bunsen burner: on Flashcards
research design and statistics
null vs alternative hypothesis
null: iv has no impact on dv
alternative: the iv does have an impact on dv
What are internal and external validity?
Standards to judge the usefulness of experimental research results
Define internal validity.
Extent to which accurate conclusions about cause-effect relationships can be drawn
Define external validity.
Extent to which conclusions can be generalized beyond the study’s conditions
What are the five subcategories of external validity?
- Population validity
- Ecological validity
- Temporal validity
- Treatment variation validity
- Outcome validity
What is population validity?
Generalizability of study results to other people in the population
What is ecological validity?
Generalizability of results to other settings or environments
What is temporal validity?
Generalizability of results across time
What is treatment variation validity?
Generalizability of results to variations of the treatment
What is outcome validity?
Generalizability of results to different but related dependent variables
What is a major threat to internal validity?
History
What does history refer to in the context of internal validity?
Events occurring during a study that affect its results
How can history threats be controlled?
Include more than one group and randomly assign participants
What is maturation?
Physical, cognitive, and emotional changes occurring within subjects over time
How can maturation threats be controlled?
Include more than one group and randomly assign participants
What is differential selection?
Differential assignment of subjects to treatment groups affecting results
How can differential selection be controlled?
Randomly assign participants to groups
What is statistical regression?
Threat to internal validity when extreme pretest scores affect results
How can statistical regression be controlled?
Avoid including only extreme scorers or ensure group equivalence
What does testing refer to in the context of internal validity?
Effects of a pretest on responses to a posttest
How can testing threats be controlled?
Not administering a pretest or using the Solomon four-group design
What is instrumentation?
Threat to internal validity when measurement instruments change over time
How can instrumentation threats be controlled?
Ensure instruments don’t change over time
What is differential attrition?
When participants drop out for different reasons affecting study results
Why is differential attrition difficult to control?
Lack of information on how dropouts differ from remaining participants
What is reactivity in the context of external validity?
Reactivity threatens a study’s external validity when participants respond differently to the independent variable than they would normally respond.
Contributing factors include demand characteristics and experimenter expectancy.
What are demand characteristics?
Cues that inform participants of what behavior is expected of them.
These cues can influence how participants respond in a study.
What is experimenter expectancy?
When the experimenter acts in ways that bias the results of the study.
This can involve direct actions affecting participants or indirect actions like inaccurate recording of responses.
What are the best ways to control reactivity?
- Unobtrusive measures
- Deception
- Single-blind technique
- Double-blind technique
The single-blind technique keeps participants unaware of their group assignment, while the double-blind technique keeps both participants and researchers unaware.
What is multiple treatment interference?
Also known as carryover effects and order effects, it occurs when a within-subjects research design is used, affecting how participants respond to different levels of the independent variable.
Example: Administering low, moderate, and high doses of a drug sequentially.
How can multiple treatment interference be controlled?
Using counterbalancing, which involves having different groups of participants receive the different levels of the independent variable in a different order.
The Latin square design is a specific type of counterbalanced design.
What is a selection-treatment interaction?
A threat to external validity when research participants differ from individuals in the population, affecting their response to the independent variable.
Example: Volunteers may be more motivated than non-volunteers.
How can selection-treatment interaction be controlled?
By randomly selecting subjects from the population.
This ensures a more representative sample.
What is a pretest-treatment interaction?
Also known as pretest sensitization, it threatens external validity when taking a pretest affects participants’ responses to the independent variable.
Example: Pretesting on a controversial issue may increase attention to related information during the study.
What is the Solomon four-group design?
A research design used to identify the effects of pretesting on a study’s internal and external validity.
It includes four groups to compare the effects of pretesting on both the independent and dependent variables.
Fill in the blank: The best way to control reactivity is to use _______.
[unobtrusive measures, deception, single-blind technique, double-blind technique]
True or False: Experimenter expectancy can only affect participants directly.
False
It can also involve indirect actions that bias the study’s results.
What are the two main categories of research approaches?
Qualitative and quantitative
What is the primary goal of grounded theory in qualitative research?
To derive a general, abstract theory of a process, action, or interaction grounded in the views of the participants
What are the primary data collection methods used in grounded theory?
Interviews and observations
What is the purpose of phenomenological research?
To gain an in-depth understanding of the ‘lived experience’ of participants
What is the primary source of information in phenomenological research?
In-depth interviews
What does ethnography involve?
Studying participants in their natural culture or setting while they engage in their naturally occurring activities
What is the primary data collection method in ethnography?
Participant observation
What is thematic analysis?
A method for identifying, analysing, and reporting patterns (themes) within the data
Is thematic analysis a stand-alone method?
Yes, but it also sometimes serves as the starting point for other methods
What are the primary sources of information for thematic analysis?
In-depth interviews and focus groups
What is triangulation in qualitative research?
The practice of comparing and combining different sources of evidence to reach a better understanding of the research topic
Why is triangulation used in qualitative research?
