Chapter 6: Basics of Experimentation

Question 1

This refers to the stimulus variable that the experimenter intentionally manipulates.

Answer 1

Independent variable.

Question 2

This refers to the response variable; the behavior that we expect to change because of the experimental treatment.

Answer 2

Dependent variable.

Question 3

Other terms for this are: treatments, manipulations, interventions, conditions.

Answer 3

Independent variables.

Question 4

Other terms for this are: measures, effects, outcomes, results.

Answer 4

Dependent variables.

Question 5

This specifies the precise meaning of a variable within an experiment. It tells others how to carry out an experiment.

Example: “anxiety” in an experiment could be a test score, or withdrawal from a situation.

Answer 5

Operational definition.

Question 6

This describes exactly what was done to create the various treatment conditions of the experiment.

Answer 6

Experimental operational definitions.

Question 7

This describes exactly what procedures we follow to assess the impact of different treatment conditions.

Answer 7

Measured operational definitions.

Question 8

This refers to consistency and dependability. Good operational definitions need to have this quality.

Answer 8

Reliability.

Question 9

This type of reliability is when different observers take measurements of the same responses and their agreement between their measurements are taken.

Answer 9

Interrater reliability.

Question 10

This type of reliability is when scores of people who have been measured twice with the same instrument are compared.

Answer 10

Test-retest reliability.

Question 11

This is an example of a test that has excellent test-retest reliability.

Answer 11

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III).

Question 12

This type of reliability refers to the extent to which different parts of a questionnaire, test, or other instruments designed to assess the same variable attain consistent results.

Answer 12

Inter-item reliability.

Question 13

This refers to factors that are not the focus of the experiment but can influence the findings.

Answer 13

Extraneous variable.

Question 14

This refers to any variable that has the POTENTIAL to influence the dependent variable (DV) in an experiment and bias the results.

Answer 14

Extraneous variable.

Question 15

A variable that DOES have an unwanted effect on the dependent variable (DV) in an experiment. The results become biased as it cannot be determined whether results are caused by the independent variable (IV) or this kind of variable.

Answer 15

Confounding variable.