Unit 0: Research Methods, Ethics, Statistics

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critical thinking

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thinking that does not automatically accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.

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hindsight bias

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the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. (Also known as the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon.)

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peer reviewers

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scientific experts who evaluate a research article's theory, originality, and accuracy.

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theory

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an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events.

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hypothesis

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a testable prediction, often implied by a theory.

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falsifiable

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the possibility that an idea, hypothesis, or theory can be disproven by observation or experiment.

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operational definition

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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.)

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replication

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repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding can be reproduced.

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case study

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a non-experimental technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.

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naturalistic observation

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a non-experimental technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation.