Deciding on a research question Flashcards
Independent variable definition?
This is the variable that the researcher changes/ manipulates to see if it has an effect on the DV
Dependent variable definition?
The variable that the researcher measures
Variable definition?
An element, feature or factor that may vary or change
Co- variables definition?
The two variables measured in a correlation study
Extraneous variables definition?
Variables in a study that are not being measured or manipulated by the researcher but affect the results (DV) of all ALL participants behaviour equally
Confounding variable definition?
Variables in a study that are not being measured or manipulated by the researcher, that affect SOME participants behaviours but not others, having negative consequences for validity
Operationalisation definition?
Turning general questions about the study into testable, measurable predictions
EV facts and example?
- 1000’s of possible E.V’s
- unwanted, extra random variables that COULD affect ALL CONDITIONS
- E.g. age, IQ, time of day, noise, distractions
- don’t vary systematically with the IV so they don’t act as an alternative IV but may have an effect on the DV
Confounding variable definition + examples
- unwanted, extra variables that VARY SYSTEMATICALLY with the IV (changes in the same way as the IV does), so they affect one condition and not the other
- this means the change in results could be due to the CV
- E.g.: individual differences - all males in one condition, all females in the other
- or all high IQ in one condition and low IQ in the other
- each condition being done on a differnt day
What do EVs and CVs do for the results?
They lower the validity of the results if it is not controlled for.
So… the aim is to control these before the research is conducted
Validity definition
Truthfulness/ legitimacy
The 4 different types of E.V are?
OPIS
Order effects, participant variables, investigator effects, situational variables
Participant variables- examples, how could affect results, how a researcher could deal with these
- related to individual characteristics of each participants that may imlact how he or she responds
E.g: background differences, mood, anxiety, intelligence, awareness + other characteristics unique to a person - using a REPEATED MEASURES design (same participants in both E & C conditions) or MATCHED PAIRS DESIGN (matching participants based on abilities, characteristics, background in each condition)
Order effects - examples, how could affect results, how to deal with
- refers to differences in participants responses that result from the order in which experimental materials are presented to them..
- E.g. in questionnaire research people may answer questions differently depending on the orser in which questions are asked, SPECIAL CONCERN in REPEATED MEASURES EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
- to deal, the researcher counter balances the order of the conditions for the ppts. Alternating the order in which ppts perform in diff conditions should counterbalance any effects of getting better or bored of repeating an activity
- sometimes called the ABBA design
Research effects- examples, how could affect results and how researcher could deal
- occurs when researcher unintentionally or unconsciously influneces the outcome of any research they are conducting
- by non verbal communication- raised brow, physical characteristics- gender, bias in interpretation of data - extent is dependent on data collected
- would not occur if DV was something like reaction time as this is objective method of measurement