Variables and Controls Flashcards
Definition: Generally the “thing” which you are investigating that is subject to change
Variable
Definition: This is the variable which the experimenter directly or indirectly manipulates or changes in a study. This is the cause’ part of cause and effect.
Independent variable (IV)
Definition: This is the variable which the experimenter measures. The is the ”effect” part of cause and effect and any effect in the DV should be caused by the change in the IV.
Dependent variable (DV)
Definition: This is any variable, other than the independent variable (IV) that may affect the dependent variable (DV) if it is not controlled. Essentially “nuisance” variables.
Extraneous variables (EV)
Definition: A kind of EV but the key feature is that it varies systematically within the IV. This means that it has had an effect and you can’t tell if any change in the DV is due to the IV and CF.
Confounding variable (CF)
Definition: Individual variables related to the participant being studied that could potentially affect the dependent variable (such as age, personality, mood etc)
Participant variables
Definition: Variables related to the situation and environment that the study takes place in that could potentially affect the measurement of the dependent variable (such as temperature, time of day, order of completed tasks, differences between groups, artificial settings etc)
Situational variables
Definition: Variables relating to the researcher or experimenter that could potentially affect the dependent variable (such as bias, their body language, tone of voice)
Researcher variables
Definition: Control where elements of the research are designed to minimise the effects of extraneous variables to prevent them from confounding the results.
Control variables (CV)
Definition: Any cue from the researcher or from the research situation that may be interpreted by participants as revealing the purpose of an investigation. This may lead to a participant changing their behaviour within the research situation.
Demand characteristics
Definition: Occur when a researcher unintentionally, or unconsciously influences the outcome of any research they are conducting.
Investigator effects
Definition: The use of chance methods to reduce the researchers unconscious bias when designing an investigation.
Randomisation
Definition: an attempt to control order effects when the same participants are used in each condition of the IV.
Counterbalancing
Definition: all participants should be subject to the same environment, information and experience. To ensure this, all procedures are the same- in other words there is a list of exactly what will be done in the study.
Standardisation
Definition: evenly distribute participant characteristics across the conditions of the experiment using random techniques
Random allocation
