Elements of Quantitative Research
What is a controlled group in an experiment?
When the researcher manipulates the IV, all other possible variables stay the same (the procedure must be exactly the same in both groups)
True or False
Psychologists coduct experiments to prove their hypothesis
False
Psychologists do not "prove" anything; they either support or refute a hypothesis.
Is this a laboratory experiment?
Asch Conformity Study: A group of participants were shown pictures with lines of various lengths and were then asked a simple question: Which line is longest? In each group only one person was a true participant. The others were actors with a script. Most of the actors were instructed to give the wrong answer. Strangely, the one true participant almost always agreed with the majority, even though they knew they were giving the wrong answer.
Yes
What are field experiment?
Studies outside of the laboratory, in the "real world"
What is the definition of hypothesis? 50 pts
Do researchers formulate the hypothesis before or after deciding the research question? 50 pts
A prediction of how the independent variable affects the dependent variable.
After
What is the definition of IV and DV
IV: the variable that causes a change in the other variable- the researcher deliberately manipulates IV
DV: the variable that is measured after the manipulation of the IV
True of False
Quantitative research methods emphasize subjective measurements and the empirical analysis of data.
False
Quantitative research methods emphasize objective measurements and the statistical analysis of data.
What is the main difference between laboratory and field experiment?
Field research is conducted in the real world/ natural setting. Participants in a field research may or may not know that they are being studied. On the other hand, laboratory experimented is conducted in a setting specifically designed for research
Is this a field experiment?
A study of helping behavior on a city's subway. You decide that you are going to have someone faint on the metro to see if anyone will help.
Yes
True of False
An experimental/research hypothesis predicts the relationship between the IV and the controlled variable, and how the IV group is different from the controlled group
False
An experimental/research hypothesis predicts the relationship between the IV and the DV
Responese vary
What could affect a study's validatity?
a. external variables
b. extraneous variables
c. external variables
d. extrinstic variables
b. extraneous varibles
What is the goal of labatory experiments?
Determine whether a cause-and-effect relationship exists between two variables
Is this a field experiment and why?
An experiment to test how the presence of others affected the time it took men to urinate in a public toilet.
What is a null hypothesis?
a. DV is not included in the hypothesis- making the hypothesis invalid
b. controlled group is not included in the hypothesis
c. the IV will have no effect on the DV, or that any change in the IV will be due to chance
d. a hypothesis lacking IV and DV
c. the IV will have no effect on the DV, or that any change in the IV will be due to chance
Example: eating a banana a day have no significant effect on sixteen years old boys' ability to recall words from a list of 30 words; any change in the individual’s ability to recall a list of words is due to chance
IV and DV need to be written in such a way that it clearly states what is being measured.
What is the technical term for this?
a. operationalized
b. purposive statement
c. order effects
d. imperative effects
a. operationalized
Experiments must have procedures that are written in enough detail that they can be easily replicated by another researcher. What is the technical term for this?
a. stratified experiment
b. purposive experiment
c. standarlized experiment
d. detailed experiment
c. standarlized experiment
How can experiments be considered as quantitative research?
Generates numerical data + these data can be statistically tested for significance in order to rule out the role of chance in the results
Cannot control for extraneous variables
Cannot be easily replicated
Why do we have null hypothesises?
The researcher wants to reject the null hypothesis to show that their predicted cause-and-effect relationship between the IV and the DV actually exists. Or in some cases, the researchers have to accept the null hypothesis
For example, if we are testing the role of noise on one's ability to recall a list of words:
Group A would read the list while listening to music.
Group B group would read the list in silence.
Which one is the controlled group and which one is the experiemental group? And what are some controls of this experiment?
Group B is controlled and Group A is experimental
Example of controls: the list of words, conditions of the room, temperature of the rooms, time of day when the test is taken
With random allocation, participants have the same chance of being assigned to the experimental or the control condition. This lessens the potential for characteristics of the individuals influencing in the results
Limitation: low ecological validity
Strength: allows the researcher to control for extraneous variables
Informed consent: people may be observed in public spaces where they would expect to be observed by others.
Debrief: often the nature of field experiments makes it impossible to explain to the unwary participants what has just happened
What are three elements that you need to always include in your hypothesis?
A clearly operationalized IV
A clearly operationalized DV
Identification of the population to be studied