Variables
What is the controlled variable?
Variables that are kept constant in order to avoid influencing the relationship between the IV and the DV.
What are the names of the groups within the experiment?
The experiment group
The Control Group
What is a null hypothesis?
The hypothesis that there is no relationship between 2 variables
What are participant variables?
Variables that relate to the individual characteristics of each study participant that may impact how they respond. EX: background differences, anxiety, mood, etc.
What are true/lab experiments?
The researcher manipulates the IV in a controlled environment.
What is the independent variable?
The variable that is manipulated in the experiment
What are the different types of research designs?
Repeated Measures, Independent Samples, and Matched Pairs.
What is the research hypothesis?
The researcher's statement regarding the expected outcome of the study/relationship between variables.
What are situational variables?
Variables that relate to things in the environment that may impact how each participant responds
EX: the temperature of a room
What are natural experiments?
They are conducted in participants' natural environments, but here the researcher has no control over the IV. The IV occurs naturally.
The outcome variable that is the result of the manipulation of the independent variable
What is a repeated measures design? Describe the 1 strengths and 2 limitations
One sample of participants received both conditions of the experiment.
Strengths: It controls for participant variability and fewer participants are needed.
The limitations are order effects. Participants may also exhibit demand characteristics.
What is a one-tailed hypothesis?
It indicates the direction of the relationship between the IV and DV.
What are demand characteristics?
Clues in the environment that suggest how a participant should behave.
What are field experiments?
Experiments conducted in real life settings but the researcher still manipulates the IV.
What are extraneous variables?
Variables that can potentially change the relationship between the independent and dependent variables that you attempt to control for.
What is the independent sample design? Describe 1 strength and 1 limitation.
Random allocation of participants into an experimental group and control group.
Strengths: order effects, demand characteristics, same materials per condition.
Limitations: participant could influence results, need more participants
What is a two-tailed hypothesis?
There is no indicated direction of the relationship between the IV and DV, but still a relationship.
What are experimenter effects?
When a researcher unintentionally suggests clues for how a participant should behave.
EX: having a bias towards one group.
What are Quasi Experiments?
The groups are based on pre-existing differences like age, gender, culture...
What are confounding variables?
Variables that can potentially change the relationship between the independent and dependent variables that you can't control for.
What is the matched pairs design? Describe 1 strengths and 1 limitations.
The researcher purposefully matches participants on a specific characteristic.
Strengths: Limits participant variability, no order effects.
Limitations: matching is difficult, some participant variability.
What is counterbalancing?
Can control for order effects by having one group start with condition A and the other start with condition B.
What are practice effects?
What does operational definition mean?
Defining definitions of abstract behaviors as measurable behaviors.