Unit 1 test

Question 1

explains behaviors or events by offering ideas that organize observations

Answer 1

theory

Question 2

a testable prediction often implied by a theory

Answer 2

hypothesis

Question 3

why is it essential to operationally define the variables in a study

Answer 3

so it’s easier to replicate the original observations

Question 4

why is replication so important in the research process

Answer 4

it makes the results of an experiment more reliable

Question 5

independent variable:
dependent variable:

Answer 5

what’s being changed
what’s being measured

Question 6

a descriptive technique where one individual or group is studied in depth in hopes of revealing universal principles

Answer 6

case study

Question 7

drawbacks to case study

Answer 7

-doesnt always apply to everyone
-personal experience often contradict it

Question 8

a descriptive technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate or control the situation

Answer 8

naturalistic observations

Question 9

a descriptive technique for obtaining the self reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group usually by questioning a random sample of the group

Answer 9

survey

Question 10

why are descriptive research methods limited in their ability to explain behavior

Answer 10

bc the research tells what people are doing or what they’re thinking but it doesn’t explain why they’re doing/thinking it

Question 11

how does phrasing of a survey question affect the responses given

Answer 11

the way the question is worded can change a persons opinion

Question 12

wording effects

Answer 12

subtle changes and/or order can change the outcome of a survey

Question 13

creates an unrepresentative sample

Answer 13

sample bias

Question 14

the whole group u want to study

Answer 14

population

Question 15

every person in the group has an equal chance of participating

Answer 15

random sample

Question 16

two sets of data tend to rise or fall together

Answer 16

positive correlation

Question 17

one set of data rises while the other falls

Answer 17

negative correlation

Question 18

perceiving a relationship where none exists or perceiving a stronger than actual relationship

ex. wearing a certain jersey every game bc u think it’s lucky

Answer 18

illusory correlation

Question 19

why should researchers be careful of illusory correlations

Answer 19

not recognizing it can be the cause of superstitions and some ineffective practices

Question 20

how do random sample and random assignment differ

Answer 20

random sampling is when everyone has the same probability of being chosen and random assignment is randomly assigning people to the control group or experimental group

Question 21

tendency for extreme scores/events to fall back toward the average

ex. athlete performs amazing then returns to his normal performance

Answer 21

regression

Question 22

what is the purpose of an experiment

Answer 22

to explore cause and effect

Question 23

laboratory experiments cants re create exact behaviors so they are used to test… and the goal is to reveal …

Answer 23

they test theoretical principles and the goal is to reveal general principles that may explain behaviors

Question 24

define 5 ethical guidelines for research participants

Answer 24

1. informed consent
2. protection from harm
   3.right to withdraw
   4.confidential
3. debriefing (explain the results)

Question 25

why is are statistics important in psychology

Answer 25

so u can measure variables and interpret results

Question 26

why must care be taken when reading a histogram

Answer 26

bc it’s easy to design a graph that makes results look bigger than they really are

Question 27

what are three measures of central tendency

Answer 27

mode, median, mean

Question 28

what is mean, median, mode

Answer 28

mean- tells you the average distribution median- the middle mode- the most frequently occurring score

Question 29

which measure of central tendency provides the most accurate view when there are outliers

Answer 29

the median

Question 30

what does standard deviation tell us

Answer 30

how much the scores vary around the mean or average score

Question 31

what does a large and small standard deviation indicate

Answer 31

the scores vary a lot compared to the average and for small standard deviation the scores are close to the average

Question 32

what is the difference between descriptive statistics and inferential statistics

Answer 32

descriptive statistics use data to provide descriptions and inferential statistics make inferences and predictions

Question 33

what is the standard for deciding if a result is statistically significant

Answer 33

when the samples average are reliable and ehen the difference between them is relatively large

Question 34

what does it mean if a result is statistically significant

Answer 34

the obtained result occurred by chance