Fundamental Terms

Question 1

Define aim

Answer 1

A statement of what the researcher intends to find out in a research study

Question 2

Define null hypothesis

Answer 2

A statement which states there will be no difference

( if the data does not support your null hypothesis - you reject it and go with your alternative hypothesis )

Question 3

Define directional hypothesis

Answer 3

States the directions of the difference or relationship

What the experimenter thinks will happen

Eg :
- more/ less
- higher/lower
- faster/slower

Question 4

Define non directional hypothesis

Answer 4

States there is a difference between the conditionals or groups but the nature of the difference is not specified

Researcher is not sure what will happen & there is no previous research to suggest what the result might be

Question 5

Define extraneous variables

Answer 5

Anything that Impacts the dependent variable that is not the independent variable

Question 6

Define dependent variable

Answer 6

The thing that is measured/ will be affected by the changes

Question 7

Define independent variable

Answer 7

The thing that is manipulated/changed

Eg. The different groups , the different conditions

Question 8

Define debriefing

Answer 8

• A post research interview designed to inform participants of the tue nature of the study and to restore them to the state they were in at the start of the study
• may also gain useful feedback about the procedures used in the study

Question 9

Define experiment

Answer 9

A research method where casual conclusions can be drawn because an independent variable has been deliberately manipulated to observe the casual effect on the dependent variables

Question 10

Define hypothesis

Answer 10

A precise and testable statement about the assumed relationship between variables

Question 11

Define operationalise

Answer 11

• Ensuring that the variables are in a form that Canberra easily tested
• being specific about what is being investigated

Question 12

Define standardised procedures

Answer 12

A set of procedures that are the same for all participants in order to be able to repeat the study

Question 13

Define External validity

Answer 13

The degree to which a research finding can be generalised

Question 14

Define population validity

Answer 14

A type of external validity which can be generalised to other groups of people

Question 15

Define historical validity

Answer 15

A type of external validity which can be generalised over time

Question 16

Define internal validity

Answer 16

The degree to which an observed effect was due to the experimental manipulation rather than other factors such as confounding/ extraneous variables

Question 17

Define mundane realism

Answer 17

• Refers to how a study mirrors the real world
• the research environment is realistic to the degree to which experiences encountered in the research environment will occur in the real world

Question 18

What are independent groups design ?

Answer 18

• Participants are allocated to 2 or more groups representing different levels of the IV
• allocation is usually done using random techniques

Question 19

Define counterbalancing

Answer 19

• An experimental technique used to overcome order effects when using a repeated measures design
• it ensures that each condition is tested first or second In equal amounts

Question 20

Define matched pairs design

Answer 20

• Pairs of participants are matched in terms of key variables such as : age, IQ
• one member of each pair is allocated to one of the conditions under test and the second person is allocated to the other

Question 21

What are advantages of matched pairs ?

Answer 21

• no order effects - there are different people in each condition
• participant variables - important differences are minimised through matching

Question 22

What are disadvantages of matched pairs ?

Answer 22

Number of participants - need twice as many people compared to repeated measures

Practicalities - time consuming and difficult to find participants who match

Question 23

Define repeated measures

Answer 23

There is only one group of participants this group takes part in both conditions

Question 24

What are advantages of repeated measures ?

Answer 24

Participant variables - now the same people do the test in both conditions so any differences between individuals shouldn’t affect the results

Number of participants - fewer participants are needed to get the same amount of data

Question 25

What are disadvantages of repeated measures ?

Answer 25

Order effects - of all participants did the ‘with audience’ conditions first any improvements in the second condition could be due to practice not the audience’s absence

Question 26

Define confounding variables

Answer 26

Anything other than the IV has influenced your result which has not been accounted for before the experiment begins

Question 27

Define alternative hypothesis

Answer 27

If the data forces you to reject your null hypothesis then you accept your alternative hypothesis

Question 28

Advantages of independent groups design

Answer 28

No order effects - no one gets better through practice or gets worse through being bored or tired

Question 29

Disadvantages of independent groups design

Answer 29

Participant variables - differences between the people in each group might affect the results Number of participants - twice as many participants are needed to get the same amount of data compared to having everyone do both conditions

Question 30

Demand characteristics

Answer 30

- There are aspects of a study which allow the participants to form an idea about its purpose - if they think they know what kind of response the researcher is expecting from them they may show that response to please the researcher ( or do the opposite deliberately ) The conclusions drawn fro, the study would be invalid

Question 31

Define social desirability bias

Answer 31

- people usually try to show themselves in the best possible light - I’m a survey they may not be completely truthful but give answers that are more socially acceptable instead = Make the results less valid

Question 32

Co-variable

Answer 32

The two measured variables in a correlational analysis The variables must be continuous

Question 33

Intervening variable

Answer 33

A variable that comes between 2 other variables which is used to explain the association between those 2 variables

Question 34

Define Single blind

Answer 34

- Participants are not aware of the condition they are in - attempts to control for the confounding effect of demand characteristics

Question 35

Define double blind

Answer 35

- Neither the participants or the researcher are aware of the aims of the investigation - used in drug trials commonly

Question 36

Independent variable

Answer 36

The one that changes Variable that is directly manipulated by the researcher

Question 37

Dependent variable

Answer 37

The one you measure The variable that you think will be affected by changes in the independent variable

Question 38

Operationalisation

Answer 38

Shows how the variables will be measured - describing the process by which the variable is measured - allows others to see exactly how you’re going to define and measure your variables