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Words are hard to get right, particularly in science. Not only do the same words mean entirely different things whether you’re using them in regular conversation or in a  scientific context (hello, “theory”), but the more we use certain words and phrases, the faster they can lose their original meaning, or be simplified so much, they end up being just plain wrong.

And the scary thing is, misunderstanding the meaning of particular terms in science isn’t just something laypeople do – experts, such as scientists, researchers, PhD students, teachers, and lecturers, also mess up, and this can be very dangerous when you’re working in a field that relies on truth and facts.

While some bad scientists deliberately use big words and inscrutable jargon to hide the shortcomings of their research, most of us use words incorrectly because we simply don’t know any better.

For those of you who want the condensed version, here are 50 of the most commonly misused terms in science in psychology, with explanations for some of the worst offenders.

– BEC CREW

Source: Scientists just published a list of the 50 most incorrectly used terms in psychology