Experimental Methods Flashcards
What is the aim of something?
A general expression of what the researcher intends to investigate.
What is hypothesis?
A statement of what the researcher believes to be true.
What is a directional hypothesis?
States whether changes are greater or lesser, positive or negative, etc.
What’s a non-directional hypothesis?
Doesn’t state the direction, just that there is a difference, correlation, association.
What are the types of research issues?
- Extraneous variables.
- Demand characteristics.
- Investigator effects.
What’s extraneous variables?
is any variable that you’re not investigating that can potentially affect the outcomes. If left uncontrolled, extraneous variables can lead to inaccurate conclusions about the relationship between independent and dependent variables.
What are demand characteristics?
Used to describe specific cues in experimental research that may inadvertently influence a participant’s response or behavior in an experiment.
What’s investigator effects?
Any effect of the investigators behaviour on the outcome of the research (the DV).
What are the types of research techniques?
- Randomisation.
- Standardisation.
- Control groups.
- Single blind and double blind.
What is randomisation?
The uses of chance when designing investigations to control for the effect of bias.
What is standardisation?
Using exactly the same procedure for all participants.
What are control groups?
- Used for the purpose of setting a comparison.
- Act as a ‘baseline’ + help establish causation.
What is single bind?
A participant doesn’t know the aims of the study so that demand characteristics are reduced.
What is double blind?
Both participant and researcher don’t know the aims of study to reduce demand characteristics and investigator effects.
