Scientific Thinking
the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. (Also known as the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon.)
What is... hindsight bias
a non-experimental technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.
What is... case study
Luke Skywalker's father
Who is... Darth Vader
in an experiment, the group exposed to the treatment — that is, to one version of the independent variable.
What is... experimental group
the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it.
What is... median
scientific experts who evaluate a research article’s theory, originality, and accuracy.
What is... peer reviewers
a non-experimental technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation.
What is... naturalistic observation
The fish used to make calamari
What is... SQUID
in an experiment, the group not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.
What is... control group
a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.
What is... standard deviation
an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events.
What is... theory
a non-experimental technique for obtaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group.
What is... survey
The capitol of Iceland
assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between the different groups.
What is... random assignment
a statistical statement of how likely it is that a result (such as a difference between samples) occurred by chance, assuming there is no difference between the populations being studied.
What is...statistical significance
a testable prediction, often implied by a theory.
What is... hypothesis
a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.
What is... correlation/correlational study
Most populous country on earth
What is... India
in an experiment, the factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.
What is... independent variable
the percentage of scores that are lower than a given score.
What is... percentile rank
a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures (operations) used in a research study. For example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures. (Also known as operationalization.)
What is... operational definitions
a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variable). By random assignment of participants, the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors.
What is... experiment
The name of a dot over a lowercase i
What is... a tittle
bias caused when researchers may unintentionally influence results to confirm their own beliefs.
What is... experimenter bias
a representation of scores that lack symmetry around their average value.
What is... skewed distribution