To increase the credibility of a study’s data and results
What are the four types of triangulation distinguished by Denzin?
- Methodological triangulation
- Data triangulation
- Investigator triangulation
- Theory triangulation
What does methodological triangulation involve?
Using multiple methods to obtain data, such as interviews, focus groups, observations, questionnaires, and documents
What is data triangulation?
Using the same method to obtain data at different times, in different settings, or from different people
What is investigator triangulation?
Using two or more investigators to collect and analyze data
What is theory triangulation?
Interpreting data using multiple theories, hypotheses, or perspectives
What is quantitative research?
Quantitative research is used to identify and study differences in the amount of behavior and produces data that’s expressed numerically and can be analyzed in a variety of ways.
Reference: Drummond & Murphy-Reyes, 2016, p. 10
What are the three types of quantitative research?
The three types of quantitative research are:
* Descriptive
* Correlational
* Experimental
What is the purpose of descriptive research?
Descriptive research is conducted to measure and describe a variable or set of variables as they exist naturally.
Reference: Gravetter & Forzano, 2016, p. 371
Define correlational research.
Correlational research involves correlating the scores or status of a sample of individuals on two or more variables to determine the magnitude and direction of the relationship between the variables.
In correlational research, what do the terms predictor and criterion refer to?
In correlational research, the independent variable is referred to as the predictor or X variable, and the dependent variable is referred to as the criterion or Y variable.
What is the goal of experimental research?
Experimental research is conducted to determine if there’s a causal relationship between independent and dependent variables.
What distinguishes true experimental research from quasi-experimental research?
True experimental research has more control over study conditions, allowing for greater confidence in causal relationships.
What is the significance of random assignment in true experimental research?
Random assignment helps ensure that groups are equivalent at the beginning of the study.
What are the two phases included in single-subject designs?
Single-subject designs include:
* A baseline (no treatment) phase (A)
* A treatment phase (B)
What is the purpose of measuring the dependent variable multiple times in single-subject designs?
It helps determine if a change in the dependent variable is due to the independent variable or other factors such as maturation.
What does the AB design consist of?
The AB design consists of a single baseline (A) phase and a single treatment (B) phase.
What is a limitation of the AB design?
The AB design does not control for history, as changes in the dependent variable could be due to an unintended event occurring simultaneously.
What characterizes a reversal design?
A reversal design includes at least one additional baseline phase and may be referred to as an ABA or ABAB design.
What is the sequence of phases in an ABAB design?
The sequence is:
* Baseline phase
* Treatment phase
* Withdrawal of treatment (second baseline phase)
* Application of treatment (second treatment phase)
What is the advantage of adding phases in a reversal design?
It helps determine if changes in the dependent variable are due to history rather than the independent variable.
What does the multiple baseline design involve?
The multiple baseline design involves sequentially applying the independent variable across different baselines, which can be different behaviors, tasks, settings, or subjects.
Provide an example of how multiple baseline design can be applied.
A psychologist might evaluate response cost for reducing a child’s undesirable interactions by applying it sequentially to different behaviors such as name calling, hitting, and making obscene gestures.
What is an advantage of the multiple baseline design over reversal designs?
Once the independent variable is applied to a behavior, it does not have to be withdrawn during the course of the study.
What are the three types of group designs in experimental research?
Between-subjects, within-subjects, mixed designs
Define between-subjects design.
A study with two or more groups of subjects, each exposed to a different level of the independent variable
In a study comparing low, moderate, and high doses of an antidepressant, how are subjects assigned in a between-subjects design?
Each group receives a different dose: low, moderate, or high
Define within-subjects design.
Each participant is exposed to some or all levels of the independent variable at different times
What is a single-group within-subjects design?
Evaluates effects by sequentially administering different doses to all subjects
What is a time-series design?
A group version of the single-subject AB design, measuring dependent variables at regular intervals
Define mixed design.
Includes at least two independent variables, one being between-subjects and another being within-subjects
In a mixed design, how is drug dose treated?
As a between-subjects variable
What is a factorial design?
A research design with two or more independent variables
What is the advantage of factorial designs?
Allows obtaining information on main effects and interaction between variables
Define main effect.
The effect of one independent variable on the dependent variable
Define interaction effect.
The combined effect of two or more independent variables on the dependent variable
True or False: A significant interaction effect means main effects should be interpreted with caution.
True
What are the two independent variables in a study evaluating therapy types and drug doses?
Type of therapy and drug dose
How many groups are subjects assigned to in a factorial design with three therapy types and three drug doses?
Nine groups
What might results indicate if cognitive therapy is significantly more effective than the other therapies?
There are main effects for type of therapy
Fill in the blank: The effects of drug dose differ for different types of therapy, indicating an _______.
Interaction between type of therapy and drug dose
What is the main goal of sampling methods in research studies?
To collect data from a sample of individuals selected from the target population
What are the two main categories of sampling methods?
- Probability sampling
- Non-probability sampling
What is probability sampling?
A method that requires the random selection of the sample from the population