Chapter 3 Textbook

Question 1

What is the difference between a variable and its levels? What might be the levels of the variable “favorite color”?

Question 2

Explain why some variables can only be measured, not manipulated. Can “history of trauma” be a manipulated variable? Can “level of eye contact” be a manipulated variable?

Question 3

What is the difference between a conceptual variable and the operational definition of a variable? How might the conceptual variables “level of eye contact,” “intelligence,” and “stress” be operationalized by a researcher?

Question 4

How many variables are there in a frequency claim? An association claim? A causal claim?

Question 5

Which part of speech in a claim can help you differentiate between association and causal claims?

Question 6

How are causal claims special, compared with the other two claim types?

Question 7

What three criteria must causal claims satisfy?

Question 8

What question(s) would you use to interrogate a study’s construct validity?

Question 9

What are three things that statistical validity addresses.

Question 10

Define external validity, using the term generalize in your definition.

Question 11

Why can’t a correlational study support a causal claim?

Question 12

Why don’t researchers usually aim to achieve all four of the big validities at once?

Question 13

Differentiate the three types of claims: frequency, association, and causal.

Question 14

What are the four big validities?

Question 15

Explain which validities are most relevant for each of the three types of claims.

Question 16

State which kind of research study is required to support a causal claim.