CHAPTER 3

Question 1

Psychological Constructs

Answer 1

An abstract concept (such as love, trust, or commitment) that relationship scientists strive to define, measure, and study

Question 2

Operationalization

Answer 2

A key stage in the research process in which an abstract concept (a psychological construct) is translated into concrete terms so that predictions about that concept can be tested

Question 3

Self-Report

Answer 3

A research participant’s own descriptions and evaluations of his or her experiences

Question 4

Fixed-Response Scale

Answer 4

A survey tool that presents a predetermined set of questions, each with a predetermined set of answers from which to choose

Question 5

Open-Ended Question

Answer 5

A question that does not have a specific set of response options, thereby allowing respondents to answer in their own words

Question 6

Qualitative Research

Answer 6

An approach to data collection that relies primarily on open-ended questions and other loosely structured information rather than on fixed-response scales and questionnaires

Question 7

Construct Validity

Answer 7

The extent to which an operationalization adequately represents a particular psychological construct

Question 8

Social Desirability Effect

Answer 8

A tendency for research participants to provide answers that they think will make them look good to the researchers

Question 9

Observational Measure

Answer 9

An approach to data collection permitting direct access to relationship events, typically via video or audio recordings

Question 10

Item-Overlap Problem

Answer 10

The exploration of the same idea by two different self-report tools, leading to inflated estimates of the correlations between the concepts they measure

Question 11

Global Measure

Answer 11

A measurement tool for assessing relationship satisfaction that asks partners only about their evaluations of their relationships as a whole

Question 12

Sentiment Override

Answer 12

The tendency for partners’ feelings about their relationship to overwhelm their perceptions of specific behaviours and aspects of their relationship

Question 13

Interrater Reliability

Answer 13

The extent to which different observers agree that a specified behaviour has or has not occurred

Question 14

Reactivity

Answer 14

A change in behaviour in response to knowing the behaviour is being observed

Question 15

Indirect Measure

Answer 15

An approach to data collection in which respondents either do not know or cannot control the information they are providing

Question 16

Reaction Time

Answer 16

The time it takes to recognize and respond to a stimulus when it is flashed briefly on a screen

Question 17

Implicit Attitude

Answer 17

The automatic tendency to associate a stimulus with positive or negative feelings

Question 18

Physiological Response

Answer 18

The body’s automatic physical reaction to stimuli and experiences

Question 19

Multiple-Method Approach

Answer 19

Operationalizing the constructs of interest in different ways, so the limitations of each measurement strategy may eventually cancel each other out, allowing the effects of greatest interest to emerge clearly

Question 20

Correlational Research

Answer 20

A research design that examines the naturally occurring associations among variables

Used for answering descriptive questions

Question 21

Causation

Answer 21

The capacity of one event or circumstance to directly product a change in another

Question 22

Cross-Sectional Data

Answer 22

In correlational research, data that have been collected at one time; they describe a cross-section, or a snapshot, of a single moment

Question 23

Longitudinal Research

Answer 23

A research design that collects measurements from the same participants on two or more occasions

Used for answering descriptive and predictive questions

Question 24

Diary Diary Approach

Answer 24

A longitudinal research design in which participants provide data every day at about the same time

Question 25

Experience Sampling

Answer 25

A longitudinal research design in which data from participants are collected throughout the day, thereby capturing thoughts, feelings, and behaviours close to when they occur

Question 26

Attrition Bias

Answer 26

In longitudinal research, a bias caused by participants dropping out, leading to a final sample that differs from the initial sample in important ways

Question 27

Experimental Research

Answer 27

A research design in which researchers manipulate one element of a phenomenon or situation to determine its effects on some outcome or predicted consequence

Used for examining questions of explanation and causation

Question 28

Dependent Variable

Answer 28

In experimental research, the effect or outcome the researchers want to understand

Question 29

Independent Variable

Answer 29

The element of an experiment the researcher manipulates, changing it “independently” of any other aspect of the situation to determine whether changes in this variable are associated with changes int he dependent variable

Question 30

Control

Answer 30

The holding constant of all aspects of the experimental situation that are not being manipulated

Question 31

Random Assignment

Answer 31

A way of guaranteeing that every research participant has an equal chance of being exposed to each version of the experimental manipulation

Question 32

External Validity

Answer 32

The extent to which results obtained in an experimental setting generalize to different contexts

Question 33

Archival Research

Answer 33

A research design in which the researcher examines data that have already been gather by someone else, often for an unrelated purpose

Question 34

Content Analysis

Answer 34

The process of coding open-ended materials in order to identify and quantify important phenomena

Question 35

Sample

Answer 35

The people or couples in a study who provide data

Question 36

Representative Sample

Answer 36

A research sample consisting of people who are similar to the population to which the researchers would like to generalize

Question 37

Convenience Sample

Answer 37

A sample of research participants recruited solely because they are easy to find

Question 38

Omnibus Measure

Answer 38

A measure of psychological construct that includes questions capturing a wide range of phenomena, usually applied to self-reports and characteristic of some measures of relationship satisfaction