Week 2

Question 1

Components of a good theory

Answer 1

• Fits the known facts
  – Makes new testable predictions
  – Is falsifiable

Question 2

Reliability & Validity

Answer 2

Reliability
Does the measure produce consistent results?

Validity
Does it measure what it’s supposed to measure?

Question 3

Correlational research

Answer 3

 Looking for relationships among variables
 Useful for studying variables that the
researcher can’t manipulate (age, sex, etc)
 Can demonstrate that a relationship exists,
but can’t demonstrate causality.

Question 4

Correlational coefficient

Answer 4

Measures the strength of the relationship

between 2 variables

Question 5

Experimental research

Answer 5

• Establishes causation

To establish causation:
Researcher
– manipulates one variable
• independent variable
– to see its effect on another variable
• dependent variable
– holding all other variables constant.

Question 6

Basic elements of an experiment

Answer 6

 Hypothesis
 Manipulation of independent variable
– Random assignment
– holding all other variables constant
 Measurement of dependent variable
 Eliminating sources of bias / alternative
explanations for results
 Conclusion

Question 7

Sources of bias in research

Answer 7

Participant bias - The tendency of people who know they are
participants in a study to behave in a way
other than they normally would
Experimenter bias - The tendency of experimenters to let their
expectancies alter the way they treat their
participants.
Controlling Bias