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| the essential ingredient of science, distinguishing it from nonscientific procedures |
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| Individual differences variable |
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| a characteristic or trait that varies across individuals |
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| things (both living and inanimate), events (things in action), and relationships among things or events, as well as characteristics |
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| explains a concept solely in terms of the observable procedures use to produce and measure it |
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| the difference between what an instrument says is true and what is known to be true |
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refers to the "truthfulness" of a measure
- degree to which it measures what it claims to measure |
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| Hypotheses are not ... if the concepts to which they refer are not adequately defined or measured, if they are circular, and/or if they appeal to ideas or forces not recognized by science |
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| Researchers define, classify, catalogue, or categorize events and relationships to describe mental processes and behavior. |
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| When researchers identify correlations among variables they are able to predict mental processes and behavior |
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| Researchers understand a phenomenon when they can identify the cause(s) |
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| Psychologists apply their knowledge and research methods to change people's lives for the better |
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| A correlation exists when .. |
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Definition
| two different measures of the same people, events, or things vary together |
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| Conditions for a causal inference |
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Definition
- covariation of events
- time-order relationship
- elimination of plausible alternative causes |
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| Confounding occurs when.. |
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Definition
| two potentially effective independent variables are allowed to covary simultaneously |
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| a logically organized set of propositions (claims, statements, assertions) that serves to define events (concepts), describe relationships among these events, and explain the occurrence of these events. |
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- link independent and dependent variables
- used to explain why the variables are connected. |
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| followed when the simplest of alternative explanations is accepted. |
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