Exam 2 Flashcards
What are the four maxims that guide research participants’ interpretations when they are involved in an experiment?
- Relation - want to make contribution to research, take into account context of questions
- Quantity - will give only info researcher asks for, no more
- Manner - contribution clear, researcher had a purpose in designing Qs
- Quality - assume truthfulness, no deceit
What were the key studies that prompted the development of ethical guidelines?
Milgram’s obedience study - extreme stress, psychological damage
Zimbardo’s prison study - extreme stress, psychological damage, danger
Micturation delay study (bathroom, personal space) - no consent
Humphrey’s study on gays - breach of privacy, no anonymity
*any deception is unethical - deontological position
*benefits must outweigh costs - utilitarian
What is debriefing?
Educate participant, completely explain purpose
Identify deception and explain
Query participants about responses
Address concerns
What is process debriefing?
More exact (ask them about their logical processes)
Major deceptions, unexpected behavior
Necessary for receipt of performance
May need to be iterative process
What are the defining features of the correlational research method?
Measuring 2 or more variables
Change in 1 variable associated with another - one variable assumed to be cause (correlation does not imply causation)
What are the different types of variables that can be tested using the correlational method?
Predictor: causal factor (like IV)
Criteria: outcome variable (like DV)
What is the difference between a categorical/continuous variable and a discrete variable?
Continuous: can take on any value between two values (1, 1.25, 3.4444…) ex. intelligence
Discrete: only integers (1, 2, 3…) ex. gender
What is the causal inference problem?
statistical relationship could reflect multiple possible causal relationships
motivation -> performance, motivation performance
What is the third variable problem?
Another variable might be influencing your results
self-esteem -> performance (what else could be affecting it?)
ex. polio - thought to be caused by diet, really just more seasonal outbreaks
What is the importance of looking for non-linear relationships among variables?
correlation only examines linear relationship - can miss out on different relationships
theory may posit another type
formulas you use to test for other relationships
curvilinear relationships (ex. stress and arousal)
Leary:
What are the guidelines for interpreting the size of correlations? What factors should be taken into consideration?
|.1| = small |.3| = medium |.5| = large
take into account: size predicted by theory were vars assessed by different methods? sample size small correlations can be meaningful
What is restriction of range?
Due to sample, one or both variables fail to show complete variation
ex. SAT & 1st year GPA - Clemson’s sample will only have medium to high range SAT scores based on acceptance
What is the difference between a mediator and a moderator?
Mediation: what accounts for the relationship between 2 variables; “responsible for”
Moderation: relationship between 2 variables influenced by 3rd variable; “strength of relationship”
What are the strengths of a longitudinal design?
Measure the same variables at two points in time; look at patterns of correlation
What is the logic behind multiple regression?
use of 1+ variables to predict another variable
better prediction with predictors that account for unique variance (doesn’t share with other predictors)
What are the four types of multiple regression?
- Standard: all variables go in at once, 3 or 4 max
- Stepwise: highest correlation goes in first (order, one-at-a-time, lots of variables)
- Hierarchical: order based on theoretical relevance
- Logistic: categorical (binary) outcome, focus on accuracy of predicting 2 groups (ex. graduated or not)
What are the defining features of experimental research?
IV must be manipulated
Random assignment
Why are control groups important?
Control group receives exact treatment as IV, but “zero level” of IV
Placebo effect: tendency for people to report a treatment has benefitted them regardless of whether or not treatment is present
Control group important so you have a baseline to compare experimental group to, placebo to see if effects are real or in their head
Why are manipulation checks important?
increases validity
just because you manipulate the situation does not mean you are manipulating the IV
ensure manipulation of IV was effective
Usually come in the form of questions completed at the end of the study to assess effectiveness
(ex. to what extent were you thinking of yourself as a female during this imposter syndrome experiment”)
What is error variance?
cannot be avoided
numerous influences on DV not related to TV (ex. mood, time of day, personality)
What is a confound?
factor you unintentionally manipulate with your IV that may account for relationship between IV & DV
ex. time management training, control training -> how well you do in this class
What is internal validity?
being confident that the differences in DV are because of IV
What are some threats to internal validity?
- history - historical event influences effect
- differential attrition - different number of subjects in each group quit
- demand characteristics - subjects know what you’re testing for and give a response that is expected
- biased assignment - no random assignment
- differential treatment of subjects
What is external validity?
will the relationship between the IV and DV be found in the “real world”
