Experimental Methods, Chapter 6, 1

Question 1

What is an experimental method?

Answer 1

This involves the manipulation of an independent variable to measure the effect on the dependent variable. Experiments may be laboratory, field, natural or quasi

Question 2

What is an aim?

Answer 2

A general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate, the purpose of the study

Question 3

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 3

A clear, precise, testable statement that states the relationship between the variables to be investigated. Stated at the outset of any study

Question 4

What is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 4

This states the direction of the difference or relationship

Question 5

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 5

This does not state the direction of the difference or relationship

Question 5

What are variables?

Answer 5

Any thing that can vary or change within an investigation. Variables are generally used in experiments to determine if changes in one thing result in changes to another

Question 6

What is operationalism?

Answer 6

Clearly defining variables in terms of how they can be measured

Question 6

What is an independent variable?

Answer 6

Some aspect of the experimental situation that is manipulated by the researcher- or changes naturally- so the effect on the DV can be measured

Question 6

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 6

The variable that is measured by the researcher. Any effect on the DV should be caused by the change in the IV

Question 7

What is the difference between an aim and a hypothesis?

Answer 7

You formulate a hypothesis after writing an aim

Question 7

What do we have a theory about energy drinks?

Answer 7

That they affect how much people talk because we understand that they contain sugar and caffeine and that these substances increase alertness making people chattier

Question 8

What do you do after you have an initial idea?

Answer 8

Narrow the focus of your research to produce an aim

Question 9

What are aims developed from?

Answer 9

Theories

Question 10

As there’s a new energy drink, SpeedUpp, what do we want to know?

Answer 10

Whether it affects the talkativeness of those who drink it

Question 11

What would an aim be in the energy drink experiment?

Answer 11

To investigate whether drinking energy drinks makes people more talkative

Question 12

What might a hypothesis of our energy drink experiment be?

Answer 12

Drinking SpeedUpp causes people to become more talkative

Question 13

What are the two types of hypothesis?

Answer 13

Directional hypothesis and non-directional hypothesis

Question 14

What is the difference between directional and non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 14

In a non- directional hypothesis, the nature of the difference between conditions or groups is not specified

Question 15

What words does directional hypothesis include?

Answer 15

More or less, higher or lower, faster or slower

Question 16

What directional hypothesis could be in the energy drink experiment?

Answer 16

People who drink SpeedUpp become more talkative than people who don’t

People who drink water are less talkative than people who drink SpeedUpp

Question 17

What non-directional hypothesis could be in the energy drink experiment?

Answer 17

People who drink SpeedUpp differ in terms of talkativeness compared with people who don’t drink SpeedUpp

Question 18

How can you test the energy drink theory?

Answer 18

With an experimental method

Question 19

What experimental method could you use to test the energy drink theory?

Answer 19

Gather together two groups of people, e.g. 10 in each group

Starting with the first group, we will give each participant a can of SpeedUpp to drink

The participants in the other group will just have a glass of water each

Then record how many words each participant says in a five-minute period immediately after they have had their drink

Question 20

When would researchers do a directional hypothesis?

Answer 20

When a theory or the findings of previous research studies suggests a particular outcome

Question 21

When would researches do a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 21

When there is no theory or previous research, or findings from earlier studies are contradictory

Question 22

What hypothesis would we use on the energy drink experiment?

Answer 22

Even though SpeedUpp is a new energy drink, the effects of caffeine and sugar on talkativeness are well-documented

Question 23

What would happen to all the other variables that may potentially affect the DV?

Answer 23

They should stay constant so the researchers are confident that all the changes to the DV are due to the IV and the IV alone

Question 24

How can we test the effect of the IV?

Answer 24

We need different experimental conditions, we need a comparison

Question 24

What experimental conditions could we compare in the energy drink experiment?

Answer 24

Compare the participants’ talkativeness before and after drinking SpeedUpp

Compare two groups of participants- those who drink SpeedUpp with those who drink water

Question 25

What are the two conditions of the energy drink experiment?

Answer 25

No SpeedUpp or drinking SpeedUpp

Question 25

What are the two levels of IV in the energy drink experiement?

Answer 25

The control condition (no SpeedUpp/ drink of water) and the experimental condition (energy drink)

Question 25

What directional hypothesis can we use in the energy drink experiment to compare the two groups of participants?

Answer 25

The group that drinks an energy drink will be chattier than the group that drinks water

Question 26

What hypothesis of the energy drink experiment could we make after operationalizing the variables?

Answer 26

After drinking 300ml of SpeedUpp, participants say more words in the next 5 minutes than participants who drink 300ml of water