Chapter 6 Glossary

Question 1

What is an artifact?

Answer 1

Any apparent effect of a major conceptual variable that is actually the result of an uncontrolled confounding variable.

Question 2

What is canonical correlation?

Answer 2

A correlation between two sets of variables.

Question 3

What is a coefficient of determination?

Answer 3

The square of the pearson product moment correlation. It represents the proportion of variability in one variable that can be predicted based on information about the other variable.

Question 4

What is cohort effect?

Answer 4

Concept that people of a given age and culture behave similarly to one another and differently from people of other ages and cultures due to shared life experiences.

Question 5

What is confounded?

Answer 5

Variables are confounded if they vary together, so that is impossible to determine which variable was responsible for the observed effects.

Question 6

What is confounding variable?

Answer 6

Any uncontrolled variable that might affect the outcome of a study. A variable can confound a study only if there is a group mean difference on the variable and the variable is correlated with dependent measure.

Question 7

What is a control group?

Answer 7

A group of participants that serves as a basis of comparasion for other groups. The ideal control group is similar to the experimental group on all variables except the independent variable that defines the group.

Question 8

What is cross-cultural research?

Answer 8

Exploring psychological phenomena across more than one culture.

Question 9

What is cross-sectional design?

Answer 9

A design that compares performance of people of different ages or at different time in history. Often contrasted with longitudinal designs.

Question 10

What is a demographic variable?

Answer 10

Data that describe the participants in a study.

Question 11

What are experimental groups?

Answer 11

Groups defined by a specified level of the independent variable. Contrasted with a congtrol group.

Question 12

What are experimentor expectancies?

Answer 12

Expectations of the researcher that may affect the accuracy of observations especially when judgements are required.

Question 13

What filler items?

Answer 13

Questions that are included in the dependent measure, but no scored, in order to distract particular parts from the purpose of the study.

Question 14

What is longitudinal design?

Answer 14

A research design in which a group of participants is followed over time.

Question 15

What is moderator variable?

Answer 15

Any variable that has an effect on the observed relationship between two or more other variables.

Question 16

What are multiple correlation?

Answer 16

Correlation between a criterion and a set of variables.

Question 17

What is a multivate correlational design?

Answer 17

Correlational designs that include more than two variables.

Question 18

What is partial correlation?

Answer 18

A correlation between two variables, in which the effects of a third vairable are statistically removed.

Question 19

What is path analysis?

Answer 19

Procedure that seeks to test causal models by factoring the correlation matrix to see how closely the correlational pattern fits the model.

Question 20

What is time-series design?

Answer 20

Interrupted time series design: research design in which multiple measures are taken before and after an experimental manipulation or event.