WGU C180 Study Guide
WGU C180 Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5uiqfl
1. What do psychologists study? • Biological Foundations
• Mental Life
• Change
• Self and Others
• Potential and Dysfunction
2. What is the scientific method and how is it applied to The scientific method is the
psychological research? set of assumptions, rules,
and procedures scientists
use to conduct research. In
addition to requiring that
science is verifiable, the
scientific method demands
that procedures are free of
personal bias.
3. What is the definition of a hypothesis? A specific and falsifiable
prediction about the rela-
tionship between two or
more variables.
4. What is an operational definition? Provide an exam- An operational definition
ple. refers to a precise state-
ment of how a conceptu-
al variable ( abstract idea
that form the basis of re-
search hypotheses ) which
is turned into a measured
variable ( varialbes consist-
ing of numbers that rep-
resent the conceptual vari-
ables )
, WGU C180 Study Guide
WGU C180 Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5uiqfl
(Conceptual Variable) De-
pression - (operational def-
inition) Number of nega-
tive words used in a creative
story; number of appoint-
ments made with a psy-
chotherapist
5. Why are ethical guidelines needed within psycholog- These are needed with
ical research? psychological research is
the prevent physical and/or
emotional harm to the par-
ticipants.
6. What are the various research methods in the field of Descriptive Research
psychology? Correlational Research
Experimental Research
7. What is descriptive research? research designed to pro-
vide a snapshot of the cur-
rent state of affairs.
8. What is Correlational Research research designed to dis-
cover relationships among
variables and to allow the
prediction of future events
from present knowledge.
9. What is Experimental Research research in which there is
a random assignment of
research participants into
two groups. This is fol-
lowed by a manipulation
, WGU C180 Study Guide
WGU C180 Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5uiqfl
of a given experience for
one group while the oth-
er is not manipulated. One
group is the experimental
group that receives the ma-
nipulation. The other group
is the control group that
does not. The two groups
are then compared to de-
termine the influence of the
manipulation.
10. What is the relationship between a population and a The people chosen to par-
sample? ticipate in the research,
called a sample, are se-
lected to be represen-
tative of all the people
that the researcher wish-
es to know about, called
the population. "Sampling
is the process of select-
ing a representative group
from the population under
study. The target popula-
tion is the total group of
individuals from which the
sample might be drawn.
A sample is the group of
people who take part in
the investigation. The peo-
ple who take part are re-
ferred to as "participants"."
, WGU C180 Study Guide
WGU C180 Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5uiqfl
11. Independent Variable The variable in an experi-
ment that is manipulated or
compared
12. Dependent Variable The variable in an experi-
ment that is measured; the
outcome of an experiment
13. Control Group The group of subjects in
an experiment that does
not receive the indepen-
dent variable
14. Experimental Group EXPERIMENTAL GROUP is
the group receiving the in-
dependent variable
15. What does a correlational research design examine? research designed to dis-
Provide an example. cover relationships among
variables and to allow the
prediction of future events
from present knowledge.
16. Describe examples of a positive and a negative corre- Correlational-To assess the
lation. relationships between and
among two or more vari-
ables.
Postiive - As children age
they get better at math
Negative - Age of a child
and the number of diapers
they use "Negative corre-
WGU C180 Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5uiqfl
1. What do psychologists study? • Biological Foundations
• Mental Life
• Change
• Self and Others
• Potential and Dysfunction
2. What is the scientific method and how is it applied to The scientific method is the
psychological research? set of assumptions, rules,
and procedures scientists
use to conduct research. In
addition to requiring that
science is verifiable, the
scientific method demands
that procedures are free of
personal bias.
3. What is the definition of a hypothesis? A specific and falsifiable
prediction about the rela-
tionship between two or
more variables.
4. What is an operational definition? Provide an exam- An operational definition
ple. refers to a precise state-
ment of how a conceptu-
al variable ( abstract idea
that form the basis of re-
search hypotheses ) which
is turned into a measured
variable ( varialbes consist-
ing of numbers that rep-
resent the conceptual vari-
ables )
, WGU C180 Study Guide
WGU C180 Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5uiqfl
(Conceptual Variable) De-
pression - (operational def-
inition) Number of nega-
tive words used in a creative
story; number of appoint-
ments made with a psy-
chotherapist
5. Why are ethical guidelines needed within psycholog- These are needed with
ical research? psychological research is
the prevent physical and/or
emotional harm to the par-
ticipants.
6. What are the various research methods in the field of Descriptive Research
psychology? Correlational Research
Experimental Research
7. What is descriptive research? research designed to pro-
vide a snapshot of the cur-
rent state of affairs.
8. What is Correlational Research research designed to dis-
cover relationships among
variables and to allow the
prediction of future events
from present knowledge.
9. What is Experimental Research research in which there is
a random assignment of
research participants into
two groups. This is fol-
lowed by a manipulation
, WGU C180 Study Guide
WGU C180 Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5uiqfl
of a given experience for
one group while the oth-
er is not manipulated. One
group is the experimental
group that receives the ma-
nipulation. The other group
is the control group that
does not. The two groups
are then compared to de-
termine the influence of the
manipulation.
10. What is the relationship between a population and a The people chosen to par-
sample? ticipate in the research,
called a sample, are se-
lected to be represen-
tative of all the people
that the researcher wish-
es to know about, called
the population. "Sampling
is the process of select-
ing a representative group
from the population under
study. The target popula-
tion is the total group of
individuals from which the
sample might be drawn.
A sample is the group of
people who take part in
the investigation. The peo-
ple who take part are re-
ferred to as "participants"."
, WGU C180 Study Guide
WGU C180 Study Guide
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_5uiqfl
11. Independent Variable The variable in an experi-
ment that is manipulated or
compared
12. Dependent Variable The variable in an experi-
ment that is measured; the
outcome of an experiment
13. Control Group The group of subjects in
an experiment that does
not receive the indepen-
dent variable
14. Experimental Group EXPERIMENTAL GROUP is
the group receiving the in-
dependent variable
15. What does a correlational research design examine? research designed to dis-
Provide an example. cover relationships among
variables and to allow the
prediction of future events
from present knowledge.
16. Describe examples of a positive and a negative corre- Correlational-To assess the
lation. relationships between and
among two or more vari-
ables.
Postiive - As children age
they get better at math
Negative - Age of a child
and the number of diapers
they use "Negative corre-
