designing pyschological research Flashcards
notes on page 131-135 in textbook
what is the definition of an independent variable?
an independent variable is an individual factor in research which is manipulated by the researcher in order to examine the effects.
independent variables can have two or more levels which are seen as conditions or parts in an investigation
what is the definition of dependent variable?
a dependent variable is a variable that is measured by the researcher. It should be affected by the independent variable, therefore, it is the outcome of the study.
what is the definition of operationalism?
the term operationalised means they are testable and measurable. We operationalise variables to make them specific and detailed so another researcher would be able to understand what is being measured and changed as well as how.
what is the definition of extraneous variable?
extraneous variables are factors in an investigation that may interfere with the independent or dependent variables in the results of the study. They are associated with the situational conditions of the study or the participants involved in the study and they need to be controlled to prevent them from not affecting the outcome of the study.
what is the definition of confounding variable?
The opposite of an extraneous variable is a confounding variable. A confounding variable damages (confounds) results.
what is the definition of a situational variable?
a situational variable relates to the environment where the investigation takes place. The environment includes: temperature, light, sound etc and these variables are able to influence the results or the outcome of the study.
define order effects.
Order effects relates to the participant and how they can improve or worsen in an investigation due to them praticising or they are tired or bored.
what does demand characteristics mean?
demand characteristics is when the participants change their behaviour to meet the aims of the study.
what does it mean by investigator effects?
investigator effects is when the researcher of the investigation gives unintentional hints or clues on whether the participant is right or wrong, therefore, enabling the participant to alter their behaviour.
what are participant variables?
participant variables are associated with how participants are involved in the investigation.
what are participant variables?
participant variables are associated with how participants are involved in the investigation. Participants bring with them abilities and skills that can influence the outcome of the investigation.
how do you control extraneous variables?
Researchers can either eliminate or control extraneous variables such as removing the likelihood of them occurring such as placing a silence sign outside the door of an investigation to prevent distractions, however, many extraneous variables cannot be eliminated but they can be controlled.
what are examples of participant variables?
examples of participant variables include: - personality type - psychical abilities - substance tolerance - memory ability - life experiences - mood - upbringing etc
what happens in counterbalancing?
it is when half of the participant group experience condition A then B and the other half experience condition B then A.
define randomisation?
order effects can also be controlled by randomisation, it is like counterbalancing but each participant is assigned to the first and second condition by chance and by random.