Ch7Research Flashcards
According to the text, one of the most important functions of clinical science- and science in general- is to determine ________.
cause and effect
How are ‘independent variables’ defined?
aspects of a study that a scientist-practitioner either controls or chooses; do not rely on other variables for their changes
What is a typical IV for all rehab professionals?
treatment
How is the independent variable identified?
by the aspect that has changed, not by the conditions that result from the produced change
How are dependent variables defined?
the outcomes of a study, whether clinical intervention or not; values depend on changes in the IV
What are some DVs in physical therapy?
range of motion, pain rating, and performance on outcome measures
What is meant by the statement, ‘a dependent variable must be operationally defined’?
the researcher must decide how to MEASURE the outcome
What are ‘intervening variables’?
largely mental processes that supposedly “intervene” between input and outcome; ex- intelligence, motivation, and executive function
How is ‘functional relationship’ defined?
some causal relationship between inputs and outcomes
What are the two major types of functional relationships?
- a LINEAR relationships exists when IV changes by a constant amount and DV also changes at constant amount 2. a NON-LINEAR relationship exists when constant changes in the IV produce non-equal changes in the DV
Why are graphs used?
to understand functional relationships among variables
When is a line graph used?
when the IV represents a continuum of some kind
When is a bar graph used?
when the values of the IV are not in any hierarchical order
