Variables and operalisation

Question 1

Independent variable

Answer 1

-The variable that the researcher manipulates in order to get separate sets of results (DV)

Question 2

Dependent variable

Answer 2

-The variable that the researcher measures in order to draw conclusions.

Question 3

Co-Variables

Answer 3

-The two variables measured when finding a correlation.

Question 4

Extraneous variable

Answer 4

-Any variable other than the IV, which could affect the DV of all the participants’ behaviour equally.

Question 5

Confounding variable

Answer 5

-Variables of a study that are not being measured or manipulated by the researcher, that affect some participants’ behaviours but not others.

Question 6

Operationalisation

Answer 6

-Defining your IVs into groups that can br studied and measured.

Question 7

Participant variables

Answer 7

-These extraneous variables are related to individual characteristics of each participant that will affect their responses.
-E.g intelligence, anxiety, age.

Question 8

How to deal with participant variables.

Answer 8

-Repeated measured experimental design=same participants in both the experimental and control conditions.
-Matched pairs design=matching the participants on abilities, characteristics, or backgrounds in rachh condition.

Question 9

Situational variables

Answer 9

-Factors in the environment that can unintentionally affect the dependent variable in of a study.
-E.g noise, temperature, odours, lighting, and even the time of day.

Question 10

How to deal with situational variables.

Answer 10

-Standardise procedures=ensure all participants are tested under the same conditions and the environment is controlled.

Question 11

Order effects

Answer 11

-Differences in research participants’ responses that result from the order (e.g, first, second, third) in which the experimental materialsbare presented to them.
-E.g getting bored or better at a test in repeated measures experimental designs.

Question 12

How to deal with order effects.

Answer 12

-Counter balancing=alternste the order in which the participants perform in different conditions of an experiment.
-ABBA=half the participants’ complete condition A first, then condition B, whereas the other half of participants complete condition first, then condition A.

Question 13

Researcher effects

Answer 13

-Researcher unintentionally or unconsciously influence the outcome of any research they are conducting.
-E.g non-verbal communication, physical characteristics, and bias in interpretation of data.

Question 14

How to deal with researcher effects.

Answer 14

-Double blind design=both the participants and the person conducting the research don’t know the aim of the experiment.

Question 15

Aim

Answer 15

-A statement of what a researcher intends to find out in their research study.

Question 16

Research hypothesis

Answer 16

-A prediction of the outcomes of a research study - not written as a question.

Question 17

Experimental hypothesis

Answer 17

-Research hypothesis for experiments - difference in DV when the IV is changed.

Question 18

Alternative hypothesis

Answer 18

-Hypothesis for non-experiments, e.g, correlation studies.

Question 19

Directional hypothesis

Answer 19

-Predicts the direction a DV will change when the IV is manipulated or the direction of relationship (+ or -) in a correlation study.
-Used when previous research indicates the outcome of the study.

Question 20

Non-directional hypothesis

Answer 20

Simply predict there will be a change on the DV when an IV has been manipulated or that there will be a relationship in a correlation study. It doesn’t predict a direction.
-Used when there is no previous research or findings from previous research, it is inconclusive, so the researcher is unsure of the outcome of the study.

Question 21

Null hypothesis

Answer 21

-A prediction that any difference or correlation is not significant and is due to chance.