7. Validity Flashcards
What is internal validity? (Validity methods 2)
A concept that addresses the relationship between two variables
What are the 7 threats to internal validity? (Validity methods 2)
- selection threat
- maturation threat
- testing effects
- history effects
- statistical regression to the mean
- instrumental effects
- compensatory rivalry
What is selection threat? (Validity methods 2)
Arises when participants are not randomly allocated groups
What is maturation threat? (Validity methods 2)
Any change that occurs in a participant as a result of time passing
What is testing effects? (Validity methods 2)
Where participants get practice of the task so become bored
What is history effects? (Validity methods 2)
Something externally that effects the group
What is statistical regression to the mean? (Validity methods 2)
Where participants who perform differently on pretest scores to the actual test
What is instrumental effects? (Validity methods 2)
Any feature of the experiment related to the collection of data
What is compensatory rivalry? (Validity methods 2)
Where the control group learn about the manipulation, they may become ‘jealous’ and alter behaviour
What is the hawthorne effect? (Validity methods 2)
Productivity being maximised when being watched by the researcher
What is external validity? (Validity methods 2)
How generalisable the findings are
What are the 5 threats to external validity? (Validity methods 2)
- demand characteristics
- multiple treatment occurrence
- interaction of selection and treatment
- reactive arrangements (artificial environments)
- interaction of treatment and testing (pre-tests)
How can you overcome threats to validity? (Validity methods 2)
- Replication
- Interater reliability
- Test retest
- Pilot studies
