Research Methods Flashcards
What is the DV?
- What is being measured
- IV influences this
What is the IV?
- Variable experimenter manipulates
- Otherwise known as the experimental conditions
Operationalising variables
Defining a variable clearly so they can objectively manipulated and measured
What is a extraneous variable?
A variable other than the independent variable that has influenced dependent variable
What is a confounding variable?
A factor other than the independent variable that might effect the experiment and can’t be controlled
Why should we operationalise variables?
Way in which variables are operationalised can affect the accuracy (validity) of the study. Unless the way a variable is operationalised reflects the variable we want to study, we can’t draw accurate/valid conclusions from research
What are co variables?
Two variables which are examined to see whether a correlation exists between them
What is a variable?
Any factor that can be changed or change
What is a hypothesis?
States what will happen and what you expect to find and the relationship between IV and DV
Directional Hypothesis
Hypothesis that states specifically what will happen
Non-directional Hypothesis
Simply states that something will happen e.g. ‘There will be a difference’
When to use a directional hypothesis?
- When you are aware of other research
- Have been told anything in the equation
- When you know what is going to happen
If YES use a directional hypothesis
What is an experiemental design
Refers to way in which participants are arranged within experimental conditions
Independant groups
Participants split into groups and each only experience one level of IV or one condition
Repeated measures
All participants experience all levels of IV or condition
Matched Pairs
Participants paired up based on a trait relevant to the study and then split into different conditions.
Limitation of Repeated Measures
- Orders effects impact results for example a task completed in one condition, could have impact on a task completed in another
- Boredom/fatigue
- Counterbalancing can be used to counteract this
- Split participants into two groups each group does one condition then they switch to the other
- ABBA principle
- Demand characteristics can be an issue because people could work out aim of study as they do the experiment twice causing them to change their behaviour and not act naturally
Limitation of independent groups
- Participant variables can confound the results
- Random allocation is used in an attempt to deal with this
- Less economical - 2x times as many participants needed