Questions and Answers
What is hindsight bias?
What is a theory?
A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data.
What is a hypothesis?
A testable prediction, often implied by a theory.
What does operational definition refer to?
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What is a case study?
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What is a survey?
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Define population in the context of research.
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What is a random sample?
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What is naturalistic observation?
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What does correlation refer to?
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What is a correlation coefficient?
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Define illusory correlation.
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What is an experiment?
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What does random assignment mean?
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What is a double-blind study?
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Define the placebo effect.
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What is an independent variable?
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Define confounding variable.
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What is a dependent variable?
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Define mode.
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What is mean?
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Define median.
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What is range?
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What is standard deviation?
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Define normal curve.
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What is statistical significance?
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What is informed consent?
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Study Notes
Psychological Concepts and Research Methods
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Hindsight bias: The belief that one could have predicted an event after knowing the outcome, encapsulated by the phrase "I knew it all along."
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Theory: A well-substantiated hypothesis supported by a significant amount of data.
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Hypothesis: A testable prediction derived from a theory; it represents the first step in the experimental process.
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Operational definition: Explicit procedures used to define research variables, ensuring clarity on how variables will be measured and manipulated.
Research Techniques
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Case study: A detailed observational method focusing on a single individual to uncover universal principles or insights.
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Survey: A research method that gathers information through interviews or questionnaires to understand how people think and behave.
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Population: The complete group of individuals that a study intends to analyze or describe.
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Random sample: A subset of the population selected randomly, ensuring each member has an equal chance of being included, promoting representativeness.
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Naturalistic observation: Observing behavior in its natural context without interfering or altering the environment.
Correlation and Experimentation
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Correlation: A statistical measure that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables.
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Correlation coefficient: A numerical value ranging from -1 to +1 that quantifies the degree of correlation between two variables.
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Illusory correlation: The false perception of a relationship between two variables where none actually exists.
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Experiment: A research method wherein one or more independent variables are manipulated to observe their effect on a dependent variable.
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Random assignment: The process of allocating participants to different experimental conditions by chance, helping to minimize preexisting differences.
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Double-blind study: An experimental design in which both the participants and researchers are unaware of who receives the treatment or placebo, reducing bias.
Variables in Research
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Placebo effect: Changes in participants' behavior or feelings induced solely by their expectations rather than the treatment itself.
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Independent variable: The variable that is manipulated in an experiment to observe its effect.
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Confounding variable: An external variable that could influence the results of an experiment, thus complicating the interpretation of the effects of the independent variable.
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Dependent variable: The measured outcome in an experiment that is expected to change as a result of manipulations to the independent variable.
Statistical Measures
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Mode: The most frequently occurring score in a dataset.
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Mean: The average value of a dataset, calculated by summing all the values and dividing by their number.
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Median: The middle value in a sorted list of numerical data, or the average of the two central values if the list has an even number of entries.
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Range: The difference between the highest and lowest values in a dataset, providing a measure of variability.
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Standard deviation: A calculated measure reflecting how much scores in a dataset deviate from the mean, indicating the spread of data points.
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Normal curve: A symmetrical, bell-shaped distribution curve where most scores are near the average, with fewer scores at the extremes.
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Statistical significance: Indicates the likelihood that a result occurred by chance, guiding the interpretation of data results.
Ethical Considerations
- Informed consent: The process of informing participants about the study's risks and obtaining their agreement to partake.
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Explore key concepts from AP Psychology Unit 2 with these flashcards. Each card features a term along with its definition to help reinforce your understanding of essential psychological theories and principles. Perfect for exam preparation or quick revision.