Hypotheses & Variables Flashcards
What does an experiment involve?
Involves manipulating an independent variable to measure the effect on the dependent variable.
What’s a variable?
Any ‘thing’ that can vary or change within an investigation
What’s an independent variable?
manipulated by researcher
What’s a dependent researcher?
Measured by researcher
What are the 2 levels of independent variables?
Control and experimental condition
They are compared
What’s a control independent variable?
Baseline measure of behaviour without IV manipulation
What’s an experimental independent variable?
Manipulation of independent variable
What’s a research hypothesis?
-Directional or non-directional
-predicts a statistically significant effect of an independent variable
-and dependent variable
What’s a directional different hypothesis?
-Stating difference
-one-tailed hypothesis which is predicting direction of results
-Correlation, relationship between 2 things
What’s a non-directional hypothesis
-Use it when there’s no previous research to allow a prediction
-or if lots of contradictory research
What’s a correlation?
Will be a relationship, doesn’t tell us positive or negative or direction (two-tailed)
What’s a null hypothesis?
Predicts nothing will be found, no relationship/difference.
Difference = experiment
Relationship = correlation
What is an extraneous variable?
Any variable other then the independent that may have an effect on the dependent variable if it not controlled.
What is a Confounding variable?
Any extraneous variable that varies systematically with the independent variable, so we cannot be sure of the true source of change to the dependent variable.
What are demand characteristics?
Cue from the researcher or from research situation that may be interpreted by participants as revealing investigation purpose
May lead to participant deliberately or unconsciously changing their behaviour within the situation
