control of variables

Question 1

what is the difference between extraneous and confounding variables?

Answer 1

> an extraneous variable is all the possible variables which might interfere with the DV,
whereas the confounding variable is one which has definitely interfered with the DV.

Question 2

what is a participant variable and an example of one

Answer 2

differences between participants that may affect the DV (e.g - age, gender)

Question 3

what is a situational variable and an example of one

Answer 3

features of the experiment design that may affect the DV (e.g - noise level, instructions, temperature)

Question 4

what is mundane realism?

Answer 4

degree to which the materials and procedures involved in an experiment are similar to events that occur in the real world
(how a study mirrors the real world)

Question 5

what is an example of mundane realism?

Answer 5

an experiment where participants are asked to read a news article on local politics in another country, has MUNDANE REALISM

Question 6

define validity

Answer 6

whether the observed effect is a genuine one

Question 7

what are the two types of validity - define each one

Answer 7

> internal validity - is about control and realism
external validity - is about generalising the results to other people and situations

Question 8

what are the three types of external validity?

Answer 8

ecological
population
historical

Question 9

what is ecological validity?

Answer 9

generalising the results to another envt (e.g - lab setting to school setting)

Question 10

what is population validity?

Answer 10

generalising the results to all types of people (e.g - culture, age, gender)

Question 11

what are demand characteristics?

Answer 11

when a clue from the research situation allows the participant to guess the aim of the study

Question 12

what are investigator effects?

Answer 12

any effect of the investigators behaviour (consciously or unconsciously) that effects the outcome

Question 13

what is randomisation?

Answer 13

using ‘chance’ where ever possible to reduce the researcher’s influence on the design of the investigation

Question 14

what are examples of using randomisation?

Answer 14

• producing the order in which participants do a task
• randomising the order of words in a list

Question 15

what is standardisation?

Answer 15

all participants being subject to the same environment, instructions and experience

Question 16

what is historical validity?

Answer 16

generalising the findings to people today