Chapter 3: Interrogation Tools for Consumers of Research Flashcards
Variables
- Is something that is being studied that changes from person to person
- Needs to have at least 2 values or levels
Example: Headline - “Most students don’t know when news is fake”
- Variable: Knowing when news is fake
- Levels: Knowing when new is fake or not fake
Measured Variable
(Dependent Variable)
- Is observed and recorded
- Measuring as it naturally occurs
Some variables can only be measured not manipulated such as Race or Age
Manipulated Variable
(Indepedent Variable)
- Randomly assign the variables (in the different conditions)
- Is a variable a researcher controls, usually by assigning participants to the different levels of that variable
Example: A researcher might give some participants 10 milligrams of a medication, others 20 mg, and still others 30 mg
Example: A researcher might assign some people to take a test in a room with many other people and assign others to take the test alone
Conceptual Variable
- It is not measureable (yet), we will need the operational definition
- Use more abstract names (name of the concept being studied)
- Theoritical definition of the construct
Example: A person’s cognitive evaluation of his or her life
Example: The ability to push through when confronted with … obstacles
Operational Variable
- Need order to study
- To turn something for it to be measurable
- It is how the constuct is measured or manipulated in an actual study
Frequency Claim
- It described a particular or degree of a single variable
- Measures how frequent or common it is (or occurs)
Example: “Two out of five american say they worry every day”
How many variables frequency claims typically involve?
It involves only one measured variable
Association Claim
- It argues that one level of a variable is likely to be associated with a particular level of another variable
- One variable is tied to another
Example: “Romantic partners who express gratitude at three times more likely to stay together”
Association Claim
Positive Association
Example: The more expressed gratitude the better relationship gravity
Example: New study links exercise to higher pay
Example: High rates of exercise go with higher levels of pay and low rates of exercise go with lower levels of pay
Association Claim
Negative Assoication
Example: The more you multistack the worse you get at multitasking
Example: Coffee drinking linked to less depression in women
- Other words: high rates of coffee go with less depression and low rates of coffee go with more depression
Association Claim
Zero Association
- Argues that one of the variables is responsible for changing the other
Example: Social media overuse leads to anxiety
How many variables assoication claims typically involve?
Involve at least two measured varibles
Causal Claim
Argues that one of the variables is responsible for changing the other
Verbs that Signal Clausal Claims
- Cause
- Enhance
- Affect
- Decrease
- Change
How many variables causal claims typically involve?
One variable in charge of others
