Unit 2

Question 1

the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it

(I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon)

Answer 1

Hindsight bias

Question 2

the tendency to be more confident than correct- to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgements

Answer 2

Overconfidence

Question 3

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

Answer 3

Critical thinking

Question 4

an explanation using an integrated set of principals that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events

Answer 4

Theory

Question 5

a testable prediction, often implied by a theory

Answer 5

Hypothesis

Question 6

a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures (operations) used in a research study

Answer 6

Operational definition

Question 7

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

Answer 7

Replication

Question 8

research method in which one individual is studied in depth in hope of revealing universal principles

Answer 8

Case study

Question 9

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

Answer 9

Naturalistic observation

Question 10

a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a GROUP (less depth), usually by questioning a random, representative sample of the group

Answer 10

Survey

Question 11

a flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample

Answer 11

Sampling bias

Question 12

ALL those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn

Answer 12

population

Question 13

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

Answer 13

Random sample

Question 14

a measure of the extent to which two variable change together, and thus of how well either variable predicts the other

Answer 14

Correlation

Question 15

the perception of a relationship where none exists

Answer 15

illusory correlation

Question 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 (dependent variable)

Answer 16

Experiment

Question 17

in an experiment, the group exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable

Answer 17

Experimental group

Question 18

in an experiment, the group NOT exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment

Answer 18

Control group

Question 19

assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between the different groups

Answer 19

Random assignment

Question 20

experimental results caused by expectations alone

Answer 20

Placebo effect

Question 21

the experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied

Answer 21

Independent variable

Question 22

a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in the experiment

Answer 22

Confounding variable

Question 23

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

Answer 23

Dependent variable

Question 24

the extent to which a test or experiment measures or predicts what it’s supposed to

Answer 24

Validity

Question 25

numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups. Includes measures of central tendency and variation

Answer 25

Descriptive statistics

Question 26

a bar graph depicting a frequency distribution

Answer 26

Histogram

Question 27

the most frequently occurring score in a distribution

Answer 27

Mode

Question 28

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

Answer 28

Mean

Question 29

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

Answer 29

Median

Question 30

a representation of scores that lack symmetry around their average value

Answer 30

Skewed distribution

Question 31

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution

Answer 31

Range

Question 32

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

Answer 32

Standard deviation

Question 33

a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data (most scores fall near the mean-68% fall within one standard deviation)

Answer 33

Normal curve (normal distribution)

Question 34

numerical data that allow one to generalize- to infer from the sample data the probability of something being true of a population

Answer 34

Inferential statistics

Question 35

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

Answer 35

Statistical significance

Question 36

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

Answer 36

Culture

Question 37

an ethical principle that research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate

Answer 37

Informed consent

Question 38

the post-experimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants

Answer 38

Debriefing