Control variables Flashcards
Confounding variables definition?
Act as an alternative IV. Changes in the DV may be caused by confounding variables rather than the IV, and therefore the outcome is meaningless.
Control definition?
The extent to which any variables are held constant or regulated by a researcher.
External validity definition?
The degree to which a research finding can be generalised.
Ecological validity definition?
The degree to which a research finding can be generalised to other settings.
Population validity definition?
The degree to which a research finding can be generalised to other groups of people.
Historical validity definition?
The degree to which a research finding can be generalised over time.
Extraneous variables definition?
Do not act as an alternative IV but may have an effect on the DV.
Internal validity definition?
The degree to which an observed effect was due to the experimental manipulation rather than other factors such as confounding/extraneous variables.
Mundane realism definition?
How the study mirrors the real world.
Validity definition?
Refers to whether the observed effect is a genuine one.
What is internal validity concerned with?
What goes on inside a study e.g: Whether the IV was the only thing effecting the DV Whether the researcher tested what she or he intended to test.
What is the external validity affected by?
The internal validity
What is external validity concerned with?
The place where the research was conducted (ecological validity) The people who are studied (population validity) The historical period (historical validity)
What is the scientific cycle?
Writing a hypothesis designing a study collecting data analysing results Questioning the validity of the study (if not valid then start over) Drawing conclusions.
