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AP Psychology – Scientific Foundations of Psychology Part 1
This deck covers key concepts and definitions related to the scientific foundations of psychology, including critical thinking, research methods, biases, and experimental procedures.
critical thinking
thinking that does not automatically accept arguments and conclusions. rather, it examines assumption, appraises the source, discerned hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.
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Key Terms
Term
Definition
critical thinking
thinking that does not automatically accept arguments and conclusions. rather, it examines assumption, appraises the source, discerned hidden biases, ...
hindsight bias
the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it
peer reviewers
scientific experts who evaluate a research article's theory, originality, and accuracy
theory
an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events
Hypothesis
A testable prediction, often implied by a theory
falsifiable
the possibility that a hypothesized relationship can be shown to be incorrect
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
critical thinking | thinking that does not automatically accept arguments and conclusions. rather, it examines assumption, appraises the source, discerned hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions. |
hindsight bias | the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it |
peer reviewers | scientific experts who evaluate a research article's theory, originality, and accuracy |
theory | an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events |
Hypothesis | A testable prediction, often implied by a theory |
falsifiable | the possibility that a hypothesized relationship can be shown to be incorrect |
operational definition | a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures (operations) used in a research study. For example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures. |
case study | a non-experimental technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles |
naturalistic observation | non-experimental method; research in which subjects are observed in their natural environment |
survey | non-experimental method; a quasi-experimental method in which questions are asked to subjects; when being designed, the researcher hast o be careful that the questions are not skewed or biased towards a particular answer |
social desirability bias | bias from people's responding in ways they presume a researcher expects or wishes |
self-report bias | bias when people report their behavior inaccurately |
sampling bias | a flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample |
random sample | a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion |
population | all those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn |
correlation | A measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other. |
correlation coefficient | a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1) |
variable | anything that can vary and is feasible and ethical to measure |
scatterplot | a graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables |
illusory correlation | perceiving a relationship where none exists, or perceiving a stronger-than-actual relationship |
regression toward the mean | the tendency for extreme or unusual scores to fall back (regress) toward their average. |
experiment | A research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process |
experimental group | In an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable. |
control group | In an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment. |
random assignment | assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups |
single-blind procedure | An experimental procedure where participants do not know which experimental condition they have been assigned to, but the experimenter does. |
double-blind procedure | an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies. |
placebo | latin for 'I shall please' |
effect | experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent |
independent variable | in an experiment, the factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied |