1. variables

Question 1

what is an independent variable

Answer 1

the variable the researcher manipulates

Question 2

what is the dependent variable

Answer 2

the variable that is measured

Question 3

what is the extraneous variable

Answer 3

a variable that might effect the dv that isnt the iv

identified at the start and controlled for
eg room temperature, time of the day

Question 4

what is the confounding variable

Answer 4

type of extraneous variable you did not control that interacts with iv and dv

eg number of years driving, how much sleep a participant got

Question 5

what does operationalisation of variables mean

Answer 5

how variables are made measurable

Question 6

what does demand characteristics mean

Answer 6

the tendency of participants to use clues in experiments to work out how the experimenter expcets them to believe so participants behave in a way they think is expected

change in behaviour can be conscious or unconscious

also refers to other changes in behaviour like nerves or purposefully trying to sabotage results

unnatural behaviour reduces the internal validity

Question 7

how to reduce demand characteristics

Answer 7

use different participants in each condition (independent groups)
single blind technique where participant doesn’t know which condition of the experiment they are assigned to

Question 8

what are investigator effects
expectation effects
presence of an observer

Answer 8

experimenter exerting influence unconscous or conscious onto the research

expectation effects where researcher is deeply commited to achieveing outcome so observing events may be interpreted the wrong way to support researchers theory

the presence of an observer causes participants to act in an unatural way

different aspects of the investigator may have an influence: age, gender, ethnic group, appearance, facial expressions, communication style, leading questions the way a question is asked as a part of a questionaire may lead a participant to answer in a certain way

investigator effects reduces internal validity

Question 9

how to reduce investigator effects

Answer 9

use a double blind technique where neither researcher or participant know the aims and or conditions of the study. also helps to reduce demand characteristics