Unit 2: Theory and Measurement

Question 1

Define law.

Answer 1

A law is a statement that certain statements are regularly associated with each other. It comes out of the description phase of discovering regularities.
Ex. frustration-aggression law

Question 2

Define variable.

Answer 2

An aspect of a testing condition that can change or take on different characteristics with different conditions.

Question 3

Define theory.

Answer 3

A theory is a series of statements that organizes a large body of facts (laws) into a single, explanatory system.

An explanation for a sets of facts that describes their relationship, including at least one aspect of the explanations that is not directly observable.

Question 4

Define hypothesis.

Answer 4

A statement assumed to be true for the purpose of testing its validity. Used to test a theory. If-then statements.

Question 5

Define operational definition.

Answer 5

A statement of the precise meaning or parameter of a procedure/variable/concept in an experiment.

Question 6

Define paradigm.

Answer 6

A set of theories, laws, methods, and applications that form a research tradition.

Question 7

Define variable.

Answer 7

An aspect of a testing condition that can change or take on different characteristics with different conditions. Tangible

Question 8

Define independent variable.

Answer 8

The variable that is manipulated to study its effects.

Question 9

Define dependent variable.

Answer 9

The variable that changes in response to the levels of the independent variable.

Question 10

Define confounding variable.

Answer 10

An error that occurs when the effects of two variables can not be separated. Interpretation becomes confused.

Question 11

Define reliability of a measurement.

Answer 11

The process of assigning numbers to events or objects according to rules.

Question 12

What is construct validity?

Answer 12

Extent to which the results support the theory behind the research. A test should actually measure the constructs it is supposed to. (ex. study of leadership ability should not actually be measuring extraversion).

Question 13

What is external validity?

Answer 13

How well the findings of a study generalize to other populations/situations.

Question 14

What is criterion validity?

Answer 14

The idea that a test should correlate with other measures of the same theoretical concept.

Question 15

What is test-retest reliability?

Answer 15

The degree to which the same test score would be obtained at a different time.

Question 16

What is internal consistency?

Answer 16

The degree to which the items on a test are measures of the same thing.

Question 17

Define ratio scale.

Answer 17

A measure with a meaningful zero point, as well as all the other scales.

Question 18

Define reliability of a measurement.

Answer 18

The property of consistency that gives the same measurement results each time.

Question 19

Define validity of a measurement.

Answer 19

The property of a measurement that tests what it is supposed to test.

Question 20

What is the difference between maturation and effects of testing?

Answer 20

Both threats to internal validity. Maturation is when the participants change during the course of the study. Effects of testing is when participant changes during the study are due to the testing itself.