Ch4 Identifying Scientific Variables

Question 0

What is an external factor of a construct?

Answer 0

An observable behavior or event that is presumed to reflect the construct itself

Question 1

What is a hypothetical construct?

Answer 1

A conceptual variable that is known to exist but cannot be directly observed

Question 2

What are two criteria that make variable suitable for scientific investigation?

Answer 2

Observable and replicable

Question 3

What Is a continuous variable?

Answer 3

Variables measured along a continuum at anyplace beyond the decimal point, meaning that can be measured in whole units or functional units

Question 4

What is a discrete variable?

Answer 4

A variable measured in whole units or categories that are not disputed along a continuum

Question 5

What is a quantitative variable?

Answer 5

A variable that varies by amount and is measured as a numeric value

Question 6

What is a qualitative variable?

Answer 6

A variable that varies by class and is often a category or label for the behaviors and events researchers observe

Question 7

What are the four scales of measurement?

Answer 7

Nominal
ordinal
interval
ratio

Question 8

What is a nominal scale?

Answer 8

Measurements in which a number is assigned to represent something or someone

Question 9

What is an ordinal scale?

Answer 9

Measurement that convey order or rank only

Question 10

What is an interval scale?

Answer 10

Measurements that have no true zero and are distributed in equal units

Question 11

What is a true zero?

Answer 11

When the value zero truly indicates nothing on the scale of measurement

Question 12

What is a ratio scale?

Answer 12

Measurements I have a true zero and are equidistant

Question 13

What Is reliability?

Answer 13

The consistency, stability, or repeatability of one or more measure or observation

Question 14

What is test and retest reliability?

Answer 14

The extent to which a measure or observation is consistent or stable at two points in time

Question 15

What Is internal consistency?

Answer 15

A measure of reliability used to determine the extent to which multiple items used to measure the same variable are related

Question 16

What is inter-rater reliability or inter-observable reliability?

Answer 16

measure for the extent to which two or more raters of the same behavior or event are in agreement with what they observed

Question 17

What is validity?

Answer 17

A measurement of the extent to which a measurement for a variable or construct measures what it is purported or intended to measure

Question 18

What is face validity?

Answer 18

A measurement to the extent to which a measure or variable or construct appears to Measure what it is supposed to measure

Question 19

What is construct validity?

Answer 19

The measurement of the extent to which an operational definition or variable or construct is actually measuring that variable or construct

Question 20

What is criterion the related validity?

Answer 20

The measurement of the extent to which scores obtained on some measure can be used to obtain or predict a criterion or expected outcome

Question 21

What is content Validity?

Answer 21

The measurement of the extent to which the items or contents of a measure adequately represents all the features of the construct been measured

Question 22

What are four strategies used to minimize participant reactivity?

Answer 22

Reassure anonymity
use deception when ethical
measure less obvious variables
and minimize demand characteristics

Question 23

What are three strategies used to minimize experimenter bias?

Answer 23

Get a second opinion
standardize the research procedures
conduct a double-blind study

Question 24

A researcher uses a measure that participates in all groups scored very high on. What type of range affect should the researcher be concerned with?

Answer 24

Ceiling effect

Question 25

What are for strategies used to maximize the sensitivity of a measure and minimize range effects?

Answer 25

Perform through literature reviews
conduct a pilot study
include manipulation checks
use multiple measures