4.1 Validity Flashcards
____ validity refers to the accuracy of conclusions about cause and effect.
Internal
____ validity concerns whether our methods of studying variables are accurate.
Construct
____ validity concerns whether we can generalise the findings of a study to other settings.
External
A ____ is any event, situation, behaviour, or individual characteristic that varies.
variable
Any variable must have ___ or more levels or values.
two
For some variables, the values will have a true numeric, or ____, properties.
quantitative
The values of other variables are not numeric, but instead simply identify different ____.
categories
The ____ definition of a variable is the set of procedures used to measure or manipulate it.
operational
A variable must have an operational definition to be studied ____.
empirically
The task of developing an operational definition of a variable forces scientists to discuss ____ ____ in concrete terms.
abstract concepts
Operational definitions also help researchers to ____ their ideas with others.
communicate
____ validity refers to the adequacy of the operational definition of variables: Does the operational definition of a variable actually reflect the true theoretical meaning of the variable?
Construct
Many research studies investigate the ____ between two variables: Do the levels of the two variables vary systematically together?
relationship
In a ____ ____ relationship, increases in the values of one variable are accompanied by increases in the values of the second variable.
positive linear
In a ____ ____ relationship, increases in the values of one variable are accompanied by decreases in the values of the other variable.
negative linear
In a ____ relationship, increases in the values of one variable are accompanied by systematic increases and decreases in the values of the other variable.
curvilinear
When there is __ relationship between the two variables, the graph is simply a flat line.
no relationship
A numerical index of the strength of a relationship between variables is called a ____ ____.
correlation coefficient
Correlation coefficients are very important because we need to know how strongly variables are ____ to one another.
related
The term ____ implies that there is randomness in events; scientists refer to this as random variability in events that occurred.
uncertainty
Research is aimed at reducing ____ ____ by identifying systematic relationships between variables.
random variability
In an experiment, the manipulated variable is the ____ ____.
independent variable
After manipulating the independent variable, the researchers measure a second variable, called the ____ ____.
dependent variable
The variable that is considered to be the ____ is called the independent variable and the variable that is the ____ is called the dependent variable.
cause, effect
When the relationship between an independent and a dependent variable is plotted in a graph, the independent variable is always placed on the ____ axis and the dependent variable is always placed on the ____ axis.
horizontal, vertical
____ validity is the ability to draw conclusions about causal relationships from the results of study.
Internal
A study has high internal validity when strong ____ can be made that one variable caused changes in the other variable.
inferences
Internal validity one. There must be ____ precedence.
temporal
Internal validity two. There must be ____ between the two variables
covariation
Covariation is demonstrated with the experimental method when participants in an ____ condition show the effect, whereas participants in a ____ condition do not show the effect.
experimental, control
Internal validity three. There is a need to eliminate plausible ____ explanations for the observed relationship.
alternative
____ validity concerns the extent to which results can be generalised to other populations and settings.
External
