UBC PSYC 102 EXAM LATEST UPDATE
Hindsight Bias - ANSWER The tendency after learning an outcome that one would have
foreseen it ( The i-knew-it-all-along phenomenon)
Critical Thinking - ANSWER thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and
conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates
evidence, and assesses conclusions
Theory - ANSWER an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes
observations and prefects behaviours or events
Hypothesis - ANSWER a testable prediction, often implied by a theory
Operational definition - ANSWER a statement of the procedures (operations) used to
define research variables. For example, human intelligence may be operationally
defined as "what an intelligence test measures"
Replication - ANSWER repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different
participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other
participants and circumstances
Case Study - ANSWER an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth
in the hope of revealing universal principles
Naturalistic observation - ANSWER observing and recording behaviour in naturally
occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
survey - ANSWER a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviours
of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the
group
Population - ANSWER all the cases in a group being studied, from which samples can be
drawn ( Note: except for national studies, this does not refer to the country's whole
population)
Random sample - ANSWER a sample that fairly represents a population because each
member has an equal chance of inclusion
correlation - ANSWER a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and
thus how well either factor predicts the other
correlation coefficient - ANSWER a statistical index of the relationship between two
things (from -1 to +1)
scatterplot - ANSWER a grapher cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of
two variables. The slope of the points suggests the direction of the relationship between
, the two variables. The amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation (little
scatter indicates high correlation)
experimental group - ANSWER in an experiment, the group that is exposed to the
treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable
control - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER assigning participants to to experimental and control
groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to
the different groups
double-blind procedure - ANSWER 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 effect - ANSWER experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect
on behaviour caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the
recipient assumes is an active agent
independent variable - ANSWER the experimental factor that is manipulated; the
variable whose effect is being studied
confounding variable - ANSWER a factor other than the independent variable that might
produce an effect in an experiment
dependent variable - ANSWER the outcome factor; the variable that may change in
response to manipulations of the independent variable
Descriptive Research Method - ANSWER To observe and record behaviour
ex. case studies, naturalistic observations, or surveys
Correlational Research Method - ANSWER to detect naturally occurring relationships; to
assess how well one variable predicts another
ex. collect data on two or more variables; no manipulation
Experimental Research Method - ANSWER to explore cause and effect
ex. manipulate on or more factors; use random assignment
mode - ANSWER the most frequently occurring score(s) in the distribution
mean - ANSWER the arithmetic average of distribution, obtained by adding the scores
and then dividing by the number of scores
Hindsight Bias - ANSWER The tendency after learning an outcome that one would have
foreseen it ( The i-knew-it-all-along phenomenon)
Critical Thinking - ANSWER thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and
conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates
evidence, and assesses conclusions
Theory - ANSWER an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes
observations and prefects behaviours or events
Hypothesis - ANSWER a testable prediction, often implied by a theory
Operational definition - ANSWER a statement of the procedures (operations) used to
define research variables. For example, human intelligence may be operationally
defined as "what an intelligence test measures"
Replication - ANSWER repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different
participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other
participants and circumstances
Case Study - ANSWER an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth
in the hope of revealing universal principles
Naturalistic observation - ANSWER observing and recording behaviour in naturally
occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
survey - ANSWER a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviours
of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the
group
Population - ANSWER all the cases in a group being studied, from which samples can be
drawn ( Note: except for national studies, this does not refer to the country's whole
population)
Random sample - ANSWER a sample that fairly represents a population because each
member has an equal chance of inclusion
correlation - ANSWER a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and
thus how well either factor predicts the other
correlation coefficient - ANSWER a statistical index of the relationship between two
things (from -1 to +1)
scatterplot - ANSWER a grapher cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of
two variables. The slope of the points suggests the direction of the relationship between
, the two variables. The amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation (little
scatter indicates high correlation)
experimental group - ANSWER in an experiment, the group that is exposed to the
treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable
control - ANSWER 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 - ANSWER assigning participants to to experimental and control
groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to
the different groups
double-blind procedure - ANSWER 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 effect - ANSWER experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect
on behaviour caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the
recipient assumes is an active agent
independent variable - ANSWER the experimental factor that is manipulated; the
variable whose effect is being studied
confounding variable - ANSWER a factor other than the independent variable that might
produce an effect in an experiment
dependent variable - ANSWER the outcome factor; the variable that may change in
response to manipulations of the independent variable
Descriptive Research Method - ANSWER To observe and record behaviour
ex. case studies, naturalistic observations, or surveys
Correlational Research Method - ANSWER to detect naturally occurring relationships; to
assess how well one variable predicts another
ex. collect data on two or more variables; no manipulation
Experimental Research Method - ANSWER to explore cause and effect
ex. manipulate on or more factors; use random assignment
mode - ANSWER the most frequently occurring score(s) in the distribution
mean - ANSWER the arithmetic average of distribution, obtained by adding the scores
and then dividing by the number of scores
