AP Psychology Vocabulary Chapter 2 Review
Typical Distribution
68% are within 1 standard deviation above or below the mean. 95% are within 2 standard deviation above or below the mean
Inferential Statistics
Allows researchers to test hypotheses about data and to determine how confident they can be in their inferences about the data. Used to determine our level of confidence in claiming that a given set of results would be extremely unlikely to occur if the result was only up to chance.
Operational Definition
An important feature of studies. A precise description of how variables in a study will be observed and measured. Must be valid (measuring what they are supposed to measure) and reliable (able to be repeated under similar conditions)
Experiment
An investigation seeking to understand relations of cause and effect. The investigator manipulates the independent variables to measure the RESPONSE of the dependent variable. Shows the causation.
Group matching
Another experimental design technique by which researchers attempt to categorize subjects and ensure that the control group has members similar to those in the experimental group
Subfields in Psychology
Applied Psychology and Basic Psychology
1. Representative Sample
Chosen people from the population since it was too large.
What must be certain in any experiment for the participant?
Confidentiality
Two important Research Methods Associated with Developmental Psychology
Cross-sectional Studies and Longitudinal Studies
Types of research
Experimental, Correlation, Clinical
Stanley Milgram and Ethics
His deception was seen as unethical
Population
Identified by researchers to be studied
Correlational Research
Involves assessing the degree of association between two or more variables or characteristics of interest that occur naturally. Researcher just observes the natrually occuring differences. Does NOT prove causation.
Clinical Research
Often takes the form of case studies.
Difference between psychologists and psychiatrists
Psychiatry is the study of mental disorders and are medical DOCTORS that have the ability to prescribe medication.
2. Random Sampling
Requires every person in your population to have an equal chance of being chosen to participate.
Naturalistic Observation
Researchers use this to witness and record situations without becoming involved
How to read a Normal Distribution Curve
The Mean determines the location of the center of the graph. The standard deviation determines the height and width of the graph. When the Standard deviation large, the curve is short and wide. When the standard Deviation is small, the curve is tall and skinny. In skewed distributions, the median is a better indicator of the central tendency. If the graph is skewed to the right, then there are more smaller values. If the graph is skewed to the left, then there are more larger values.
Experimental Group
The group receiving or reacting to the independent variable
Danger of assessing Case Studies
The individual studied may be atypical of the larger population. To protect against this, the researcher must be sure to generalize.
What must occur after the experiment?
The participant must be debriefed in which they are told the exact purpose of their participation in the research and of any deception that was used.
Double-Blind
The subject nor the researcher is aware as to which group anyone is in. Third party is usually involved.
Single-Blind
The subjects do not know, but the researcher is aware as to which group everyone is in.
Independent Variables
The variable being manipulated
Dependent Variables
The variable that is being measured
Errors when testing a hypothesis:
Type I Error and Type II Error
Percentile
Used when reporting scores on standardized exams. They express the standing of one score relative to all other scores in a set of data
Correlation Coefficient
Will describe how the attributes we are studying relate to one another. A numerical value that indicates the degree and direction of the relationship between two variables. Range from +1.00 to -1.00.
Pearson Correlation Coefficient
a descriptive statistic that describes the linear relationship between two attributes. Positive-Positive=Positive Positive-Negative=Negative
Placebo
a seemingly therapeutic object or procedure that causes the control group to believe they are the experimental group.
Null hypothesis
a treatment had no effect in an experiment
What must patients give before an experiment?
an informed consent (participant only agrees after they have been told what the experiment entails)
Generalizable
applicable to similar circumstances because the predictable outcomes of repeated tests
When experiments are conducted, psychologists typically want to be able to....
generalize the result of the large group (population)
Basic Psychology
grounded research
Standard Deviation
measures a function of the average dispersion of numbers around the mean and is a commonly used measure of variability
Randomly Assigned
method of choosing which group, experimental or control, the sample population is placed in.
Applied Psychology
psychology put directly into practice (therapist meeting with a client. school psychologist)
Variability
refers to how much the numbers in the set differ from each other. Mean, Median, and Mode don't tell a lot about it.
Type I Error
refers to the conclusion that a difference exists when in fact this difference does not exist (given most attention).
Type II Error
refers to the conclusion that there is no difference when in fact there is a difference.
sample
small group of people in the experiment that must be representative
Descriptive Statistics
summarize data and describe data. Use Central Tendency-- Mean (average), Median (middle number), and Mode (most seen quantity). The results are represented on a normal curve
Control Group
the group that does not receive the independent variable. The comparison group.
p-value
the statistical probability of making a Type I error. Indicates that the results are statistically significant
Alternative hypothesis
treatment did have an effect.
Case Studies
~Intensive psychological studies of a single individual. ~Conducted under the assumption that an in-depth understanding of single cases will allow for general conclusions about other similar cases