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| The human tendency to seek out information that confirms what is already believed. |
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| The principal method for acquiring knowledge and uncovering the causes for behavior. |
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| A tentative explanation for a phenomenon, based on objective observation and logic, and subject to empirical test. |
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| An Explanation or theory that explains a relationship using relatively few assumption. |
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| Loose explanations for the behavior that are based on what we believe to be true. |
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| An explanation for behavior that is accepted without evidence because it comes from a trusted source or fits within a larger framework of belief. |
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| An explanation proposed for a phenomenon that simply relabels the phenomenon without really explanation it. |
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| Circular Explanation (Tautology) |
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| An explanation of behavior that refers to factors whose only proof of existence is the behavior they are being called on to explain. |
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| Relying on authoritative sources (for example, books, journals, scholars) for information. |
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| Developing explanations through a process of deductive reasoning. |
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| A The method of inquiry preferred by scientists. It involves observing phenomena, developing hypotheses, empirically testing the hypotheses, and refining and revising hypotheses. |
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| Any quantity or quality that can take on a range of variables. |
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| A tentative statement, subject to empirical test, about the expected relationship between variables. |
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| Research carried out primarily to test a theory or empirical issues. |
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| Research carried out to investigate a real-world problem. |
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| Reasoning that goes from the general to the specific. Forms the foundation of the rational method of inquiry. |
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| A small, scaled-down version of a study to test the validity of experimental procedures and measures. |
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| A set of assumption about the causes for behavior and the rules that specify how the causes operate. A theory is subjected to empirical test and retained, modified, or rejected. |
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| A question that can be answered through objective observation. |
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| A definition of a variable in terms of the operations used to measure it. |
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| A theory that goes beyond simple hypothesis, deals with verifiable phenomena, and is highly ordered and structured. |
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| A relationship that has been substantially verified though empirical test. |
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| Specific application of a general theoretical view. The term model is sometimes used as a synonym for theory. |
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| An explanation for a phenomenon given in terms of a mechanism that is assumed to produce it through an explicit chain of cause and effect. |
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| An explanation for a phenomenon given in terms of tis function, that is, what it accomplishes. |
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| A theory in which terms are expressed verbally rather than mathematically. |
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| A theory in which terms are expressed mathematically rather than verbally. |
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| A theory that simply describes the relationship among variables without attempting to explain the relationship. |
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| A theory that explains a relationship through analogy to a well-understood model. |
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| A theory that proposes a new structure or underlying process to explain how variables and constants relate. |
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| The range of situations to which a theory applies. Also called the Scope Theory. |
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| A strategy for testing a theory that involves finding evidence that confirms the predictions made by the theory. |
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| Disconfirmational Strategy |
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| A method of testing a theory that involves conducting research to provide evidence that disconfirms the predictions. |
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| A strategy for testing a theory in which a sequence of research studies is systematically carried out to rule out alternative explanations for a phenomenon. |
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| A review of relevant research and theory conducted during the early stages of the research process to identify important variables and accepted methods and to establish a rationale for research hypotheses. |
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| A reference source that contains the original, full report of a study. It includes all the details needed to replicate and interpret study. |
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| A reference source that summarizes information from a primary source and includes research reviews and theoretical articles. |
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| A journal whose articles have undergone prepublication editorial review by a panel of experts in the relevant field. |
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| A journal in which articles do not undergo prepublication editorial review. |
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| Paper Session (Presentation) |
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| A meeting at a scientific convention at which the most up-to-date research results are presented. A paper session may involve disseminating data by reading a paper or presenting a poster. |
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| Information obtained privately from another researcher (for example, by letter or phone). |
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| A computerized database system that indexes journals and book chapters relevant to psychology and related fields. |
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| A computerized source of articles, downloadable in PDF format, that were published in the journals of the American Psychological Association. |
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| A noncomputerized index of publications in psychological journals. |
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| Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms |
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| A thesaurus available in hard copy or in computerized form that is used to help narrow or broaden a search of the psychological literature. |
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| A problem associated with publication practices and meta-analysis that occurs because results that fail to achieve statistical significance often fail to be published (that is, get relegated to the researcher's file drawer). |
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| Process of editorial review used by refereed journal. Manuscripts are usually sent out to at least two reviewers who screen the research for quality and importance. |
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| A relationship in which changes in the value of one variable cause changes in the value of another. |
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| A relationship in which the value of one variable changes systematically with the value of a second variable. |
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| Research in which no independent variables are manipulated. Instead, two or more dependent variables are measured to identify possible correlational relationships. |
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| Research in which no independent variables are manipulated. Instead, two or more dependent variables are measured to identify possible correlational relationships. |
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| A problem that interferes with drawing a causal inferences from correlational results. A third, unmeasured variable affects both measured variables, causing the latter to appear correlated even though neither variable influences the other. |
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| A problem that interferes with drawing causal inferences from correlational results that involves not being able to clearly specify the direction of causality between variables. |
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| Research in which independent variables are manipulated and behavior is measured while extraneous variables are controlled. |
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| The variable that is manipulated in an experiment. Its value is determined by the experimenter, not by the subject. |
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| A level of an independent variable applied during an experiment. In multifactor designs, a specific combination of the levels of each factor. |
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| The variable measured in a study. Its value is determined by the behavior of the subject and may depend on the value of the independent variable. |
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| A group of subjects in an experiment that receives a nonzero level of the independent variable. |
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| A group of subjects in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment. The data from the control group are used as a baseline against which data from the experimental group are compared. |
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| Any variable that is not systematically manipulated in an experiment but that still may affect the behavior being observed. |
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| A nonexperimental technique in which some phenomenon is demonstrated. No control group is used. |
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| The extent to which a study evaluates the intended hypotheses. |
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| A laboratory research technique in which you attempt to re-create as closely as possible a real-world phenomenon. |
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| The first two or three words of the title of a manuscript that is typed flush right at the top of the pages of an APA-style manuscript. |
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| A shortened version of the title to a manuscript no more than 50 characters) that appears on the title page. |
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| A concise (50-150 words) summary of an APA-style manuscript that includes a brief description of the rationale for the study, methods, results, and conclusions. |
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| The first substantive section of an APA-style manuscript, which includes the rationale for the study, a literature review, and usually a statement of the hypothesis to be tested. |
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| The section of an APA-style manuscript in which the methods used in a study are described in detail. |
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| A subsection of the method section of an APA-style manuscript used when humans are employed in a study and describing the nature of the sample. |
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| A subsection of the method section of an APA-style manuscript in which the nature of the subject sample employed is described. Thsi section is calleds 'subjects' if animals are employed in a study. |
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| Subsection of the method section of an APA-style manuscript in which any equipment, materials, and measures are described in detail. Sometimes called the 'materials' subsection. |
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| A subsection of the method section of an APA-style manuscript in which primarily written materials used in a study (for example, questionnaires) are described. |
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| The subsection of the method section of an APA-style manuscript that provides a detailed description of the procedures used in a study. |
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| The section of an APA-style manuscript that contains a description of the findings of a study. The section normally reports the values of descriptive and inferential statistics obtained. |
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| The section of an APA-style manuscript that includes the author's interpretation of the findings of a study and conclusions drawn from the data. |
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| The section of an APA-style manuscript in which all citations used in the manuscript are listed alphabetically. |
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| A serious flaw in writing that involves using another person's words or ideas without properly citing the source. |
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| Flaw in writing; closely related to plagiarism, that involves using too much quoted (albeit properly cited) material in a manuscript. |
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