research methods: control of variables

Question 1

what is a hypothesis?

Answer 1

a precise testable statement about the expected outcome of an investigation. Stated at the onset of a study

Question 2

what is an aim?

Answer 2

a general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate; the purpose of the study

Question 3

what is an experiment?

Answer 3

a controlled situation in which the researcher manipulates one variable to discover its effect on another variable while the other variables are held constant. It allows us to establish cause-and-effect relationships

Question 4

what is an alternative/experimental hypothesis?

Answer 4

a hypothesis which predicts that there will be a significant difference in the results between the two conditions

Question 5

what is a null hypothesis?

Answer 5

a null hypothesis predicts no difference between two variables.

Question 6

what is a directional/one tailed hypothesis?

Answer 6

specifically predicts two directional predicted results. includes words like more or less, decrease or increase etc

Question 7

what is a non-directional/ two tailed hypothesis?

Answer 7

does not state the direction of the results but states that a difference will be found between the conditions. typically says there will be an effect/no effect

Question 8

when will psychologists tend to use a directional hypothesis?

Answer 8

when the findings of previous research suggest a particular outcome

Question 9

when will psychologists tend to use a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 9

when there is no previous research or findings from earlier research are contradictory

Question 10

what is an independent variable?

Answer 10

the variable that the researcher manipulates

Question 11

what is a dependent variable?

Answer 11

the variable that is affected by the changes in the independent variable. the variable that is measured by the researcher