PSYCH 1F03 Study Guide - Final Guide: Waggle Dance, Exemplar Theory, Prototype Theory

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH 1F03
• Professor: Joe Kim

Document Summary

The scientific method: construct a theory, generate a hypothesis, choose research method, collect data, analyze data, report the findings, revise existing theories. Scientific method standardizes the procedure of research + reduces bias. Anecdotal evidence: evidence gathered from others or self experience. Experiment: scientific tool used to measure the effect of one variable on another. Dependent variable: variable being observed by the scientist. Experimental group: receive independent variable (group getting experimented on) Control groups: will not receive independent variable (comparison group) Practice effect: improved performance over the course of an experiment due to becoming more experience. Within-subjects design: method to guarantee control/experimental groups are as similar as possible. Tests same subject repeatedly while independent variable is manipulated. Between subjects design: one group acts as the control group. Confounding variable: variable other than independent variable that has an effect on the results. Random assignment: assigning subjects to either experimental or control group at random in order to avoid any bias.