AP psych unit 1

• scientific method is a systematic way of gathering and analyzing data to reach a conclusion
• a theory is a set of propositions that are logically interconnected and are supported by evidence
• a hypothesis is a testable prediction that is supported by evidence and is a statement of what is expected to happen
• operational definitions are the specific criteria that are used to define the concepts in a research study
• descriptive methods are used to describe behavior through natural observations
• correlation methods are different factors/variables are related to each other and the relationship is represented by a line
• experimental methods manipulate variables to fee the effect of the variable on the dependent variable
• case studies are used to investigate a particular phenomenon in a specific context.
• naturalistic observations are observation of natural life in order to come to a conclusion
• surveys ask people to report behaviors and opinions that are not always accurate or reliable
• random sample is randomly selecting people out of a population to participate in a survey. Larger group is better than smaller
• correlation is when one thing often happens with another
• negative correlation means inversely related
• positive correlation means both variables rise and fall together
• scatterplots are used to study correlation
• correlation coefficient is the statistical measure of how close things are related
• correlation coefficients range from -1 to +1. -1 is a perfect negative. +1 is perfect positive. 0 means no correlation
• illusionary correlation is a correlation that does not exist but we believe that it does. Gamblers that think a lucky role leads to a winning role
• experiment is a research method that involves a change to study results
• experimental groups are exposed to the changed variable
• control group is not exposed to changed variable
• double bind procedures make sure both researchers and participants do not know what groups participants are in
• placebo effect is the tendency for a patient to respond to a treatment that they believe is being given to them
• independent variable is the manipulated factor in an experiment
• confounding variable is an outside factor that effects an experiments results
• dependent variable is the outcome that is studied
• standard deviation is the most useful way to study how scores deviate from one another