Research Methods -> Control Of Variables

Question 1

Demand characteristics

Answer 1

participants guess the aim of the experiment and alter their behaviour

Question 2

Social desirability bias

Answer 2

when participants try to present themselves in a good light

Question 3

Experimenter effects

Answer 3

a situation where the experimenter, deliberately, or on an unconscious level, influences the results he/she wants to obtain.

Question 4

Investigator/researcher effects

Answer 4

when the person carrying out the study either consciously or unconsciously influences the participants answers in a questionnaire

Question 5

Interviewer effects

Answer 5

when the person conducting the interview influences the interviewees to answer in a certain way either through non verbal or verbal communication.

Question 6

Observer bias

Answer 6

the observer may only observe certain aspects of the observation

Question 7

Extraneous and confounding variables

Answer 7

both situational and participant variables need to be minimised to avoid them becoming confounding variables and affecting the DV.

Question 8

Carrying out pilot studies

Answer 8

A pilot study is an initial run-through of the procedures to be used in an investigation; it involves selecting a few people and trying out the study on them. It is possible to save time, and in some cases, money, by identifying any flaws in the procedures designed by the researcher.

A pilot study can help the researcher spot any ambiguities (i.e. unusual things) or confusion in the information given to participants or problems with the task devised.

Question 9

When using self-report measures it is important to check as part of the pilot study:

Answer 9

• That the participants understand the questions and are prepared to answer them
• That closed questions offer suitable options
• Whether open questions are also needed to elicit unpredictable responses
• Whether the reporting method is appropriate

Question 10

In observations it is important to check:

Answer 10

• That observers agree on operational definitions of behavioural categories
• That the behavioural categories include all the important behaviours
• That the behavioural categories do not overlap

Question 11

In experiments, it is important to check:

Answer 11

• Instructions are clear
• The task is suitable for the target population studied
• The design is correct (e.g. should it be a matched pairs, repeated measures or independent groups)