observation?

A

A technique for gathering scientific information by unobtrusively observing people in their natural environments (use of blind conditions)

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15
Q

What is Observer Bias?

A

When the expectations of the observer influence observations and perceptions of reality

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16
Q

What is a double blind?

A

When an observation’s true purpose is hidden from both the observer and the person being observed

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17
Q

What is frequency distribution?

A

A graphical representation of measurements arranged by the number of times each measurement was made

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18
Q

What is normal distribution?

A

Mathematically defined frequency distribution where most measurements are around the middle

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19
Q

What are skewed distributions?

A

Non normal

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20
Q

What are descriptive statistics?

A

Mode (most common); Mean (average value); Median (value that’s in the middle); describes the central tendency

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21
Q

What are variability statistics?

A

Range (value of largest-smallest); Standard deviation

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22
Q

What is standard deviation?

A

A statistic that describes the average difference between the measurements in a frequency distribution and the mean of that distribution

23
Q

What is the ultimate goal of scientific research?

A

To discover causal relationships between properties

24
Q

What is a variable?

A

A property whose value can vary across individuals or over time

25
What is a correlation?
When variations in one variable are are synchronized with variations in the value of the other
26
What is a positive correlation?
When both variables increase or decrease
27
What is a negative correlation?
When one variable increases and the other decreases
28
What is a correlation coefficient?
The measure of the direction and strength of a correlation (r); r ranges from -1.0 (perfect negative) to +1.0 (perfect positive), with r=0 being no correlation
29
What are natural correlations?
correlations observed in the world around us (causation)
30
What is the third variable problem?
The fact that two variables are correlated only because each is causally related to a third variable
31
What is a matched sample?
A technique whereby the participants in two groups are identical in terms of a third variable
32
What are matched pairs?
A technique whereby each participant is identical to one other participant in terms of a third variable
33
What is experimentation?
A technique for establishing the causal relationship between variables
34
What is manipulation?
The creation of an artificial pattern of variation in a variable in order to determine its causal powers
35
The independent variable...
is manipulated
36
The dependent variable...
is measured
37
What is a random assignment?
A procedure that uses a random event to assign people to the experimental or control group
38
What is the experimental group?
The group of people who are treated in a particular way in an experiment
39
What is the control group?
The group of people who are not treated in the particular way that the experimental group is treated in an experiment
40
What is self selection?
A problem that occurs when anything about a person determines whether they will be in the control or experimental group
41
What are the two main features of an experiment?
Manipulation and random assignment
42
What are the main steps in an experiment?
Manipulate, measure, produce changes in the dependent variable
43
How is statistical significance determined?
When we calculate the odds that random assignment has failed, through inferential statistics; not accepted unless that chance is
44
What is internal validity?
The characteristic of an experiment that established the causal relationship between variables
45
What is external validity?
The property of an experiment in which the variables have been operationally defined in a normal, typical, or realistic way; representative of the real world;
46
What is a population?
The complete collection of participants who might possibly be measured
47
What is a sample?
The partial collection of people drawn from a population
48
What is a case method?
A procedure for gathering scientific information by studying a single individual; not random; particular individual picked for specific reason
49
What is critical thinking?
Involves asking tough questions about whether evidence has been interpreted in an unbiased way
50
What is the trouble with critical thinking?
We see what we expect and want; we consider what we see and ignore what we don't
51
What is dogmatism?
Relying on assumptions and beliefs about the world
52
What should be on the x axis for frequency distribution?
The test scores
53
What is random sampling?
a technique for choosing participants that ensures that every member of a population has an equal chance of being included in the sample

Psychology 111 (4 decks)

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