Experimental method

Question 1

What is the aim of a study?

Answer 1

A general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate; it is the purpose of the study.

Question 2

What is an experimental hypothesis?

Answer 2

A statement of the predicted difference.

Question 3

What type of hypothesis is the following?

‘People who drink red-bull become more talkative than people who don’t’.

Answer 3

Directional hypothesis.

Question 4

What is a null hypothesis?

Answer 4

A statement of no difference, it allows for finding of no changes.

Question 5

What are independent variables?

Answer 5

The aspect of the situation that is manipulated by the researcher (or changes naturally).

Question 6

When should a directional hypothesis be used?

Answer 6

When there has been previous research conducted into this area and the findings of this research suggest a particular outcome.

Question 7

What type of hypothesis is the following?

‘People who drink red-bull differ in talkativeness compared to those who don’t drink red-bull’.

Answer 7

Non-directional hypothesis.

Question 8

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 8

A statement that is made at the start of the experiment and clearly states the relationship between variables as stated by the theory.

Question 9

What is meant by operationalisation?

Answer 9

Clearly defining variables in terms of how they can be measured.

Question 10

What is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 10

States the direction of difference in a relationship.

Question 11

What are dependant variables?

Answer 11

The variables that are measured by the researcher.

Question 12

What is a general statement that describes the to purpose of an investigation?

Answer 12

The aim of a study.

Question 13

When should a non-directional hypothesis be used?

Answer 13

When there is no previous research into this area, or the prior research findings are contradictory.

Question 14

Which variable is the one which is changed?

Answer 14

DV, (Dependant Variable).

Question 15

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 15

States there will be a difference in the relationship but does not decide what the difference will actually be.

Question 16

A researcher changes or manipulates the ____________ ________and records or measures the effect of this change on the __________ ________.

Answer 16

Independent variable, Dependent variable:
A researcher changes or manipulates the independent variable and records or measures the effect of this change on the dependant variable.

Question 17

What is the experimental method?

Answer 17

It involves the manipulation of an independent variable to measure the effect on the dependant variable.

Question 18

Which variable is changed by the scientist?

Answer 18

IV, (Independant Variable).

Question 19

If there are two ‘levels’ of the IV, then what are the two conditions?

Answer 19

• Experimental condition,

- Control condition.

Question 20

In order to investigate the effect of the IV we need different ___________ __________.

Answer 20

Experimental conditions:

In order to investigate the effect of the IV we need different experimental conditions.

Question 21

What is a control condition?

Answer 21

A condition which lacks any manipulation or change of the independent variable.

Question 22

What type of hypothesis is this?

‘Boys will perform better than girls in the psychology exam’.

Answer 22

Directional hypothesis.

Question 23

What type of hypothesis is this?

‘Either boys or girls will score higher in the psychology exam’.

Answer 23

Non-directional hypothesis.

Question 24

Many of the things that psychologists are interested in, such as social behaviours, intelligence or cognition, are often a little fuzzy and not easy to define. Therefore, what must be done to make sure they are clearly defined and testable?

Answer 24

They must be operationalised.

Question 25

Write an appropriate dependent variable for the following variable: - Concentration.

Answer 25

Time taken to get distracted from a task (seconds).

Question 26

Identify the IV and the DV for the following experiments: | - The effect of drinking red-bull or not drinking red-bull on concentration levels.

Answer 26

``` IV = Drinking red-bull before a memory test. DV = Time to lose concentration. ```

Question 27

Write an appropriate dependent variable for the following variable: - Forgetting.

Answer 27

Memory test to recall 5 numbers every 10 minutes (time taken to forget - minutes).

Question 28

Identify the IV and the DV for the following experiments: | - The effect of gender on scores on an aggression test.

Answer 28

``` IV = Gender. DV = Relative blood pressure / heart rate rise for both. ```

Question 29

Write an appropriate dependent variable for the following variable: - Aggression.

Answer 29

Rise in heart rate (bpm).

Question 30

Write an appropriate dependent variable for the following variable: - Reaction time.

Answer 30

The score in a ruler drop test (cm).

Question 31

Write an appropriate dependent variable for the following variable: - Driving ability.

Answer 31

A standardised driving test where the number of mistakes made are noted.

Question 32

Identify the IV and the DV for the following experiments: | - Time spent reading and the number of mistakes made on a spelling test.

Answer 32

``` IV = Time spent reading daily. DV = Number of mistakes on a standard spelling test. ```

Question 33

Re-write the hypothesis below so it is a null hypothesis: | - There is a significant difference in how fathers and mothers play with children.

Answer 33

There will be no difference in how mothers and fathers play with their children.

Question 34

Identify the IV and the DV for the following experiments: | - Number of errors made on a task when an audience is present or not.

Answer 34

``` IV = Presence of an audience. DV = Number of errors made. ```

Question 35

Re-write the hypothesis below so it is a null hypothesis: | - Drinking coffee leads to a significant increase in alertness.

Answer 35

Drinking coffee has no effect on alertness.

Question 36

Identify the IV and the DV for the following experiments: | - The effect of age on the number of words correctly recalled on a memory test.

Answer 36

``` IV = Age. DV = Score on a memory recall test. ```

Question 37

Decide whether the following general hypotheses are directional or non-directional: - Men who have beards are perceived as older than clean-shaved men.

Answer 37

Directional hypothesis.

Question 38

Identify the IV and the DV for the following experiments: | - Number of nightmares reported depending on whether horror films have been watched late at night or not.

Answer 38

``` IV = Watched horror movies late at night or not. DV = Number of nightmares that night. ```

Question 39

Decide whether the following general hypotheses are directional or non-directional: - Boys are more aggressive than girls.

Answer 39

directional hypothesis.

Question 40

Identify the IV and the DV for the following experiments: | - People who exercise will rate themselves higher in terms of general well-being compared to those who do not exercise.

Answer 40

``` IV = Amount of exercise done each week. DV = Rating themselves. ```

Question 41

Decide whether the following general hypotheses are directional or non-directional: - The faster you type, the more mistakes you make.

Answer 41

directional hypothesis.

Question 42

Identify the IV and the DV for the following experiments: | - Those who have therapy will show reduced levels of anxiety compared to those who have had no therapy.

Answer 42

``` IV = Those who have had therapy or not. DV = Anxiety score. ```

Question 43

Re-write the hypothesis below so it is a null hypothesis: | - Drinking coffee leads to a significant increase in alertness.

Answer 43

Drinking coffee has no effect on alertness.

Question 44

Identify the IV and the DV for the following experiments: | - Drinking alcohol or not drinking alcohol will affect the number of mistakes made on a driving simulator activity.

Answer 44

``` IV = Alcohol consumption. DV = Number of mistakes made on a driving simulator activity. ```

Question 45

Identify the IV and the DV for the following experiments: | - Males who have higher income will be rated as more attractive than those who have a low income.

Answer 45

``` IV = Levels of income. DV = Score on attractivity. ```