Extraneous Variables Flashcards
Have unintended influence on the DV
Extraneous variables
It increases the variability within the group and makes it harder to see effects.
Nuisance variables
Change the difference between groups, either increasing or decreasing treatment effect
Confounders (confounding variables)
Keeping all aspects of treatment conditions as nearly similar as possible if we cannot eliminate an extraneous variable
Constancy conditions
Distributing the effects of an extraneous variable across the different treatment conditions of the experiment
Balancing
Assign people treatments with equal probability
Randomization
Remove variable entirely
Elimination
Turn a variable into a constant
Constancy
Reversing order of stimuli with conditions
Counterbalancing
Variable. Qualities of the relationships between subjects and experimenters that can influence results
Social variables
Aspects of the experimental solution that demand that people behave in a particular way
Demand characteristics
An experiment in which subjects do not know which treatment they are getting
Single-blind experiments
Experiments used to control demand characteristics
Single-blind experiments and cover stories
Plausible but false explanation for the procedures used in the study in order to disguise the research hypothesis so that the subjects will not guess it
Cover stories
The experimenter does something that creates confounding in the experiment
Experimenter bias
Experimenter might treat subjects differently on what they expect from them
Rosenthal effect (Pygmalion effect)
A type of self-fulfilling prophecy whereby people’s social expectations lead them to act in ways that cause others to confirm their expectations
Behavioral confirmation
Make constant
Balance or counterbalance
Remove experimenter
Controlling experiment effect
Script experimenter contact
Eliminate the person (use a machine)
Use single blind in which experimenter is not told information about participants
Controlling experimenter expectancy
Suitability
Precedent (standard)
Availability
Number of participants
Choosing participants
An experiment in which the subjects do not know which treatment they are in, and the experimenter does not know either
Double-blind experiments
Experiment used to control experimenter bias
Double-blind experiments
Variable. Also known as personal characteristics or the behavior of the experimenter and can greatly influence the reactions the experimenter gets with his/her subject
Personality variables
People who score high at the social desirability scale and collects more and better data.
Likeable experimenters