experimental methods Flashcards
What is an independent variable
The variable that you change
What is a dependant variable
The variable you measure
What’s a directional hypothesis
A hypothesis that is a specific effect on the dependant variable
What’s a non directional hypothesis
A general hypothesis about the dependant variable
What does operationaliseing a variable mean
Clearly stating how to measure the independent variable or dependant variable
What is an extraineous variable
A variable that effects the result of the dependant variable
What are the two types of extraineous variable
Participent variables
Situational variables
What is an example of a participant variable
The participent having better eyesight for example
Participant level of confidence
What is an example of a situational variable
The lighting in the room
Displays in the room
Time of day
What are demand characteristics
The participant picks up on cues and figures out what the test is about ,so change their behaviour to either perform to the expectation ‘please you effect’ or underperform to the expectation ‘screw you effect’
What is the investigator effect
When the investigator changes their characteristics depending on participants
What are some examples of the investigator effect
Tone of voice
Body language
What do you do to keep the experiments the exact same
Standardisation
How can you make tests fair when picking participants
Randomisation
What are the three ways to carry out an experiment
Matched pairs
Individual groups
Repeated measures
How do you carry out inderpendant groups
Allocate the participents into groups of expertimental group and control group
+no order effect
- risk perticipent variables
How do you carry out repeated measures
Put participants in a controlled group and experimental group and make them carry out both test
+less likely to make participent variables
-order effects will occur
How do you carry out matched pairs
Do a pre assessment and match participants depending on results then place them into experimental and control groups
+ stops confounding variables
- time consuming and expensive
What’s a confounding variables
Any variable that effects the dependant variable that we don’t know the source of
What is order effect
When the order you carry out experiments effects the results
E.g carrying out an experiment in a morning and in an afternoon as alertness levels differ
How can you get rid of the order effect
By using counterbalancing
What is counterbalancing
Splitting the experimental group and control group into two more groups (1/4 them) so test one control and one experimental group in the morning and then one control and one experimental in the afternoon
