Methodology: Variables and Types of Bias

Question 1

What are the 3 main types of variables?

Answer 1

1) Independent variable
2) Dependent variable
3) Extraneous variable

Question 2

Define ‘operationalisation’.

Answer 2

Variables must be fully operationalised, especially the dependent variable in order to be made measurable.

Question 3

Define ‘independent variable’.

Answer 3

The variable that the experimenter manipulates to demonstrate a difference between the experimental conditions.

Question 4

Give an example of an independent variable used in cognitive psychology.

Answer 4

Baddeley’s (1966) acoustic similarity and semantic similarity word lists.

Question 5

Evaluate the reliability of independent variables using a high point.

Answer 5

P - High test-retest
E - Manipulation of the IV creates a standardised procedure
E - Therefore the experiment will be easy to replicate to test for consistency

Question 6

Evaluate the validity of independent variables using a high and low point.

Answer 6

P - High
E - Having an IV coincides with a DV
E - Can therefore establish cause and effect relationship
P - Low
E - Manipulation conditions of an experiment usually creates artificial settings
E - Therefore it wouldn’t be natural to ppts and so they wouldn’t exhibit behaviour that reflects real life

Question 7

Define ‘dependent variable’.

Answer 7

The variable that the experimenter measures to see if the change in IV has created a different effect.

Question 8

Give an example of a dependent variable used in cognitive psychology.

Answer 8

Baddeley’s (1966) number of words from a list recalled correctly.

Question 9

Evaluate the reliability of dependent variables using a low point.

Answer 9

P - Low
E - Sometimes variables may not be fully operationalised
E - Therefore they can be hard to measure and compare

Question 10

Evaluate the validity of dependent variables using a high and low point.

Answer 10

P - High
E - Having an IV coincides with a DV
E - Can therefore establish cause and effect relationship
P - Low
E - Operationalisation and measurement of variables may lead to researcher bias as they will be looking for specific things
E - Therefore can impact credibility with subjective findings

Question 11

Define ‘extraneous variable’.

Answer 11

The variables that aren’t the IV or DV.

Question 12

Define ‘confounding variable’.

Answer 12

An EV that is important enough to provide an alternative explanation for the effects on the DV.

Question 13

What are the 2 types of extraneous variables?

Answer 13

1) Situational

2) Participant

Question 14

Define ‘situational variable’.

Answer 14

Variables from the environment.

Question 15

Give an example of a situational variable.

Answer 15

Weather

Question 16

Define ‘participant variable’.

Answer 16

Variables that create differences in the sample due to ppts individual characteristics.

Question 17

Give an example of a participant variable.

Answer 17

Gender

Question 18

Evaluate the reliability of extraneous variables using a low point.

Answer 18

P - Low test-retest
E - They can make conditions hard to standardise or measure in any one given way
E - Therefore conditions will be hard to replicate to test for consistency

Question 19

Evaluate the validity of extraneous variables using a low point.

Answer 19

P - Low
E - They can interfere with the relationship between the IV and DV
E - Therefore limiting the cause and effect relationship that can be established

Question 20

Define ‘demand characteristics’.

Answer 20

Behaviours of ppts that results in cues from the aim of the environment of the experiment that suggest they should behave a certain way.

Question 21

Evaluate the validity of demand characteristics using a low point.

Answer 21

P - Low
E - Ppts often try to guess the aim and so behave in a way they think the experimenter would want them to or not want them to
E - Therefore behaviour will not reflect behaviour in real life due to this bias

Question 22

Define ‘experimenter effect’.

Answer 22

When aspects of the researcher can lead ppts to think they should act a certain way.

Question 23

Give an example of an experimenter effect in psychology.

Answer 23

Their appearance/behaviour.

Question 24

Define ‘researcher bias’.

Answer 24

When a researcher influences the results in order to achieve a certain outcome.

Question 25

Give an example of researcher bias in psychology.

Answer 25

Discarding results that reject the hypothesis of the experiment.

Question 26

Define ‘single blind procedure’.

Answer 26

When ppts don’t know the true aim of the study.

Question 27

Define ‘double blind procedure’.

Answer 27

When ppts and the researcher don’t know the true aim of the study.

Question 28

How do single/double blind procedures remove bias?

Answer 28

Single blind - it removes DCs from ppts as they are unaware of the aim so would behave normally as wouldn’t know otherwise
Double blind - it removes DCs and researcher bias as they wouldn’t know what data to change/discard to fit the hypothesis