Research Design (U1/2)

Question 1

Alternative hypothesis

Answer 1

Also known as the research hypothesis. A hypothesis that stated there will be a statistically significant relationship between two or more variables.

Question 2

Baseline

Answer 2

The level of responding before any treatment is introduced and therefore acts as a control condition. For example, measuring normal brain activity before being asked to recall a stressful event.

Question 3

Confederate

Answer 3

A helper of a researcher who pretends to be a real patrticipant.

Question 4

Control condition

Answer 4

A condition that does not receive the treatment or intervention that the other conditions do. It is used to see what would happen if the IV were not manipulated.

Question 5

Correlational research

Answer 5

The researcher measures two or more variables without manipulating an IV and with little or no attempt to control extraneous variables.

Question 6

Counterbalancing

Answer 6

A technique used to deal with order effects when using a repeated measures design. When a study is counterbalanced, the sample is divided in half, with one half completing the two conditions in one order and the other half completing the conditions in the reverse order.

Question 7

Cross-sectional design

Answer 7

Comparing two or more groups on a particular variable at a specific time. The opposite is a longitudinal design where the researcher measures change in an individual over time.

Question 8

Dependent variable

Answer 8

The variable that is measured and is hypothesized to be the effect of the IV.

Question 9

Double-blind testing

Answer 9

An experimental procedure in which neither the researcher doing the study nor the participants know the specific type of treatment each participant receives until after the experiment is over; a double-blind procedure is used to guard against both experimenter bias and placebo effect.

Question 10

Factorial Design

Answer 10

A design including multiple independent variables.

Question 11

Field experiment

Answer 11

A study that is conducted outside the laboratory in a “real-world” setting.

Question 12

Hypothesis

Answer 12

A testable statement of what the researcher predicts will be the outcome of the study, which is usually based on an established theory

Question 13

Independent samples design

Answer 13

Also called an independent measures design and between-groups design. More than one experimental group is used and participants are only in one group. Each participant is only in one condition of the IV.

Question 14

Independent variable

Answer 14

The variable that is manipulated by the researcher.

Question 15

Meta-analysis

Answer 15

Pooling data from multiple studies of the same research question to arrive at one combined answer.

Question 16

Natural experiment

Answer 16

A study of a naturally occurring situation in the real world. The researcher does not manipulate the IV or assign participants randomly to conditions.

Question 17

Non-equivalent groups design

Answer 17

A between-subjects design in which participants have not been randomly assigned to conditions. A typical example would be to look at gender difference with regard to a certain behavior.

Question 18

Null hypothesis

Answer 18

A hypothesis that says there will be no statistical significance between two variables. It is the hypothesis that a researcher will try to disprove.

Question 19

One-tailed hypothesis

Answer 19

A scientific stating that an effect will occur and whether that effect will specifically increase or specifically decrease, depending on changes to the IV.

Question 20

Operationalization

Answer 20

The process by which the researcher decides how a variable will be measured. For example, “material satisfaction” cannot be measured directly, so the researcher would have to decide what traits will be measured in order to measure the construct.

Question 21

Pretest-posttest design

Answer 21

The DV is measured before the IV has been manipulated and then again after it has been manipulated.

Question 22

p-value

Answer 22

The probability that, if the null hypothesis were true, the result found in the sample would occur.

Question 23

Quasi-experiment

Answer 23

The researcher manipulates an IV but does not randomly assign participants to conditions.

Question 24

Random allocation

Answer 24

A method of controlling extraneous variables across conditions by using a random process to decide which participants will be in which conditions. This includes random number generators and pulling names out of a hat.

Question 25

Repeated measures design

Answer 25

Also called a “within groups” design. The same participants take part in each condition of the independent variable. This means that each condition of the experiment includes the same group of participants.

Question 26

Single-blind testing

Answer 26

An experiment in which the researchers know which participants are receiving a treatment and which are not, however, the participants do not know which condition they are in.

Question 27

True experiment

Answer 27

A study in which participants are randomly assigned to either a treatment group and a control group; an IV is manipulated by the researcher.

Question 28

Two-tailed hypothesis

Answer 28

A hypothesis that one experimental group will differ from another without specification of the executed direction of the difference – that is, without prediction an increase or decrease in behavior.

Question 29

Artifacts

Answer 29

Something observed in a scientific investigation or experiment that is not really present but occurs as a result of the investigative procedure.

Question 30

Domino casuality

Answer 30

Cause and effect relationship where the effects become causes and there is a sequential unfolding of effects over time.

Question 31

Prospective research

Answer 31

Data is collected at the beginning of someone’s life and then tested repeatedly over a longer period of time.

Question 32

Retrospective research

Answer 32

A study on an individual after an important change or development.