1D- preventing error and bias

Question 1

Extraneous variable definition

Answer 1

any variable that is not the
independent variable but
may cause an unwanted
effect on the dependent
variable

Question 2

Confounding variable definition

Answer 2

a variable that has directly
and systematically
affected the dependent
variable, apart from the
independent variable

Question 3

Participant-related
variables definition

Answer 3

also known as individual participant differences or subject variables, refer to characteristics of a study’s participants that may affect the results.

Question 4

order effects definition

Answer 4

refers to the tendency for the order in which participants complete experimental
conditions to have an effect on their behavior. This occurs primarily in within-subjects
experimental designs.

Question 5

extraneous and confounding variables examples

Answer 5

• participant-related variables
• order effects
• placebo effects
• experimenter effects
• situational variables
• non-standardised instructions and procedures
• demand characteristics.

Question 6

placebo definition

Answer 6

an inactive
substance or treatment

Question 7

placebo effect definition

Answer 7

when
participants respond to
an inactive substance
or treatment as a result
of their expectations
or beliefs

Question 8

experimenter effect

Answer 8

(also known as
experimenter bias) 
when the expectations of
the researcher affect the
results of an experiment

Question 9

situational variables definition

Answer 9

any environmental factor
that may affect the
dependent variable

Question 10

participant- related variables examples

Answer 10

characteristics like participants’ age, intelligence, and socioeconomic status.

Question 11

order effects examples

Answer 11

• practise effects, which mean that participants perform better in later conditions due to
  having done it before.
• fatigue effects, which mean that participants perform worse in later conditions due to being
  tired or bored from completing a prior task.

Question 12

experimenter effects examples

Answer 12

the experimenter may be more likely to pay attention
to what confirms their expectations

Question 13

situational variables definition

Answer 13

refer to any environmental factor that may affect the dependent variable.

Question 14

situational variables examples

Answer 14

Temperature, lighting, weather, and time of day are all examples of situational variables.

Question 15

Non-standardised
instructions and
procedures definition

Answer 15

when directions and procedures
differ across participants
or experimental conditions

Question 16

Demand characteristics definition

Answer 16

cues in an experiment that
may signal to a participant
the intention of the
study and influence their
behaviour

Question 17

preventing extreneous and confounding variables
- sample sizes and procedures

Answer 17

-Having a large sample size increases the sample’s representativeness of the population
-considering individual participant
differences

Question 18

preventing extraneous and confounding variables
-Experimental design choice

Answer 18

Choosing an alternative design when order effects may be an issue is one way to prevent this
extraneous variable.

Question 19

preventing extraneous and confounding variables
-counterbalancing

Answer 19

a method to reduce order effects that involves ordering experimental
conditions in a certain way.

Question 20

preventing extraneous and confounding variables
- placebo

Answer 20

Studies that test the efficacy of new drugs or treatment interventions typically have at least
two experimental groups. One group is generally provided with the active substance or
intervention, while another group may be given a placebo

Question 21

preventing extraneous and confounding variables
-single-blind procedure

Answer 21

a procedure in which participants are unaware of the experimental
group or condition they have been allocated to. This helps reduce participants’ expectations

Question 22

preventing extraneous and confounding variables
- double-blind procedure

Answer 22

a procedure in which both participants and the experimenter do not know which conditions or groups participants are allocated to

Question 23

preventing extraneous and confounding variables
- standard structures and procedures

Answer 23

Ensuring that each participant in an experiment receives the exact same instructions and
follows the same procedures in each condition allows researchers to more conclusively infer
that results are due to the independent variable. This minimises the extraneous variables of
non-standardised instructions and procedures (situational variables).

Question 24

preventing extraneous and confounding variables
- controlled varibales

Answer 24

their impact is systematically minimised and accounted for. This can be used for a range of extraneous
variables