maclaughlin unit 1+2 test

validity

The ability of a test to measure what it is intended to measure (accuracy)

dependent variable

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

mode

The value that occurs most frequently in a given data set

structuralsim

Wilhem wundt; early school of thought, used introspection to reveal the structure of the human mind, each individual process and the nitty gritty, "i dont know", we only know what we can clearly observe (behaviors)

functionalism

William james; explored how mental AND behavioral processes function- how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish, more larger picture, we know what we can kind of assume or gather

standard deviation

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

standard of deviation

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

confounding variable

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

scatterplot

a graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables

central tendency

a measure that represents the typical response or the behavior of a group as a whole (mean, mode, median)

random sample

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

experiment

a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact.

correlation coefficient

a statistical measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other (what kind of shape is the graph going to make)

statistical significance

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

case study

a study of a small group or one individual (ex. genie) - participants may not be interested in continuing the study - isolated events that can not be replicated -

confirmation bias

a tendency to search for information that confirms one's preconceptions

humanism

abraham maslow + carl rogers; living your best life, achieving self-actualization, being the healthiest mentally and physically, how our environment can affect us

hypothesis

an idea that can be tested

random assignment

assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance

mean

average

biological

charles darwin-esk; physical components of the brain, cognitive thoughts cause by genes and hormones, endocrine system

evolutionary

charles darwin; human thoughts and behaviors in terms of natural selection

statistics

collection adn analysis of data involving mental processes and behaviors

reliability

consistency of measurement (precision)

operational definition

defining a variable in a testable manner, something that you can know for a fact (percent of increase, sweaty palms or increased heart rate)

margaret washburn

first woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology

cognitive

gestalt; mental processes, how we interpret + process + remember events

informed consent

giving potential participants enough information about a study to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate

statistical significance

how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance - p < 5%, statistically significant (less than 5% chance that results are by luck) - p > 5%, not statistically significant (more than 5% chance that results are by luck)

apa ethical guidlines

informed consent before, debriefing after, limited risks, animals treated humanely 1. beneficence & nonmalficence 2. fidelity & responsibility 3. integrity 4. justice 5. respect for peoples rights 6. dignity

behavioral

john b watson; only behaviors, examines learning process, reward/punishment, psychology is an objective science, conditioning (classical- pavlov, operant- skinner)

negative skewed distribution

negative slope

placebo

no effect besides someones belief in it

descriptive statistics

numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups

inferential statistics

numerical methods used to determine whether research data support a hypothesis or whether results were due to chance, used to generalize

naturalistic observation

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation (ex. going to a park) - researchers cannot interact with subjects - researches may interpret subjects responses incorrecty

population

people in one group being studied

positive skewed distribution

positive slope

belmont report

protects people/subjects in clinical trials/research studies respect for persons, beneficence, justice

dorthea dix

reformed treatment of the mentally ill

longitudinal study

research in which the same people are restudied and retested over a long period (ex people take the same survey every five years) - most expensive

psychoanalysis/dynamic

sigmund freud; study of the unconcious mind/mental process, repression

two academic disciplines that shaped psychology

sociology and philosophy

double blind study

study in which neither the experimenter nor the subjects know if the subjects are in the experimental or control group

single blind study

study in which the subjects do not know if they are in the experimental or the control group but the experimenter does

survey

the collection of data by having people answer a series of questions

volunteer bias

the concept that people who volunteer to participate in research studies often differ from those who do not volunteer

range

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution

experimental group

the group in an experiment that receives the variable being tested

median

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

illusory correlation

the perception of a relationship where none exists

debriefing

the postexperimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants

psychology

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

ochsams razor

the simplest explanation is probably the correct explanation

normal curve

the symmetrical bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many physical and psychological attributes. Most scores fall near the average, and fewer and fewer scores lie near the extremes (parabola)

hindsight bias

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

independent variable

variable that is manipulated

sociocultural

vygotsky; the influence society and culture and history has on our mental processes and behaviors

non random sampling

where the sample is not chosen at random, it can be opportunistic, stratified or systematic

institutional review board

A committee at each institution where research is conducted to review every experiment for ethics

theory

A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data contributing to its trueness

correlation

A measure of the relationship between two variables

cross sectional study

A study in which a representative cross section of the population is tested or surveyed at one specific time (people ages 10-12 adn 40-50 are taking the same survey) - not time consuming, results almost instantly - may be differences not attributed to age or development that would not be determined from this method

mary calkins

First female president of the APA