Variables

Question 1

what is an independent variable

Answer 1

an event which is directly manipulated by the researcher in order to test its affect on another variable - the thing that is changed

Question 2

what is a dependant variable

Answer 2

refers to the thing being measured as a result of changes to the independent variable

Question 3

what is an extraneous variable

Answer 3

A variable which doesn’t vary systematically with the independent variable but does haver an affect on the dependant variable increasing the difficulty of detecting a significant affect

Question 4

what is a confounding variable

Answer 4

a variable in the study which is not an independent variable but does cause changes to the dependent variable outside of the researchers control such as participant mood

Question 5

what is meant by the term operationalised

Answer 5

ensuring that variables are in the form that can easily be tested allowing ease or repeats increasing validity

Question 6

How can researchers control certain variables

Answer 6

1) random allocation

2) counter-balancing

Question 7

what is random allocation and how can it be used to control variables

Answer 7

1) allocating participants to experimental groups or techniques using random techniques
2) Used in independent groups, random sampling to control extraneous variables increasing the chance of a representative sample

Question 8

what is counterbalancing and how can it be used to control variables

Answer 8

an experimental technique used to overcome order effects in repeated measures by ensuring that each condition is tested first or second in equal amounts

Question 9

what is standardisation and how can it be used to control variables

Answer 9

a set of procedures that are the same for all participants in order for them to easily repeat the study. This ensures that results obtained are from changes in the independent variable not changes in procedure (extraneous variables).

Question 10

what is a demand characteristic

Answer 10

A cue that makes participants unconsciously aware of the aims of the study or helps participants work out what the aims of the study are

Question 11

How do demand characteristics influence studies

Answer 11

participants are often unsure of how to act or what to do, so they look for cues as to how they should behave- demand characteristics.
This causes participants to act in ways they wouldnt usually behave, so acting as an extraneous variable

Question 12

what is an investigator effect

Answer 12

Anything an investigator does that has an effect on the participants performance in a study other than what is intended

Question 12

what is an investigator effect

Answer 12

Anything an investigator does that has an effect on the participants performance in a study other than what is intended

Question 13

how do investigator effects influence results

Answer 13

They act as extraneous variables influencing participants to act in ways different to usual

Question 14

How can demand characteristics and investigator effects be controlled

Answer 14

1) single-blind trials
2) double-blind trials
3) experimental realism

Question 15

what is a single and double blind trial

Answer 15

1) Participants are unaware of the research aims or of what condition they are receiving decreasing chance of demand characteristics
2) both participants and researchers are unaware of the aims or hypotheses decreasing chance of investigator effects

Question 16

what is a participant variable

Answer 16

any char