4) Controlling variables key terms

Question 1

What is a positive relationship of co-variables?

Answer 1

-when two variables move in the same direction
-increasing or decreasing simultaneously

Question 2

What are co-variables?

Answer 2

-two or more variables that are measured in a correlational study
-may or may not be related to each other

Question 3

What is a negative relationship of co-variables?

Answer 3

-when to variables move in opposite directions
-as one variable decreases, the other increases (and vice versa)

Question 4

Does an association between co-variables necessarily indicate a casual relationship?

Answer 4

-no, it does not always indicate a casual relationship
-because correlation or statistical association doesn’t imply causation

Question 5

What is a pilot study?

Answer 5

-small scale trial investigation
-tests some or all aspects of the intended investigation

Question 6

What are the aims of a pilot study?

Answer 6

-test the effectiveness of proposed studies and to make improvements

Question 7

What is the relationship between control and realism in experiments?

Answer 7

-Laboratory experiments have more control but less realism
-field experiments have less control but more realism

Question 8

What is meant by a cyclical process?

Answer 8

-where we see the findings in the lab
-then test them in the real world

Question 9

What is mundane realism?

Answer 9

-how well the experiment or study relates to the real world

Question 10

What type of validity does mundane realism threaten?

Answer 10

-internal validity
(How well the IV predicts the DV)

Question 11

What is experimental realism?

Answer 11

-refers to the extent which an experiment absorbs and involves its participants
-focuses on the psychological and emotional involvement of the p’s
-ensures they perceive the experiment as genuine and engaging

Question 12

What type of validity foes experimental validity threaten?

Answer 12

-internal validity

Question 13

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 13

-factors that mat have an affect on the DV that aren’t the IV
(E.g. age, in a boys vs girls memory test)

Question 14

What are confounding variables?

Answer 14

-type of extraneous variable
-systematically varies with the independent variable
-makes it difficult to determine if changes in the DV are due to the IV or confounding variables
-provides an explanation for the observed effect

Question 15

What are uncontrolled variables?

Answer 15

-any factor not controlled by the researcher

Question 16

What is a situational confounding variable?

Answer 16

-factor in the environment that can affect the results of the study
(EV that’s related to both the IV and the DV)

Question 17

What are some other types of extraneous variables?

Answer 17

-demand characteristics
-experimenter effects
-participant variables

Question 18

What are demand characteristics?

Answer 18

-subtle cues or hints that might lead the participants to change their behaviour or response based on what they think the study is about

Question 19

What are investigator effects?

Answer 19

-when a researcher unconsciously or consciously influences the outcome of a research study

Question 20

What is an example of a direct effect?

Answer 20

Telling the participants the aim of the study to help them act on it

Question 21

What is an example of an indirect effect?

Answer 21

-unconsciously organising participants unfairly
(Picking sporty girls and non-sporty boys in a running race)

Question 22

What is random allocation?

Answer 22

-the allocation of participants to conditions in an experiment

Question 23

Which EV does random allocation help to control?

Answer 23

-helps to control for some participant variables in an independent design

Question 24

What is standardised procedure?

Answer 24

-set of rules or instructions that are used to perform a task or process in a consistent manner

Question 25

Which EV does standardised procedure help to control?

Answer 25

-keeps all elements of a procedure identical

Question 26

What is randomisation?

Answer 26

-a statistical process that randomly assigns subjects to groups in an experiment to avoid bias and improve validity

Question 27

Which EV does randomisation help to control?

Answer 27

-avoids systematic error

Question 28

What is a single blind test?

Answer 28

-clinical trial where the researcher knows which treatment a participant is receiving
-participant doesn’t know

Question 29

Which EV does a single blind test help to control?

Answer 29

-makes the results of the study less bias

Question 30

What is a double blind test?

Answer 30

-clinical trial where neither the researcher nor participant knows which treatment is being received

Question 31

Which EV does a double blind test help to control?

Answer 31

-prevents bias when doctors evaluate patients’ outcome