variables and control of variables Flashcards
what is an independent variable?
the variable that changes
what is a dependent variable?
the variable being measured.
what is a confounding variable?
a variable under a study that is not the IV but varies systematically with the IV. Changes in the dependent variable may be due to the CV rather than the IV, meaning the outcome is meaningless.
e.g time of day
what is an extraneous variable?
an additional variable that means a cause and effect cannot be established. might have impacted upon the IV and DV. these are commonly individual differences.
e.g age or gender
what is meant by mundane realism?
refers to how a study mirrors the real world
what is meant by the term validity?
whether an observation made is a genuine one and if it measures what the aim said it would.
what is internal validity?
the degree to which the observed effect of a study was due to experimental manipulation rather than other factors e.g confounding/extraneous variables.
what is external validity?
the degree to which a researcher’s findings can be generalised to another setting (ecological), people (population) or over time (temporal/historical).
