Research Methods

Question 1

hindsight bias

Answer 1

the tendency of people to overestimate their ability to have predicted an outcome that could not possibly have been predicted.

Question 2

critical thinking

Answer 2

thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.

Question 3

theory

Answer 3

a structured set of concepts to explain a phenomena or group of phenomena.

Question 4

hypothesis

Answer 4

a testable statement, predicting the relationship between two (or more) variables, which can be accepted or rejected as a result of the research outcome.

Question 5

operational definition

Answer 5

a statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variable. For example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures

Question 6

replication

Answer 6

repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different situations, to see whether the basic findings extends to other participants and circumstances

Question 7

case study

Answer 7

a detailed description of a single individual, typically used to provide information on the person’s history and to aid in interpreting the person’s behavior.

Question 8

survey

Answer 8

a technique o ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of people, usually by questioning a representative random sample of them.

Question 9

false consensus effect

Answer 9

the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors.

Question 10

population

Answer 10

all the cases in the group, from which samples may be drawn in a study.

Question 11

random sample

Answer 11

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance on inclusion.

Question 12

naturalistic observation

Answer 12

a study whereby the observer does not manipulate any variables within a natural setting where behavior takes place, by merely observing and recording.

Question 13

correlation

Answer 13

a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other. the correlation coefficient is the mathematical expression of the relationship, ranging from -1 to +1.

Question 14

scatterplot

Answer 14

a 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

Question 15

illusory correlation

Answer 15

the perception of a relationship where none exists.

Question 16

experiment

Answer 16

a 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 experiment aims to control other relevant factors.

Question 17

double-blind procedure

Answer 17

the 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.

Question 18

placebo effect

Answer 18

experimental results caused by expectations alone.

Question 19

experimental condition

Answer 19

the condition of the experiment that exposes participants to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.

Question 20

control condition

Answer 20

the condition of an experiment that contrasts the experimental condition and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.

Question 21

random assingment

Answer 21

assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance.

Question 22

independent variable

Answer 22

the experimental factor that is manipulated, the variable whose effect is being studied.

Question 23

dependent variable

Answer 23

the outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.

Question 24

mode

Answer 24

the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution.

Question 25

mean

Answer 25

the arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores.

Question 26

median

Answer 26

the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half the scores are below it.

Question 27

range

Answer 27

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.

Question 28

standard deviation

Answer 28

a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.

Question 29

statistical significance

Answer 29

a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance.

Question 30

culture

Answer 30

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next.