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AP Psych - Science

Terms in this set (23)

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
the group in an experiment that receives the variable being tested
Control Groups
Groups of participants in a research experiment who do not receive the experimental treatment or intervention.
Operational Definition
a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study
Replicability
research that can be repeated, and thus verified, by other researchers later
Independent Variable
The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.
Dependent Variables
The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.
Confounding Variable
an outside factor (not the independent factor) that might have an effect on the experiment's results.
Population
all individuals that belong to a particular group that you want to draw conclusions about.
Sample
A relatively small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey so as to be representative of the whole.
Representative Sample
a sample that accurately reflects the characteristics of the population as a whole
Random Sample / Random Selection
each person in the large population has an equal chance of being chosen for the study
Random Assignment
assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups
Experimenter Bias
occurs when a researcher's expectations or preferences about the outcome of a study influence the results obtained
Single-Blind Study
study in which the subjects do not know if they are in the experimental or the control group
Double-Blind Study
An experiment in which neither the participant nor the researcher knows whether the participant has received the treatment or the placebo
Placebo
something which has a positive mental effect, but no physical effect

(a pill, medicine, or procedure that is prescribed in an experiment that does not have any real physical effect)
Placebo Effect
the phenomenon in which the expectations of the participants in a study can influence their behavior
Institutional Review Board
a group of scholars within a university who review research proposal for ethical violations and/or procedural errors
Informed Consent
giving potential participants enough information about a study to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate
Confidentiality
the assurance that messages and information are available only to those who are authorized to view them (keeping secrets or personal information private)
Deception
misleading participants about the true purpose of a study or the events that will actually transpire
Debriefing
the post-experimental (after the experiment) explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants
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