Research Methods : Controlling Variables

Question 1

What are variables

Answer 1

Any ‘thing ‘ that can vary or change within an investigation. Variables are used in experiments to see if changes in one ‘thing’ results in changes of an another

Question 2

What is an independent variable

Answer 2

The variable that is manipulated/changed by the researcher so that they can measure the effect on the dependant variable

Question 3

What is the dependant variable?

Answer 3

The variable that is measured by the researcher. Any effect on this variable should be caused by the independent variable

Question 4

In order to test the effect of the IV what does the researcher need to do?

Answer 4

They need different conditions so they can make a comparison between the participants and their performance

Question 5

What is the control condition ?

Answer 5

The condition in an experiment that provides a baseline measure of behaviour without the manipulation of the IV. This compared to other conditions

Question 6

What is the experimental condition ?

Answer 6

The condition in an experiment that involves the manipulation of the independent variable. Results from this condition are compared to the results of the control condition

Question 7

Examples of control conditions compared to experimental conditions

Answer 7

No energy drink - energy drink
Lesson with no spaced repetition - lessons with spaced repetition
Reading a story to 5 people - reading a story to 100 people

Question 8

Operationalisation

Answer 8

Clearly defining variables to ensure that they are made measurable

Question 9

Example of variables being operationalised

Answer 9

Time - using seconds
Happiness - survey , how many smiles in the room
Intelligence - how well they do in a test

Question 10

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 10

Any variables other than the independent variable that may have an effect on the dependent variable if not controlled

Question 11

Do extraneous variables vary systematically with the independent variable ?

Answer 11

No they don’t as their effect is random

Question 12

What are confounding variables ?

Answer 12

Any extraneous variables that vary systematically with the independent variable so that we cant be sure of the true source of change to the dependent variable `

Question 13

What are examples of a confounding variables ?

Answer 13

Personality , mood

Question 14

What is the affect of a confounding variable

Answer 14

Ends up being the second unintended IV

Question 15

What are demand characteristics?

Answer 15

Any cue from researcher from the researcher or the researcher situation that reveals to participants the purpose of the investigation this can lead to participants changing their behaviour

Question 16

What is the please u effect ?

Answer 16

When participants act in a way that they think is expected of them by the researcher so they over perform to please the experimenter

Question 17

The screw u effect

Answer 17

Effect is when participants act in the opposite to the way that they think the researcher expects and deliberately underperform to sabotage the results of a study

Question 18

What are investigator effects?

Answer 18

An investigator effect is any influence of the investigators behaviour (conscious or unconscious) due to them knowing the aim of the research affecting the dependent variable . This may include everything from design of the study to the selection and interaction with partcipants

Question 19

Example of investigator effects ?

Answer 19

Age 
Gender
Accent
Manner
Smiling
Choosing particular participants 
Asking reading questions

Question 20

What is randomisation ?

Answer 20

This involves the use of chance to control the effects of investigator bias when designing materials and deciding the order of conditions for the experiment

Question 21

If a memory experiment involves participants recalling words from a list. What should happen in regard of randomisation ?

Answer 21

The order of the list should be randomly generated so the position of each word is not decided by the experimenter

Question 22

How can random allocation occur?

Answer 22

Picking names out of a hat

Question 23

What is counterbalancing ?

Answer 23

An attempt to control for the effects of order in a repeated measures design. Half of the participants experience the conditions in one order (a then b) and the other half in the opposite order

Question 24

What is standardisation ?

Answer 24

Using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for all participants in a research study

Question 25

What should standardisation entail ?

Answer 25

The same environment , information, and experience

Question 26

What is a blind procedure ?

Answer 26

When participants do not know which condition , they are taking part within an experiment

Question 27

Why are single blind procedures used?

Answer 27

Reduce demand characteristics and the effect they can off an experiment

Question 28

What are double blind procedures ?

Answer 28

When neither the participants nor the participants nor the investigator know which condition the participants are taking part in within an experiment

Question 29

Why are double blind procedures used ?

Answer 29

To try and reduce demand characteristics and they effect that they have on an experiment. They also reduce investigator effects