Variables

Question 1

What is operationalization

Answer 1

Term defining how a variable will be measured in a hypothesis

Question 2

“To investigate language ability in 10 and 5 year olds” changing to “10 year olds will produce more synonyms than 5 year olds” is an example of what process.

Answer 2

Operationalization as the hypothesis states how the researcher will measure the IV

Question 3

“Individuals will be happier on a scale of 1-10 when presented with the color yellow as opposed to red” is an example of what type of hypothesis

Answer 3

Operationalized hypothesis

Question 4

Extraneous variables are:

Answer 4

Any variable other that the IV that could effect the DV. This encompasses situational variables and participant variables.

Question 5

Situational variables are:

Answer 5

Any factors within the experiment that may effect the DV. eg. noise, temperature, time of day.

Question 6

Participant variables are:

Answer 6

Any individual differences between participants that may effect the DV. eg. age, personality, past experiences.

Question 7

Confounding variables are:

Answer 7

Unmeasured variable that effects both the IV and the DV. eg. you collect data on sunburns and ice cream consumption, where ice cream consumption does not directly influence sunburns, whereas a variable such as temperature would. Temperature in this case would be the confounding variable.

Question 8

Random allocation is:

Answer 8

If the paritcipants only do one of the conditions, you should randomly assign then to one of the two conditions where possible. This distributes the participant characteristics across both conditions.

Question 9

Randomization is:

Answer 9

The use of chance in order to limit investigator bias when deciding on materials and the order of conditions. eg. the use of a random word generator when deciding the order of conditions for a word recall test.

Question 10

Standardization is:

Answer 10

Using the same procedure for all participants involved in a study.

Question 11

Investigator effects are:

Answer 11

Any effect of the researchers behavior, conscious or not, on the research outcome. this may include design of the study to the selection of, and interaction with participants during the research process.

Question 12

Demand characteristics are:

Answer 12

Any cue from the researcher that masy be interpreted by participants, revealing the aim or purpose of the study. This can lead to participants changing their behavior within the study.