Research Methods Vocab 3: Common Limitations in Research

Question 1

Extraneous Variables

Answer 1

Other variables that could influence the results of the study.

Explanation: If I want to investigate the impact of stretching on people’s swimming ability, but some participants eat right before the experiment and others don’t, a full stomach is an extraneous variable. It could influence my results so I would want to make sure that doesn’t happen (control that variable)

Question 2

Confounding Variables

Answer 2

Extraneous variables that have not been acknowledged and controlled become confounding variables DO influence the results.

Ex: Some extraneous variables are very difficult to eliminate completely such as demand characteristics or researcher bias. These must be acknowledged as confounding variables.

Question 3

Demand Characteristics

Answer 3

When participants act differently because they know they are in a research study.

Question 4

Reactivity

Answer 4

When participants act differently than they usually would because they are aware that they are being observed. Reactivity is 1 example of demand characteristics.

For ex: If the principal wants to investigate whether students browse the internet during class so he walks into classes and watches, his research may be affected by reactivity as students would be less likely to misbehave with him in the room.

Question 5

Social Desirability

Answer 5

This refers to when the participants want to be seen in the best light possible. So, if they are answering questions, they may alter their answers so they are socially acceptable. This is another example of demand characteristics.

Ex: If I am doing a research study on whether racism exists in a group of people and I ask about their beliefs in a survey, they may not admit to racist feelings because they know it is not socially acceptable. My results have been affected by social desirability.

Question 6

Researcher bias

Answer 6

When a researcher’s own beliefs or knowledge can influence the research process and results. Sometimes this isn’t intentional and can’t be helped.

Ex: If the researcher is studying gender norms, the fact that the researcher is a woman will likely influence the way she designs the research and interprets the results.

Question 7

Interviewer effects

Answer 7

When a researcher is conducting an interview with participants and the process or behaviour of the researcher influences the information being shared.

Ex: The researcher rolls their eyes or nods their head or looks at their watch when someone is talking, the results have been influenced by interviewer effects.

Question 8

Placebo effect

Answer 8

The positive effect that occurs after treatment even when the treatment is fake. This is perhaps due to participants beliefs and expectations.

Ex: In drug trials, some of the participants get the real drugs and some get a placebo but if participants on the placebo show improvement, it may be due to the placebo effect.

Question 9

Single Blind

Answer 9

A way to help control demand characteristics. A study is single-blind method when the participants don’t know which condition they are in.

Ex: Participants don’t know if they are getting the real pill or the placebo

Question 10

Double blind

Answer 10

A way to help control both demand characteristics and researcher bias. A study is a double-blind method when neither the participants nor the researchers know which condition the participants are in.

For ex: the participants and the researchers don’t know if people are getting the real pill or the placebo