Chapter IV Vocabulary

Question 1

Accuracy

Answer 1

the degree to which a measure yields results that agree with a known standard.

Question 2

Construct

Answer 2

underlying hypothetical characteristics or processes that are not directly observed but instead are inferred from measurable behaviors or outcomes.

Question 3

Construct Validity

Answer 3

the degree to which the constructs (the
conceptual variables) that researchers claim to be studying are, in fact, the constructs that they are manipulating and measuring.

Question 4

Continuous Variable

Answer 4

variables for which, in principle, interme- diate values are possible between any two adjacent scale values.

Question 5

Criterion Validity

Answer 5

the degree to which a measure predicts an outcome that it is expected to predict.

Question 6

Dependent Variable

Answer 6

in an experiment, the behavior or outcome that the researcher measures to determine whether the indepen- dent variable has produced an effect. In a cause–effect relation between two variables, the dependent variable is the presumed effect.

Question 7

Discrete Variable

Answer 7

variables for which no intermediate values are possible between any two adjacent values (e.g. number of children).

Question 8

Face Validity

Answer 8

the degree to which the items on a measure appear to be reasonable.

Question 9

Independent Variable

Answer 9

the manipulated variable in an experi- ment; a factor that the researcher manipulates, or systematically varies. In a cause–effect relation between two variables, it is the presumed causal factor.

Question 10

Internal-consistency Reliability

Answer 10

a type of reliability that refers to the consistency of a measure within itself; stronger correla- tions among items within a test indicate higher test reliability.

Question 11

Interval Scale

Answer 11

a type of measurement in which equal distances between values on the scale reflect equal differences in the amount of the attribute being measured.

Question 12

Measurement

Answer 12

the process of systematically assigning values

(numbers, labels, or other symbols) to represent attributes of organisms, objects, or events.

Question 13

Mediator Variable

Answer 13

a variable that provides a causal link in the

sequence between an independent variable and a dependent variable.

Question 14

Moderator Variable

Answer 14

a factor that alters the strength or direction

of the relation between an independent and a dependent variable

Question 15

Nominal Scale

Answer 15

a type of measurement that occurs when the scale values represent only qualitative differences (i.e., differ- ences of type rather than amount) of the attribute of interest

Question 16

Operational Definition

Answer 16

the specific procedures (i.e., the specific “operations”) used to measure or manipulate a variable in a particular study; refers to defining a variable in terms of the procedures used to measure or manipulate it.

Question 17

Ordinal Scale

Answer 17

a scale in which the different scale values represent relative differences in the amount of some attribute.

Question 18

Qualitative Variable

Answer 18

variables representing properties that differ in “type” (i.e., a type of attribute or quality), such as sex, religious affiliation, eye color, and marital status.

Question 19

Quantitative Variable

Answer 19

variables representing properties that dif- fer in amount (e.g., height, weight, degree of shyness, time spent learning a task, or blood alcohol levels on a Saturday night).

Question 20

Random Measurement Error

Answer 20

random fluctuations in the mea- suring situation that cause the obtained scores to deviate from a true score.

Question 21

Ratio Scale

Answer 21

measurement in which equal distances between values on the scale reflect equal differences in the amount of the attribute being measured and the scale has a true zero point.

Question 22

Reliability

Answer 22

the degree of the consistency of measurement

Question 23

Scales of Measurement

Answer 23

rules for assigning scale values to measurement

Question 24

Situational Variable

Answer 24

a characteristic that differs across environ- ments or stimuli.

Question 25

Subject Variable

Answer 25

a personal characteristic that differs from one

individual to another.

Question 26

Systemic Error (Bias)

Answer 26

a constant amount of error that occurs with each measurement

Question 27

Test-Retest Reliability

Answer 27

a method of measuring reliability determined by administering the same measure to the same participants on two or more occasions, under equivalent test conditions.

Question 28

Validity

Answer 28

the degree to which a measure truly assesses what it is claimed to assess.

Question 29

Variable

Answer 29

any factor or attribute that can assume two or more values.