Exam 1: Statistics and Scientific Method

In an experiment conducted to determine the effect of testosterone on aggression, testosterone is the independent variable.

A sample is defined as _________.

For a list of sample data the lowest and highest score values are examples of _________ statistics.

In a study of caloric intake on weight loss, the number of pounds lost (or gained) is the independent variable.

A scientist takes a random sample of 50 citizens in a city and asks them their age. The scientist then calculates the average age and uses that as an estimate of the average age of all the citizens in the city. What is this process called?

The dependent variable in an experiment is defined or identified as _________.

In order to estimate the average (mean) weight of all professional football players, an investigator determines the weight of the "Dallas Cowboy" players. All professional football players constitute a _________.

In order to estimate the height of all students at your university, let's assume you have measured the height of all psychology majors at the university. The resulting raw scores are called _________.

Mathematical methods used to draw tentative conclusions about a population based on sample data are referred to as _________.

A statistic is to a sample as a parameter is to a population.

Define data.

In order to estimate the average (mean) weight of all professional football players, an investigator determines the weight of the "Dallas Cowboy" players. The average (mean) weight of the Dallas Cowboys is called a _________.

In order to estimate the average (mean) weight of all professional football players, an investigator determines the weight of the "Dallas Cowboy" players. Weight is an example of a(n) _________.

True experiments involve the manipulation of variables by the investigator.

Let's assume you are conducting an experiment to determine the effect of a new drug on the incidence of epileptic seizures. You select 20 epileptics from the 150 epileptics being treated at a nearby hospital and administer the drug to them. You record the number of seizures in each of the 20 subjects for one month. The new drug is an example of a(n) _________.

A statistic is defined as _________.

When data has not yet been analyzed, this is called raw data.

Consider yourself and describe 3 populations to which you belong?

In order to estimate the attention level of college undergraduates in the United States, a psychologist measures the attention span of the undergraduates at a local university. The mean of these scores is a _________.

In observational studies the researcher manipulates the experiment and observes the results closely.