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Scientific Method
the procedures by which scientists conduct research, consisting of five basic processes: observation, prediction, testing, interpretation, and communication
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Theory
a set of related assumptions from which scientists can make testable predictions
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Hypothesis
a specific, informed, and testable prediction of the outcome of a particular set of conditions in a research design
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Replication
the repetition of a study to confirm the results; essential to the scientific process
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Pseudoscience
claims presented as scientific that are not supported by evidence obtained with the scientific method
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Research design
plans of action for how to conduct a scientific study
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Variable
a characteristic that changes, such as age, gender, weight, intelligence, anxiety, and extraversion
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Population
the entire group population a researcher is interested in
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Samples
subsets of the population studied in a research project
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Social Desirability Bias
the tendency toward favorable self-presentation that could lead to inaccurate self-reports
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Descriptive Designs
study designs in which the researcher defines a problem and variable of interest but makes no prediction and does not control or manipulate anything
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Case Study
a study design in which a psychologist, often a therapist, observes one person over a long period of time
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Naturalistic Observation
a study in which the researcher unobtrusively observes and records behavior in the real world
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Representative Sample
a research sample that accurately reflects the population of people one is studying
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Correlational Designs
studies that measure two or more variables and their relationship to one another; not designed to show causation
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Correlation Coefficient
a statistic that ranges from -1.0 to +1.0 and assesses the strength and direction of association between two variables
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Experiment
a research design that includes independent variables and random asssignment of participants to control and experimental groups or conditions
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Independent Variable
a property that is manipulated by the experimenter under controlled conditions to determine whether it causes the predicted outcome of an experiment
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Dependent Variable
in an experiment, the outcome or response to the experimental manipulation
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Random Assignment
the method used to assign participants to different research conditions so that all participants have the same chance of being in any specific group
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Experimental Group
a group consisting of those participants who will receive the treatment or whatever is predicted to change behavior
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Control Group
a group of research participants who are treated in exactly the same manner as the experimental group, except that they do not receive the independent variable or treatment
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Placebo
a substance or treatment that appears identical to the actual treatment but lacks the active substance
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Single-Blind Studies
studies in which participants do not know the experimental conditions (group) to which they have been assigned
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Double-Blind Studies
studies in which neither the participants nor the researchers administering the treatment know who has been assigned to the experimental or control group
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Experimenter Expectancy Effects
results that occurs when the behavior of the participants is influenced by the experimenter’s knowledge of who is in the control group and who is in the experimental group
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Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
a statement that affects events to cause the predictions to become true
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Meta-analysis
a research and statistical technique for combining all research results on one question and drawing a conclusion
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Effect Size
a measure of the strength of the relationship between two variables or the magnitude of an experimental effect
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Self-Reports
written or oral accounts of a person’s thoughts, feelings, or actions
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