Correlational designs

Question 1

What is an operational confounds?

Answer 1

A measure that measures multiple things (things other than what is intended to be measured)

Question 2

When do spurious correlations occur?

Answer 2

Spurious correlations occur when two things happen to co-vary but are not related in any obvious way.

Question 3

J.S. Mill’s 3 criteria to infer causation

Answer 3

1. Covariation
2. Temporal sequence
3. Eliminate alternative explanations (third variable problem)

Question 4

What are person confounds?

Answer 4

Individual differences that tend to co-vary; e.g. depression and feelings of loneliness

Question 5

What are environmental confounds?

Answer 5

Situations that cause multiple differences

Question 6

What are the methodological sources of confounds?

Answer 6

Operational condounds

Question 7

What do correlational studies look at?

Answer 7

The relationship between measured variables

Question 8

What can and can’t correlational studies establish?

Answer 8

Can establish co-variation
Can establish temporal sequence effectively
Cannot eliminate alternate explanations effectively

All issues re: descriptive studies apply:

• Measurement/testing effects
• Question wording
• Random sampling needed to ensure external validity

Question 9

What is done in a correlational design?

Answer 9

Not manipulating variables
Multiple dependent variables
- Essentially like a descriptive study, except we are using it at the same time
- In its basic form: 2 DVs, continuous, and for each subject we measure them on both DVs

Question 10

Why correlational designs?

Answer 10

Some things cannot be manipulated
Some things lose external validity in a drastic way once you use an experimental design
You can make predictions (regression lines)

Question 11

Hamermesh & Abrevaya?

Answer 11

Study on beauty and happiness

An increase in beauty increases happiness/satisfaction

Question 12

What are the two forms of criterion validity?

Answer 12

Concurrent validity and predictive validity

Question 13

What is concurrent validity?

Answer 13

How well can current events be predicted based on the available data

Question 14

What is predictive validity?

Answer 14

How well can future events be predicted based on the available data

Question 15

What is epidemiology?

Answer 15

Epidemiology refers to the scientific study of the causes of disease. But when clinical psychologists speak of epidemiological research, they are typically referring to descriptive studies that focus primarily on the prevalence of different psychological disorders within meaningful, well-defined populations

Question 16

What makes a case study scientific?

Answer 16

• Unless the goal of accounts is the development or refinement of theories of human behavior, they should not be considered case studies
• Scientific analyses often explain things in terms of established scientific principles - those that presumably apply to everyone, given the right circumstances

Question 17

What are drawbacks of case studies?

Answer 17

• They do not always lend themselves well to the use of operational definitions or statistical analyses
• Do not support cause-and-effect explanations

Question 18

What are the advantages of case studies?

Answer 18

• Hypothesis generation
• Takes advantage of situations (ethics)
• Provide tests of theories