Research methods Flashcards
What is a between subjects design?
Each participant only participates in one condition and provides one data value
This design avoids participant effects such as order effect and fatigue effect.
Advantages of between subjects designs
Avoids some participant effects e.g order effect and fatigue effect
What are the disadvantages of a between subjects design?
Takes longer, expensive, results may be due to participant differences
Requires twice as many participants.
What is a within subjects design?
Participants take part in all conditions
This design accounts for individual differences.
What are the advantages of a within subjects design?
Cost and time effective, less participants needed, Accounts for individual differences
Produces the same number of data points as between subjects design.
What issues are associated with a within subjects design?
Order effect and fatigue effect
These can influence participant performance.
What is a matched pairs design?
Participants are matched across conditions relevant to the study
Examples include scores on previous tasks or age.
What are the benefits of a matched pairs design?
Accounts for individual differences, removes order effect and fatigue effect
Tries to create equivalent groups.
What are the challenges of a matched pairs design?
Difficult to match people on all categories, time consuming, expensive
Matching requires careful consideration of variables.
What are extraneous variables?
Variables not controlled in an experiment that could affect the dependent variable
Examples include weather or noise outside the testing room.
What are confounding variables?
Extraneous variables that vary systematically with the independent variable
These are likely to influence results.
What are the 2 types of category data?
Nominal and Ordinal
What are tye 2 types of continuous data?
Interval and ratio
What is nominal data?
Labels with no hierarchy
Example: colours.
What is ordinal data?
Categories with a hierarchical order
Example: illness stages.
