Ch. 10: The Nonexperimental and Quasi-Experimental Strategies Flashcards

1
Q

similarity between the nonexperimental and quasi-experimental research strategies

A

involve comparisons of scores from different groups or different conditions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

differences between the nonexperimental and quasi-experimental designs

A
  • The nonexperimental design makes little or no attempt to minimize threats to internal validity
  • The quasi-experimental design makes some attempt to minimize threats to internal validity and approaches the rigour of a true experiment
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

key elements of nonexperimental and quasi-experimental designs

A
  • Often look like experiments in terms of their general structure
  • Produces groups of scores to be compared for significant differences
  • One variable is used to create the groups or conditions to be compared and the second is measured to obtain a set of scores within each condition
  • Groups are defined in terms of a specific participant variable or in terms of time
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

two general categories of nonexperimental and quasi-experimental designs

A
  • between-subjects (nonequivalent group designs)
  • within-subjects (pre-post designs)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

nonequivalent group design

A

a research study in which the different groups of participants are formed under circumstances that do not permit the researcher to control the assignment of individuals to groups, and the groups of participants are therefore, considered nonequivalent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

is random assignment used in nonequivalent designs?

A

no, the researcher cannot use random assignment to create groups of participants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what is the main threat to internal validity in nonequivalent group designs

A

individual differences

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Three common examples of nonequivalent group designs

A
  • The differential research design
  • The posttest-only nonequivalent control group design
  • The pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

differential research design

A

a research study that compares preexisting groups

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what type of research design is differential research?

A

nonexperimental nonequivalent group design

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

how do researchers assign participants to groups in the differential research design?

A

using participant characteristics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

measurement of the dependent variable in the differential research design

A

A DV is then measured for each participant to obtain a set of scores within each group

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

goal of the differential research design

A

to determine whether the scores of one pre-existing group are consistently different from the scores of another pre-existing group

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

synonym for the differential research design

A

ex post facto research because it looks at differences after the fact

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

similarities between differential and correlational research

A
  • A researcher simply observes two naturally occurring variables without any manipulation
  • The results are interpreted in the same way
  • Neither allows for a cause-and-effect explanation of a relationship
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

differences between differential and correlational research

A
  • In differential research, the participant differences in one variable are used to create separate groups and the measurements of the second variable are made within each group. The researcher then compares the measurements for one group with the measurements from another
  • In correlational research, the researcher treats all participants as a single group and simply measures the two variables for each individual
  • They use different statistical analyses
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

nonequivalent control group design

A

uses preexisting groups, one of which serves in the treatment condition and the other in the control condition. The researcher does not randomly assign individuals to the groups

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what type of research design is the nonequivalent control group design?

A

nonexperimental nonequivalent group design

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

posttest-only nonequivalent control group design

A

compares two nonequivalent groups of participants. One group is observed (measured) after receiving treatment, and the other group is measured at the same time but receives no treatment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what type of research design is the posttest-only nonequivalent control group design

A

nonexperimental nonequivalent group design

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

synonym for a posttest-only nonequivalent control group design

A

static group comparison

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

posttest-only nonequivalent control group design annotation

A
  • Annotated using X and O, where X corresponds to the treatment and O corresponds to the observation or measurement
  • A R is placed as the first symbol in each line of notation if the study used random assignment
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what type of research design is the pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design?

A

a quasi-experimental nonequivalent group design

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design

A

compares two non-equivalent groups. One group is measured twice, once before a treatment is administered, and once after. The other group is measured at the same two times but does not receive any treatment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

annotation of pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design

A

O X O (treatment group)
O O (nonequivalent control group)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

benefits of the pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design

A
  • Allows researchers to determine whether the treatment or some other, time-related factor is responsible for the changes
  • The addition of a pretest reduces threats to internal validity associated with individual differences
  • Can provide some evidence to support a cause-and-effect relationship
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

what variables can become confounding in pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group designs?

A

time-related variables because groups are nonequivalent and often in separate locations

28
Q

history effects

A

the influence of outside events

29
Q

differential effects

A

when history effects differ from one group to another

30
Q

pre-post designs

A

a research study in which a series of observations is made over time for one group of participants

31
Q

goal of pre-post designs

A

to evaluate the influence of the intervening treatment or event by comparing the observations made before treatment with the observations made after treatment

32
Q

what type of design are pre-post designs similar to?

A

the pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design

33
Q

differences between the pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design and the pre-post designs

A
  • pre-post designs have no control group
  • the primary focus of its control group is to compare the treatment scores to the control group, not to compare the pretest scores with the posttest scores
34
Q

threats to internal validity for pre-post designs

A

time-related factors

35
Q

5 categories of time-related threats

A
  • History
  • Instrumentation
  • Order effects
  • Maturation
  • Statistical regression
36
Q

pre-post designs vs. within-subjects experimental designs

A
  • Pre-post designs are similar to the within-subjects experimental design
  • However, the within-subjects design uses counterbalancing to control time-related variables
  • In a pre-post design, it is impossible to counterbalance the order of treatments
37
Q

pretest-posttest design

A

each individual in a single group of participants is measured once before treatment and once after treatment

38
Q

what type of research design is the pretest-posttest design?

A

a nonexperimental pre-post design

39
Q

annotation of the pretest-posttest design

A

O X O

40
Q

time-series design

A

has a series of observations for each participant before a treatment or event and a series of observations after the treatment or event

41
Q

treatment

A

a manipulation administered by the researcher

42
Q

event

A

an outside occurrence that is not controlled or manipulated by the researcher

43
Q

what type of research design is the time-series design?

A

a quasi-experimental pre-post design

44
Q

annotation of the time-series design

A

O O O X O O O

45
Q

is the treatment manipulated by the researcher in a time-series design?

A

The intervening treatment/event (x) may or may not be manipulated by the researcher

46
Q

interrupted time-series design

A

a study in which the intervening event is not manipulated by the researcher

47
Q

applications of the time-series design

A
  • Can be used to investigate the effect of a predictable event
  • This design can be applied to single individuals or organizations
48
Q

why is the time-series design considered quasi-experimental?

A

The series of observations allows a researcher to see any trends that may already exist and minimize most threats to internal validity

49
Q

when are external events threats to internal validity in the time-series design?

A

only if it occurs simultaneously with the treatment

50
Q

developmental research design

A

used to examine changes in behaviour related to age

51
Q

two basic types of developmental research designs

A
  • Cross-sectional design
  • Longitudinal design
52
Q

cross-sectional developmental research design

A

uses different groups of individuals, each group representing a different age. The different groups are measured at one point in time and then compared

53
Q

what type of research design is the cross-sectional developmental design?

A

a nonexperimental nonequivalent design

54
Q

strengths of the cross-sectional design

A
  • Data can be collected in a short period
  • Doesn’t require long-term cooperation between the researcher and the participants
55
Q

limitations of the cross-sectional design

A
  • The researcher can’t say anything about how a particular individual develops over time
  • Factors other than age may differentiate the groups (cohort and generation effects)
56
Q

cohorts

A

individuals who were born at roughly the same time and grew up under similar circumstances

57
Q

cohort/generational effects

A

the differences between cohorts caused by unique experiences other than age

58
Q

when are cohort effects more likely?

A

when there are large age differences between the groups

59
Q

longitudinal developmental research design

A

examines development by observing or measuring a group of cohorts over time

60
Q

what type of research design is the longitudinal developmental design?

A

a nonexperimental pre-post design

61
Q

what kind of treatments are administered in the longitudinal developmental research design?

A

No treatment is administered; the treatment is age

62
Q

strengths of the longitudinal design

A
  • The absence of cohort effects
  • You can discuss how a single individual changes with age
63
Q

limitations of the longitudinal design

A
  • Time-consuming
  • Expensive
  • Subject to high participant attrition, which decreases internal validity
  • Potential for practice effects
64
Q

participant attrition

A

when participants drop out of a study before completion

65
Q

cross-sectional longitudinal designs

A

research studies that compare the results obtained from separate samples (like a cross-sectional design) that were obtained at different times (like a longitudinal design)

66
Q

typical usage of cross-sectional longitudinal designs

A

This is typically examining the development of phenomena other than individual aging