Validity, reliability and observational studies

Question 1

Demand characteristic

Answer 1

Cues that might indicate the aims of
the study to the participants

Question 2

Ecological validity:

Answer 2

A form of external validity, concerning the ability to generalise a research effect beyond the particular setting in which it is demonstrated.

Question 3

External validity:

Answer 3

The degree to which a research finding can be
generalised to other settings.

Question 4

Internal validity:

Answer 4

Whether any observed effect in the dependent variable is due to the manipulation of the independent variable rather than another factor.

Question 5

Population validity:

Answer 5

A form of external validity, concerning the extent to which findings of a study can be generalised to the groups of people besides those who took part in the study.

Question 6

Inter-observer reliability:

Answer 6

A correlation coefficient that can be calculated to measure the degree of agreement between different people observing or assessing the same thing. A score of +0.8 is considered a very good value.

Question 7

Reliability:

Answer 7

A measure of consistency.

Question 8

Validity:

Answer 8

A measurement of accuracy.

Question 9

Temporal validity:

Answer 9

A form of external validity, concerning the extent to which the findings of a study hold true over time.