Research Methods Flashcards
Qualitative vs Quantitative
Qualitative = non-numerical Quantitative = numerical
What is a laboratory experiment?
- Aim to identify cause and effect
- At least one variable manipulated by researcher
What are the types of hypothesis?
Null: “Factor A has no effect on factor B”
Alternative: “Factor A affects B”
Experimental: Predicts exactly what the researcher expects to find
Operational: Includes population, sampling method, IV and DV
What are the 2 different types of alternative hypothesis?
Directional: when you predict the direction of the relationship between the two variables
Non-directional: when you think there will be a relationship between the two, but don’t know the direction of the relationship
What are the 4 main types of variables?
IV: researcher manipulates
DV: researcher measures
Extraneous: any variable other than the IV that may influence the DV in a specific way
Confounding: when any other variable except the IV affects the DV in a systematic way
What are the 2 types of confounding variables?
Situational: variables influencing PP behavior beyond manipulation of the IV. e.g., temperature, lighting, background noise.
Participant variables: associated with the PPs themselves.
What is validity?
Does it actually measure what is supposed to measure?
What is reliability?
Does it consistently measure what it is supposed to measure?
Face/Content validity
Does the test measure what we want it to measure?
Construct validity
Whether scores on a test are consistent with the trait being measured
Concurrent validity
The extent to which performance on the test correlates positively with other tests of the same trait.
Predictive validity
Whether performance on the test predicts later performance
Internal validity
If an experiment shows results were caused by manipulation of the variables, rather than the effect of something else
External validity
If findings can be generalized beyond the experimental setting
Internal reliability
If a test is consistent within itself
