Control Of Variables Flashcards
What is a confounding variable
Not the IV but changes systematically and varies with the IV and has an affect on the Dv
Eg age
Eg doing a test in the middle or possibly morning people are more alert and generally motivated so time is the confounding variable
What is the confounding variable if a memory test is done later in the day
Time of day- people are more tired at the end of the day so may affect performance
What is an extraneous variable
-any possibles variable other then IV do not vary systematically with the IV but effects the DV and they are hard to detect
Students did their homework where one group had the tv on and one off and then do a memory test to see who does better
Explain why students may have a better memory abilities then others be an extraneous variable
As it is a nuisance variable and we cannot be sure that people with good or bad memories are evenly distributed between the groups and it is hard to detect
What is mundane realism
Refers to how the study mirrors the real world
Why is lacking mundane realism a disadvantage in a study
It is not like every day experience
- so the results of the study and may not be useful in terms of understanding behaviour In the real world
What is a disadvantage of the findings if a study lacks realism
Won’t be able to generalise the findings beyond the research setting
What does validity mean
How true or legitimate an explanation of something is
What does external validity mean
The degree of which a research finding can be generalised to other settings.
What is internal validity
What goes on in the study and how the effects of the study was due to the experimental manipulation rather than other factors or variables
-shows whether the IV produced the change in the DV
What is ecological validity
Type of external validity- to be able to generalise the findings to everyday life-and how the results relate to real life situations
What is population validity
Type of external validity - the people studied in the study-the extent of which the findings can be generalised to other group
What is temporal (historical) validity
A type of external validity- the time of which the study happened - the ability to generalise the findings to People today
