Measuring and Manipulating Variables Flashcards
1
Q
Operational definition
A
- Define how variable is to be measured (within our experiment)
- Allows others to repeat experiment precisely
- Reduces generality of interpretations
2
Q
Delayed gratification
A
Amount of time willing to wait for reward
3
Q
Deciding how to operationalize
A
- Use operational variables that have worked in other studies
- Select operational definition that best fits what you really want to test
4
Q
Common types of IVs
A
- Manipulated variables
2. Subject variables
5
Q
Manipulated variables
A
- Situational variables (bystander effect)
- Task variables (diff. levels of IV)
- Instructional variables (by differing instructions)
- Effect of ‘treatment’ (therapy vs. no therapy)
6
Q
Subject variables
A
Age, gender, etc.
-Varies by the subject
7
Q
Common types of DVs
A
- Self-reporting measures
- Behavioral measures
- Physiological Measures
- Indirect dependent variable
8
Q
Self-reporting measures
A
- Rating scales
- Opinion polls/ questionnaires
9
Q
Behavioral measures
A
- Accuracy or speed response
- Frequency of response
- Verbal responses
10
Q
Physiological Measures
A
- Way to operationalize person’s inner state
- Heart rate, bp
- Functional brain imaging (brain activity)
11
Q
Indirect dependent variable
A
Use observable behavior to measure something unobservable
12
Q
A given experiment can use (DV)
A
- A single DV
- Two + separate DVs
- Composite DV (several measures combined into single DV – intelligence)
13
Q
Criteria for selecting variables
A
- Must be reliable (repeatable with same results- does NOT mean accurate)
- Must be valid (measure what was intended to measure)
14
Q
Causes of unreliability- assess using
A
- Variations in how measure is administered – test-retest correlation
- Variations in scoring or data recording – inter-rater correlation
- Subject performance variations – split-half correlation
15
Q
How to establish a measure’s validity
A
- Face Validity
- Discriminant Validity
- Concurrent Validity
- Content Validity
- Predictive Validity