Correlation Coefficient
Does correlation equal causation?
Correlation does not equal causation
What is the difference between an Independent or Dependent Variable?
While you change the independent variable the dependent variable isn't something you change yourself.
___ is immoral.
Lying
What is a confounding variable?
An outside factor that contributes to both the independent variable and the dependent variable.
What is the Observer Effect?
Refers to changes in a persons behavior when they know they are being observed.
How is a positive correlation different from a negative correlation?
-> A positive correlation means both variable increase/decrease at the same time.
-> A negative correlation means the two variables move in opposite directions.
What's the difference between an experimental and a control group?
The experimental group is the one that receives the independent variable while for the control group nothing is changed.
What do some psychologists consider lying to subjects?
White lies
Why is this an issue?
This makes it impossible to know what truly caused the results.
What is the double-blind procedure?
A method used in experiments to prevent biases from influencing the results.
->Neither the participants or researchers know who is in what group. (experimental or control)
Positive or Negative Correlation: Absences and exam scores?
A negative correlation, when absences increase exam scores decrease.
What's the difference between a sample and the population of an experience?
The sample is the group that's actually studied while the population is the entire group researchers want to make conclusions about.
Participation should be ____ with the ability to withdraw at any time.
Voluntary
What are ways scientists can avoid the contribution of confounding variables?
->Random Assignments (spreading potential confounds evenly)
->Control Variables (Keeping certain factors constant)
->Statistical Controls (Using methods to account for them)
What is an experimenter bias?
A bias that happens when the researchers expectations/beliefs unintentionally influence the outcome of an experiment.
Positive or Negative Correlation: Sleep vs School Performance
A positive correlation, as one variable decreases/increases so does the other variable.
What is more accurate, the sample or the population?
The population is more accurate. (When it can be used)
What are research animals entitled to?
Research animals are entitled to decent living conditions.
How do confounding variables threaten internal validity?
Confounding variables threaten this because it makes it harder to know what the true cause is.
Why can the observer effect reduce the validity of an experiment?
The behavior isn't natural making it invalid.
What is the relationship between Halloween and Kidnappings?
The relationship between Halloween and Kidnappings is considered a spurious relationship.
Identify the control and experimental groups: A test is given to 10 students and 5 of them got a study sheet before-hand.
Control: 5 without the study sheet
Experimental: 5 with the study sheet
When did the question of deception become an argument?
Since the 1960's
If someone's caffeine intake is contributing to both the amount of time they are studying and their performance on tests what is caffeine acting as?
Caffeine is acting as a confounding variable.
What is breaking the blind or 'unblinding'?