Week 4 Textbook Chapter 3

Question 1

Definition: Purpose Statement?

Answer 1

A statement outlining a research study’s objective

Question 2

The Preliminary Steps of Measurement? (4)

Answer 2

1. articulating the topic
2. research problem
3. purpose statement
4. research question

Question 3

Definition: Conceptual Definition?

Answer 3

An explicit working definition, resembling a dictionary definition.

Question 4

Definition: Operational Definiton?

Answer 4

A definitional that specifies the operations or criteria used to identify and empirically measure a concept

Question 5

Definiton: Empirical Indicator?

Answer 5

An exact indication of how a concept is recognised and measured.

Question 6

Definition: Reification?

Answer 6

The practice of treating a concept as though it has a material existence.

Question 7

Definiton: Attribute?

Answer 7

A representation of a variables categories or numerical values

Question 8

Definition: Dependent Variable?

Answer 8

The effect or outcome of one or more causes whereby their values are altered by a change in an independent variable.

Question 9

Definition: Independent Variable?

Answer 9

the cause that changes, influences or predicts the values of the dependent value.

Question 10

Definition: Control Variable?

Answer 10

A variable that does not vary but can impact the independent or dependent variable.

Question 11

Definition: Alternative Hypothesis?

Answer 11

an empirically testable statement that specifies the relationship expected between two variables.

Question 12

Definition: Null Hypothesis?

Answer 12

An empirical and falsifiable statement that specifies no difference between the two variables what are expected to vary in a predictable way.

Question 13

Definition: Spuriousness?

Answer 13

The situation of a possible causal relationship being caused by a third alternative and unmeasured variable (confounding variable).

Question 14

Definition: Confounding Variable?

Answer 14

A variable representing an unmeasured factor that, when it causes a change in the independent/dependent variable, causes a spurious relationship.

Question 15

Definition: Intervening Variable?

Answer 15

A variable that explains a causal relation between others by accounting for how an independent variable affects the dependent variable. Effect the degree and variation of a change but don’t cause it.

Question 16

3 steps in the measurement process?

Answer 16

1st step: conceptualization: process of taking imprecise ideas in the form of concepts and making them clear and concise à it is the process of defining a concept
2nd step: conceptual definition ( explicit, working definition of a concept, resembling a dictionary definition)
3rd operationalization: creates operational definitions that specific how a variable will be measured and thereby detected. the concept can then be understood in the same way by other people

Question 17

Definition: counterfactual?

Answer 17

A conceptualisation of alternate conditions, factors or outcomes.

Question 18

Definition: Teleology?

Answer 18

A type of faulty causal reasoning that cannot be empirically tested or falsified.
-cause does not precede the effect

Question 19

Definition: tautology?

Answer 19

circular reasoning: employed when the causal statement is true by definition

Question 20

Definition: Reductionism?

Answer 20

overgeneralization of individual-level data to make statements about societal-level processes

Question 21

Definition: ecological fallacy?

Answer 21

overgeneralization of group-level data to describe individual-level processes, behaviour, or attitudes
-stereotyping “oh you are int his group? you must have this trait”

Question 22

Necessary Cause?

Answer 22

a necessary cause is an independent variable that must be present for the dependent variable for change

Question 23

Sufficient Cause?

Answer 23

condition that ensures the effect; doesn’t mean that the independent variable causes the variation observed in the dependent variable

Question 24

Definition: reliability?

Answer 24

event to which repeated testing of a concept produces the same result
-homogeneity impacts this

Question 25

Definition: random assignment?

Answer 25

an error that is always present to some degree, is unpredictable, affects reliability, and varies from one measurement to the next
-remedied by replication

Question 26

Criteria for a causal explanation? (3)

Answer 26

) empirical association: two events, conditions, or behaviors interact in a patterned way (if no correlation of any kind, there can’t be causation).

2) temporal order
3) non-spuriousness: demonstrating that a relationship is not caused by an alternative, unrecognized cause (confounding variable.

Question 27

Definition: random assignment (random measurement error)?

Answer 27

an error that is always present to some degree, is unpredictable, affects reliability, and varies from one measurement to the next

Question 28

Definition: Systematic measurement error?

Answer 28

an error that affects the validity of the measure, represents an inaccuracy in the instrument and impacts the results in a predictable way
-profs have different marking criteria

Question 29

Definition: Face validity?

Answer 29

extent to which a measure appears appropriate

Question 30

Definition: confirmability?

Answer 30

assessment of trustworthiness that determines the degree to which research findings can be generalised or transferred to other settings