2: Principles Of Measurments

Question 1

Self report measures

Answer 1

Subjects report on own behavior or state of mind
-rating scale is used
Likely scales: rat agreement with statement
-popular and easy to use but…
-cannot be sure it’s truth
-cannot be sure if responding accurately or consistently

Question 2

Behavioral observational measures

Answer 2

Record actual observable behavior of subjects or physical traces of behavior
Frequency: count number of behavioral events
Latency: amount of time it takes for a behavior to begin or occur
Accuracy: proportion of correct responses or errors made
-may not allow you to determine the underlying cause for behavior

Question 3

Physiological measures

Answer 3

Measurement of brain activity or peripheral responses
-typically requires special equipment
Most used on human non-invasive or minimally invasive
-those requiring invasive may be used with animal or surgical
-can make precise measurements of underlying biological mechanisms that may not be directly observable as behavior
Must infer phsychological states.

Question 4

Ethnography

Answer 4

Filed setting. Researcher becomes immersed in the behavioral or social system being studied

Question 5

Case study

Answer 5

Observe and report on a single case or a few cases. Often neurophysiological patients

Question 6

Archival research

Answer 6

Using available records to collect data

Question 7

Nominal

Answer 7

Qualitatively distinct values that differ by category.

• can count number of observations in each category
• no ordering of values
• cannot rank or apply math operations

Question 8

Ordinal

Answer 8

Qualitatively. Categories with values that can be ranked by quality.

• can count frequencies and make rank-order comparisons
• unknown differences( spacing) between values.
• differences or averages are to produce misleading results.

Question 9

Interval

Answer 9

Quantitative scale with values expressed in numerical units

• known differences between values
• no true absolute zero point that refers to complete absence of quantity
• can measure absolute averages and differences.
• cannot make ratio judgments

Question 10

Ratio

Answer 10

Quantitative scale with numerical units and a true absolute zero point that indicates complete absence of quantity

• can apply all math operations valid with the interval scale and make ratio comparisons.
• percent chnages between observations or means.