Research Design, Statistics, Tests, and Measurements Flashcards
Mean
Sum of observations/number of observations
Median
The number that divides the data in half
Mode
The number with the highest frequency
Range
Highest score minus lowest score
Standard Deviation
The square root of variance
Average scatter away from the mean. 34% between mean and SD, 14% between 1 SD and 2 SDs, 2% beyond 2 SDs
68% within +/-1 SD, 96% within +/- 2 SDs, 100% within +/- 3 SDs
Variance
Standard deviation squared
How much each score varies from the mean
Z-Score
Your score minus (mean/standard deviation)
Indicates the number of standard deviations your score is from the mean
Binet and Simon
Developed the Binet-Simon intelligence test
Introduced the concept of mental age
Holland
Developed RIASEC model of occupational themes
Jensen
Suggested that there were genetically based radical differences in IQ (this suggestion has been much criticized)
Morgan and Murray
Developed the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), a projective test designed to measure personality
Rorschach
Developed the Rorschach inkblot test, a projective test designed to measure personality
Rotter
Developed a sentence completion test, a projective test designed to measure personality
Stern
Developed the concept of the radio IQ
Strong and Campbell
Developed the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory used to assess interest in different lines of work (they did not work together, Campbell revised earlier test of Strong’s)
Terman
Revised the Binet-Simon intelligence test - revision became known as the Stanford-Binet IQ Test
Weschler
Developed several intelligence tests for use with different ages (WPPSI, WISC, and WAIS). These tests yield three deviation IQs: a verbal IQ, a performance IQ, and a full-scale IQ
Hypothesis
A tentative and testable explanation of the relationship between two or more variables
Variable
A factor that varies in amount or kind and can be measured
Operation Definitions
States how the researcher will measure the variables
Independent Variable
The variable whose effect on another variable is being studied (is manipulated)
Dependent Variable
The variable expected to change due to variations in the independent variable (is measured)
Three Basic Types of Research
- True experiments (random assignment and manipulation)
- Quasi-experiments (no random assignment or not full control over IV)
- Correlational studies
Naturalistic Observation
Researcher does not intervene; measures behavior as it occurs naturally
Population
The group the researchers wishes to generalize their results to
Representative Sample
Sample is a miniature version of the population
Random Sampling
Every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample
Stratified Random Sampling
Relevant subgroups of the population are randomly sampled in proportion to their size
Between-Subjects Design
Subject is only exposed to one level of the IV
Matched-Subjects Design
Pairing participants to ensure that both groups are approximately equal on the matched variable
Within-Subjects Design
Using same subjects in both groups. AKA Repeated-measures design. Need to counterbalance
Nonequivalent Group Design
Where a control group is not necessarily similar to the experimental group - when the researcher cannot use random assignment
Experimenter Bias
Experimenter’s expectations or attitudes that can affect results. Remedy = double blinding
Demand Characteristics
Cues in a research situation that suggest to the subject what is expected, which changes the subject’s behavior. Possible remedy = deception
Hawthorne Effect
The effect that being observed has on behavior. remedy = control groups
T-Scores
Distribution has a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10
Factor Analysis
Attempts to account for the interrelationships found among variables by seeing how groups of variables “hang together”
Factor
A cluster of variables highly correlated with each other is assumed to be measuring the same thing
Type I Error
Rejecting the null when the null is true (hypothesis is not really correct, but we say that it is)
Type II Error
Accepting the null when the null is false (hypothesis is correct, but we say that it isn’t)
Probability of making a type II error is beta
T-Test
Comparing two means
ANOVA
Compare more than two means
Chi-Square
Compare differences between groups when data is categorical. Also compares observed frequencies to expected frequencies
Norm-Referenced Testing
Assessing performance in terms of comparison to others. Norms are derived from standardized samples
Domain-Rederenced Testing
AKA Criterion-referenced testing
Performance assessed in terms of what the test taker knows or can do
Reliability
Consistency
Test-Retest Reliability
Same test administered to same group at a later time
Alternate-Form Method of Reliability
Different tests given to same group at a two different times
Split-Half Reliability
Halves of one test given to same people. Halves are correlated.
Validity
Accuracy
Content Validity
The estimate of how much a measure represents every single element of a construct
Face Validity
Whether the test appears (at face value) to measure what it claims to.
Criterion Validity
Assesses whether a test reflects a certain set of abilities (includes concurrent and predictive validity)
Construct Validity
The extent to which a test captures a specific theoretical construct or trait (includes convergent and discriminant validity)
Scales of Measurement
- Nominal/categorical
- Ordinal
- Interval
- Ratio
Nominal Scale
Data that can be categorized but not ordered (i.e. sex)
Ordinal Scale
Data that can be ordered (i.e. order of finish in a race)
Interval Scale
Data that can be ordered and that has meaningful, equal intervals between numbers (i.e. temperature)
Ratio Scale
Data that can be ordered, has meaningful intervals, and a true zero point (i.e. income)
Aptitude Tests
A type of ability test that are used to predict what one can accomplish through training. Used to predict performance (i.e. intelligence tests)
Achievement Tests
A type of ability test that assesses what one knows or can do at the moment - they test adequacy of learning content and skill
Deviation IQ
Indicates how well a person performed on an IQ test relative to his/her same age peers (i.e. Stanford-Binet)
Wechsler Tests
Two broad subscales: verbal and performance.
Three major IQ tests:
- WPPSI (preschool)
- WISC (children)
- WAIS (adults)
Two Major Personality Tests
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MPPI)
2. California Psychological Inventory (CPI)
Projective Tests
- Rorschach inkblot test
- Thematic Apperception Test (pictures with ambiguous meanings)
- Blacky pictures (for children: cartoon pictures with a dog named Blacky. Meant to correspond to stages of psychosexual development)
- Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank (sentence completion)
Interest Testing
Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory measures interest in different lines of work. Interpretation based on Holland’s model of occupational themes (RIASEC):
- realistic
- investigative
- artistic
- social
- enterprising
- conventional
