Chapter 3

Question 1

Participant variables

Answer 1

Personal characteristics and experiences of participants

Question 2

Researcher variables

Answer 2

Behaviors and characteristics of the researcher

Question 3

Environmental variables

Answer 3

Aspects of the environment

Question 4

Measurement variables

Answer 4

Aspects of the stimuli presented or the measurement employed

Question 5

Critically evaluating a study means?

Answer 5

Questioning whether the scores and relationship actually reflect what we think they do

Question 6

Extraneous variable

Answer 6

A variable that can influence the results, but that we don’t wish to study

Question 7

Unsystematically

Answer 7

No consistent pattern

Question 8

Systematically

Answer 8

Increasing or decreasing in a way that forms a consistent pattern

Question 9

Flaws that decrease confidence in a study come from where?

Answer 9

Inappropriate operational definitions and systematic and unsystematic extraneous variables

Question 10

Reliability

Answer 10

Degree to which measurements are consistent and do not contain error

Question 11

Validity

Answer 11

Extent to which a procedure measures what it is intended to

Question 12

Content validity

Answer 12

Degree to which measurements actually reflect the variable of interest

Question 13

Construct validity

Answer 13

Extent to which a measurement reflects the hypothetical construct

Question 14

Internal validity

Answer 14

Degree to which the mathematical relationship we observe between the scores actually and only reflects the relationship between the variables of interest

Question 15

Primary threat to internal validity

Answer 15

Confounding variables

Question 16

Confounding variables

Answer 16

Extraneous variables that systematically change along with the variable of interest

Question 17

External validity

Answer 17

Degree to which the results accurately generalize to other individuals and other situations

Question 18

Ecological validity

Answer 18

Extent to which research can be generalized to common behaviors and natural situations

Question 19

When is ecological validity often lost?

Answer 19

In the quest for internal validity

Question 20

How to control for extraneous variables

Answer 20

Employ more precise operational definitions; eliminating extraneous variables, keep it consistent for all participants, change the variable to balance the biasing influence

Question 21

Where are descriptive studies usually conducted?

Answer 21

Outside the lab in the “natural” field; Have high external validity but reduced control and less internal validity

Question 22

Experimental methods are used to test what?

Answer 22

Causal hypotheses, showing X occurs before Y

Question 23

Descriptive design can only do what?

Answer 23

Describe the relationship, we don’t know if X causes Y or vice versa

Question 24

How to increase internal validity?

Answer 24

Greater control

Question 25

Experiments have what kinds of validity?

Answer 25

High internal but less external

Question 26

What type of variables are quasi-experiments likely to be confounded by?

Answer 26

Participant variables

Question 27

What balances participant variables?

Answer 27

Random assignment

Question 28

Which has higher internal validity, true or quasi variable?

Answer 28

True

Question 29

Lab experiments have what levels of validity?

Answer 29

Reduced external but high internal

Question 30

Field research/experiment

Answer 30

Conducted in a natural setting; increase in external validity; lose internal validity