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AP Psy. Chapter 2
Flashcards for Mrs. Scott's AP Psychology Chapter 2 Test
38
Psychology
11th Grade
09/03/2012

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Term
What is the scientific method?
Definition
a 5 step process for empirical investigation of a hypothesis under conditions designed to control biases and subjective judgments
Term
What is Empirical investigation?
Definition
an approach to research that relies on sensory experience and observation as research data
Term
What is a theory?
Definition
a testable explanation for a set of facts or observations. In science a theory is not just speculation or a guess
Term
What is a hypothesis?
Definition
A statement predicting the outcome of a scientific study; a statement describing the relationship among variables in a study
Term
What are operational definitions?
Definition
specific descriptions of concepts involving the conditions of a scientific study. Operation definitons are stated in terms of how the concepts are to be measured or what operatons are being employed to produce them
Term
What is an independent variable?
Definition
a stimulus condition so named because the experimenter changes it independently of all the other carefull controlled experimental conditions
Term
What is a random persentation?
Definition
a process by which chance alone determines the order in which the stimulus is presented
Term
What is data?
Definition
pieces of information especially information gathered by a researcher to be used in testing a hypothesis
Term
What is a dependent variable?
Definition
the measured outcome of a study, the responses of the subjects in the study
Term
What does it mean to replicate?
Definition
in research, this refers to doing a study over to see whether the same results are obtained. As a control for bias, replication is often done by someone other than the researcher who performed the original study
Term
What is an experiment?
Definition
a kind of research in which the researcher controls all the conditions and directly manipulates the conditions including the independent variable
Term
What is a confounding or extraneous variable?
Definition
variable that has an unwanted influence on the outcome of an experiment
Term
What are controls?
Definition
constraints that the experimenter places on the experiment to ensure that each subject has the exact same conditions
Term
What is random assignment?
Definition
each subject of the sample has an equal likelihood of being chosen for the experimental group of an experiment
Term
What is ex post facto?
Definition
research in which we choose subjects based on a pre-existing condition
Term
What is correlational study?
Definition
a type of research that is mainly statistical in nature. correlation studies determine the relationship between two variables
Term
What is a survey?
Definition
a quasi-experimental method in which questions are asked to subjects. When designing a survey, the researcher has to be careful that the questions are not skewed or biased toward a particular answer
Term
What is a naturalistic observaton?
Definition
a research method in which subjects are observed in their natural environment
Term
What is a longitudinal study?
Definition
a type of study in which one group of subjects is followed and observed for an extended period of time
Term
What is a cross-sectional study?
Definition
a study in which a representative cross section of the population is tested or surveyed at one specific time
Term
What is a cohort-sequential study?(cross-sequential)
Definition
a research method in which a corss section of the population is chosen and then each cohort is followed for a short period of time
Term
What is a personal bias?
Definition
the researcher allowing personal beliefs to affect the outcome of a study
Term
What is an expectancy bias?
Definition
the researcher allowing his or her expectations to affect the outcome of a study
Term
What is a double blind study?
Definition
an experimental procedure in which both researchers and participants are uninformed about the nature of the independent variable being administered
Term
What is the Institutional Review Board?
Definition
a committee at each institution where research is conducted to review every experiment for ethics and methodology
Term
Waht is the Code of Ethics?
Definition
a set of obligations and rules concerning research done; is used to make sure that the research does not violate the ethics of people and the rights of the subjects
Term
What are descriptive statistics?
Definition
statistical prodecures used to describe characteristics and responses of groups of subjects
Term
What is correlation?
Definition
a relationship between variables in which changes in one variable are reflected in changes in the other variable-as in the correlation between a child's age and height
Term
What is a correlation coefficient?
Definition
a number between -1 and +1 expressing the degree of relationship between two variables
Term
What is inferential statistics?
Definition
statistical techniques based on probability theory that are used to assess whether the results of a study are reliable or whether they might be simply the result of chance. Inferential statistics are often used to deterine whether 2 or more groups are essentially the same or different
Term
What is a random sample?
Definition
a sample group of subjects selected by chance without biased selection techniques
Term
What is a sample?
Definition
a small group that represents the population
Term
What is a population?
Definition
the group of people in whom the researcher is interested
Term
What is random assignment?
Definition
means that everyone in the sample has an equal chance of being in each group
Term
What is a control group?
Definition
one in which all the variables are controlled and doesn't recieve the treatment
Term
What is an experimental group?
Definition
one in which all the variabels are controlled, but one variable is changed
Term
What are the 5 steps of the scientific method?
Definition
1.develop a hypothesis
2. perform a controlled experiment/test
3. gather objective data
4. Analyze the results
5. publish, criticize, and replicate the results
Term
What is quantified data?
Definition
data that can be measured and expressed as numbers
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