Chapter 3

Question 1

Variable

Answer 1

Anything that differs from person to person or situation to situation

Question 2

Constant

Answer 2

Value in study that stays the same for everyone

Question 3

Measured variable

Answer 3

observed and recorded. Not manipulated

Question 4

Manipulated variable

Answer 4

Variable controlled/changed

Question 5

Independent variable

Answer 5

manipulated variable

Question 6

Dependent variable

Answer 6

measured variable

Question 7

Construct

Answer 7

The name of the concept being studied “big picture idea”; abstract
e.g., intelligence

Question 8

What is a conceptual definition?

Answer 8

A precise definition of the construct
e.g., the ability to learn, reason, & solve

Question 9

What is an operational definition?

Answer 9

How the construct is measured or manipulated within a specific study
e.g., IQ Test

Question 10

3 types of research claims

Answer 10

Frequency
Association
Casual

Question 11

What is a frequency claim?

Answer 11

How often does Y happen?

Question 12

What is an association claim?

Answer 12

Does knowing something about X give us a guess (prediction) about Y? (Correlational Research)

Question 13

What is a casual claim?

Answer 13

Does X cause Y? (Experiment or causal inference)

Question 14

Phrases that suggest an association claim:

Answer 14

• “is linked to”
• “is associated with”
• “covaries with”
• “goes with”
• “predicts”
• “is tied to”

Question 15

What is a positive association?

Answer 15

As one variable goes up, the other variable also tends to go up.

Question 16

What is a negative association?

Answer 16

As one variable goes up, the other variable tends to go down

Question 17

What is a zero association?

Answer 17

Knowing about one variable tells us nothing about the other (there is no relationship)

Question 18

What is correlational research?

Answer 18

A study in which all variables are measured (NOT manipulated)

Question 19

Phrases that suggest a causal claim:

Answer 19

• “affects”
• “increases”
• “causes”
• “reduces”
• “changes”
• “may predict/lead to”
• “exacerbates”

Question 20

What is a casual claim?

Answer 20

A claim that one variable causes another

Question 21

3 things you need to make a casual claim:

Answer 21

• Association
• Temporal Precedence
• Control of confounds

Question 22

The goal of experimental research:

Answer 22

to determine if changes in an independent variable (IV) cause changes in a dependent variable

Question 23

What is validity:

Answer 23

The extent to which research claims are justified

Question 24

External validity

Answer 24

“Do the results generalize?”
- the extent to which results of a study can be applied to other populations, situations, etc.

Question 25

Internal validity

Answer 25

“Is a causal conclusion justified”
- the extent to which a relationship between variables is the result of only those variables (could something else have caused the relationship observed.)

Question 26

Statistical validity

Answer 26

The extent to which claims are justified given the statistical analysis
- “How likely is the decision made (statistically) correct?”

Question 27

4 criteria for causal claim:

Answer 27

• Association
• Temporal precedence
• Control of confounds

Question 28

What does temporal precedence mean?

Answer 28

Participants must experience manipulated variable (IV) before the outcome variable (DV) is measured