Exam 1 Psychology ch. 2

State the relationship between the size of a correlation....

- (the correlation coefficient is numerical index of the degree of relationship between two variables. Like a graph.) - The closer the correlation is to either -1.00 or +1.00, the stronger the relationship. - THE STRENGTH OF A CORRELATION DEPENDS ONLY ON THE SIZE OF THE COEFFICIENT - THE BIGNESS OF A CORRELATION COEFFICIENT INDICATES THE STRENGTH OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO VARIABLES - Think of Naruto and sasuke, just like how big their love (friendship wise lol) is for each other indicates how strong their friendship/ relationship is, ( like a correlation coefficient and a correlation. )

...and how well the two variables involved predict each other

- As a correlation increases in strength, the ability to predict one variable based on knowledge of the other increases. - ...so like ruby and sapphire. Think about how they act with each other. With their storng relationship, the ability to predict Ruby based on what we know about Sapphire is increased.

Define the concept of a correlation, and distinguish between pos. and neg. correlations.

- Correlation: the relationship between two variables; exists when two variables are related to each other. - Positive correlation: indicates that two variables co-vary (change together) in the SAME direction - Negative correlation: indicates that two variables co vary in the OPPOSITE direction - Example: there is a pos. correlation with high school grades and college grades—if you do well in H.S., then you do well in college. - There is a neg. correlation with absences and your exam scores. For instance, let's say you're absent all the time and you miss all the lectures. The more you are absent, the lower your exam scores are. It's the same vice versa: your exam scores will be higher if you are absent less. (there's a diagram in the book, btw, to see what I are sayin' (p.41))

Summarize problems in ethics presented by deception and by animal research.

- Lying - Deceiving unsuspecting participants undermine many individuals' trust in others - Many deceptive studies produce stress for participants who were not forewarned - Som e peeps maintain that it is wrong to subject animals to harm or pain for research purposes; that researchers violate animal rights by subjecting animal to unnecessary cruelty in many "trivial" studies.

Explain how random assignment deals with extraneous variables

- Random assignment deals with extraneous variables because random assignment allows for the control of extraneous variables. With random assignment, extraneous variables are controlled in the experimental and control groups, ensuring that the two groups are similar in most ways, and ultimately preventing a confounding of variables.

Define independent/dependent variables & recognize examples of each in descriptions of experiments

Independent variable: a condition or event that an experiment varies in order to see its impact on another variable Dependent variable: thought to be affected by the manipulation of the independent variable Examples: an experiment where the amount of studying affects student's test scores. The time spent studying is the independent variable, while the student's test scores are the dependent variable. Think of it as this: the dependent variable always yields different results, and depends on the independent variable.

List and define steps in a scientific study

1. Formulate a testable hypothesis A testable guess about what study you will find 2. Choose research method and design the study Figure out how to put the hypothesis to an empirical test using various methods like experiments, case studies, etc. 3. Collect data Step where researchers collect data using various data collection techniques like questionnaires, surveys, etc. 4. Analyze data and draw conclusions Step in which researchers use statistics from their observations to analyze data and decide whether or not their hypotheses were supported 5. Report the findings Researchers write a concise summary of their findings from the study and share it with each other and the general public. Allows other experts to critique and evaluate new research findings.

Goals of the scientific research

1. Measurement and description 2. Application and control 3. Understanding and prediction

Advantages and disadvantages of experiments:

A - High degree of control - Identify cause and effect relationships between variables - Allow us to make predictions D - Expensive and time consuming - May not be realistic - May not be practical or ethical

Define the experiment

A research method in which the investigator manipulates a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether any changes occur in a second variable as a result.

Probs relying on anecdotal evidence.

- Very influential, yet fundamentally flawed. Usually based on the equivalent of a single case study, which is not an adequate sample, and there are no safeguards to reduce the distortions often found in self-report data. - Inaccurate, second hand reports of others' experiences. - Basically you can't rely on them because they lack any real evidence

Identify the problems caused by placebo effect and experimenter bias, and what to do about them.

-Experimenter: researchers' expectations and desires distort their observations or unintentionally influence their subject's behavior. - placebo: participants' expectations cause them to change their behavior in response to the fake treatment - what to do. Idk the answer but I think it's something like, when it comes to the experiment, be an unbiased and neutral observer and let the experiment unfold as it should. Yeah. Swiggity swurt my brain hurts

Advantages of the scientific over nonscientific approaches

Clarity and precision relative intolerance of error. Scientists inspect findings with a critical eye. tends to yield more accurate and dependable info than casual analyses.

Define experimental group and the control group, and recognize examples of each in descriptions of experiments

Experimental group: consists of similar subjects who receive some special treatment in regard to the independent variable Control group: consists of similar subjects who do not receive the special treatment given to the experimental group Examples: think of an experiment like the shock experiment we saw in the powerpoint. The experimental group was the high anxiety one (the one to receive the "painful shocks") while the control group was the low anxiety one. (the one to receive not painful shocks.) Basically, the control group is the normal one, and the experimental group is the one being tested on.

Why a correlation does not prove causation.

correlation does not prove causation because a correlation doesn't tell us the cause and effect relationship between two variables. We don't know if x causes y or vice versa, or if x and y are cause by a third variable. The only thing a correlation tells us is the association or link between variables.