Varibles Flashcards
To study anything we …
Look for changes in variables
What is an IV?
Independent variable - variable that is manipulated/changed and is assumed to directly affect the DV
What is a DV?
Dependent variable - the variable being tested and measured in an experiment (dependent on the IV)
Operationalising variables
define and measure a specific variable as it is used in your study.
enables another psychologist to replicate your research - reliability (achieving consistency in the results).
A variable is …
A factor of interest to the researcher.
It is required to have a unit of measurement and is usually something that is manipulated (or it naturally changes) or measured.
Extraneous variables
are factors that are not the IV but may influence the results (DV).
Confounding variable
is a factor that has not been considered and is associated with both IV and DV.
Control variable
Contains and unchanged variable
Example of control variable
Heat, light, duration
Extraneous variable example
Intelligence, gender, age, researcher influence
Example of confounding variables
Social desirability,
Why do confounding variables matter?
ensure the internal validity
you may find a cause-and-effect relationship that does not actually exist, because the effect you measure is caused by the confounding variable (and not by your independent variable).
How to reduced impact of confounding variables
Restriction, matching, stat control, randomisation
If left uncontrolled, extraneous variables can ..
can lead to inaccurate conclusions about the relationship between independent and dependent variables.
Why do extraneous variables matter?
threaten the internal validity of your study by providing alternative explanations for your results.
When you control an extraneous variable, you turn it into a ..
Control variable
Demand characteristics (EV example)
cues that encourage participants to conform to researchers’ behavioural expectations.
Experimenter effects (EV ex,)
Experimenter effects are unintentional actions by researchers that can influence study outcomes.
Avoiding demand characteristics
making it difficult for participants to guess the aim of your study. Ask participants to perform unrelated filler tasks or fill in plausibly relevant surveys to lead them away from the true nature of the study.
Avoid experimenter effects
you can implement masking (blinding) to hide the condition assignment from participants and experimenters.
In a double-blind study, researchers won’t be able to bias participants towards acting in expected ways or selectively interpret results to suit their hypotheses.
Situational variables (EV)
Situational variables, such as lighting or temperature, can alter participants’ behaviors in study environments. These factors are sources of random error or random variation in your measurements.
situational variables
Situational variables, such as lighting or temperature, can alter participants’ behaviors in study environments. These factors are sources of random error or random variation in your measurements.
PPn variable (EV)
any characteristic or aspect of a participant’s background that could affect study results, even though it’s not the focus of an experiment.
Participant variables can include sex, gender identity, age, educational attainment, marital status, religious affiliation, etc.
Controlling PPN variables (EV)
aim to use random assignment to divide your sample into control and experimental groups. Random assignment makes your groups comparable by evenly distributing participant characteristics between them.
