Chapter 4 Flashcards
Define a research design
a. The way that you test you hypothesis
Define a dependent variable
a. The outcome that is influenced by the independent variable
Define a independent variable
a. A variable that influences behavior
Define internal validity
a. The extent of our confidence that the independent variable is causing the dependent variable to change
History: how can it threaten internal validity?
- Events that occur outside of the study that influence or account for results of the study.
Maturation: how can it threaten internal validity?
- Changes in participants due to psychological or physical development that cannot be dis-entangled from the experimental manipulation.
Repeated testing: how can it threaten internal validity?
- Repeated testing may influence the results because of the participants’ familiarity with the test and memory of how they responded last time.
Selection bias: how can it threaten internal validity?
- Effect of systematic differences in recruiting participants or assigning participants to study conditions that has an impact on the outcomes.
Attrition: how can it threaten internal validity?
- Loss of participants over time may bias the results if there is a difference between those who withdraw and those who remain.
Setting: how can it threaten internal validity?
- Features of the study may not be generalizable to real life
Reactivity: how can it threaten internal validity?
- Give more focus since they are in a study/ being assessed
What are two ways to mitigate threats to internal validity
i. Control groups
ii. Randomization
Define external validity
a. How well your results relate to findings outside your study
Define confounding variables
a. Uncontrolled alternative explanations for the changes observed in our independent variable
Analogue models
a. Creation in a controlled setting conditions that are comparable (analogous) to the phenomenon under study
