Experiments

Question 1

Control Group

Answer 1

The independent variable; participants who are much like the experimental group except for a manipulated factor

Question 2

Internal Validity

Answer 2

The degree to which changes in the dependent variable are due to the manipulation of the independent variable

Question 3

Experimenter Bias

Answer 3

The influence of the experimenter’s expectations on the outcome of the research

Question 4

Demand Characteristic

Answer 4

Any aspect of a study that communicates to the participants how the experimenter wants them to behave

Question 5

Research Participant Bias

Answer 5

The influence of participants’ expectations, and of their thoughts on how they should behave, on their behavior

Question 6

Placebo Effect

Answer 6

A phenomenon in which the expectation of the participants, rather than actual treatment, produces an outcome

Question 7

Placebo

Answer 7

In a study, a harmless substance that has no physical effect, given to participants in a control group so they are treated identically except for the active agent

Question 8

Double-blind Experiment

Answer 8

Experimental design in which neither the experimenter nor the participants are aware of which participants are in the experimental group, and which are in the control group

Question 9

Sample

Answer 9

The subset of the population chosen by the investigator for the study

Question 10

Random Sample

Answer 10

A sample that gives every member of the population an equal chance of being selected

Question 11

Naturalistic Observation

Answer 11

The observation of behavior in a real-world setting

Question 12

Descriptive Statistics

Answer 12

Mathematical procedures that are used to describe and summarize sets of data in a meaningful way

Question 13

Mean

Answer 13

A measure of central tendency that is the average for a sample

Question 14

Median

Answer 14

A measure of central tendency that is the middle score in a sample

Question 15

Mode

Answer 15

A measure of central tendency that is the most common score in a sample

Question 16

Inferential Statistics

Answer 16

Mathematical methods that are used to indicate whether the data sufficiently support a research hypothesis

Question 17

Standard Deviation

Answer 17

A measure of dispersion that indicates how much the scores in a sample differ from the mean in the sample

Question 18

Range

Answer 18

A measure of dispersion that is the difference between the highest and lowest scores

Question 19

External Validity

Answer 19

The degree to which an experimental design actually reflects the real-world issues it is supposed to address

Question 20

Operational Definition

Answer 20

Definition that provides an objective description of how a variable is going to be measured and observed in a particular study

Question 21

Correlational Research

Answer 21

Examines the relationship between variables with the purpose of determining whether and how two variables change together

Question 22

Case Study

Answer 22

In-depth look at a single individual

Question 23

Empirical Method

Answer 23

Gaining knowledge through the observation of events, collection of data, and logical reasoning

Question 24

Descriptive Research

Answer 24

Determines the basic dimensions of a phenomenon- defining what it is, how often it occurs, and so on

Question 25

Third Variable Problem

Answer 25

Circumstance in which a variable that has not been measured accounts for the relationship between two other variables; known as confounds

Question 26

Random Assignment

Answer 26

Assignments of participants to experimental groups by chance, to reduce the likelihood that a study's results will be due to preexisting differences between groups