Lecture 3: Research Design Fundamentals

Question 1

What criteria is needed to be met for an experiment to have high internal validity?

3pts

Answer 1

1. Temporal precedence: IV comes before DV
2. IV and DV covary: changes in one is accompanied by changes in the other
3. Eliminate alternative explanations

Question 2

What two things help to eliminate alternative explanations?

Answer 2

• Experimental control
• Random assignment to levels of the IV

Question 3

3 types of variables:

BLANK variables: feature of event/environment participant is exposed to
BLANK variables: participant’s reaction to event/experience
BLANK variables: pre-existing characteristic of a participant

Answer 3

Situational, Response, Participant

Question 4

What is an operational definition?

Answer 4

How the researcher decides to measure the variables