Causality/Research Designs

Question 1

What functions do research designs have

Answer 1

1. Exploratory data collection/ analysis

2. Hypothesis testing

Question 2

Exploratory data collect /analysis

Answer 2

1. classifying behavior for your study
2. identifying potentially variables
3. identifying possible relationship between behavior and these variables

• used in the early stage of a research

Question 3

Hypothesis testing

Answer 3

looking for possible explanations for your observed relationship

Question 4

What kind of relationships can you have ?

Answer 4

1. Causal relationships

2. Correlational relationships

Question 5

Causal relationships

Answer 5

one variable influences the other (is the cause for the other)
-direct/indirect influence
uni-direct (A—>B)
bi-direct (AB)

Question 6

Correlational relationship

Answer 6

Two variables are associated

one change in a variable comes along with the other variable

• existing relationship ; But you can not make statements about causality
• —> covary

gives the basis for your explanations, but you have to test further if they are valid enough

e.g. baseball games/mosquitos: both increase in spring and fall in autumn —> not causing each other.

Question 7

What is main characteristic of the correlational research

Answer 7

• non experimental design

that changes in one variable comes along with changes in the other variable = existing relationship
—> covary

• BUT you cannot see if they cause each other
• no manipulation of the variables

Question 8

What are the problems with correlational designs?

Answer 8

1. Third-Variable problem

2. Directional problem

Question 9

Third variable problem

Answer 9

there could be a correlational relationship but only cause d by an unobserved third variable

• seemingly strong relationship but neither of the variables cause each other

Question 10

Directional problem

Answer 10

that you can’t distinguish what causes what

Question 11

When do you use correlational research?

Answer 11

1. Collecting data at a early stage of research
2. Inability to manipulate your variables
   - unethical
3. Relating naturally occurring variables

Question 12

What is the main Focus in the experimental design ?

Answer 12

that you have a high degree of control over your independent variables

-making predictions about causality

Question 13

What are the two main characteristics in experimental design ?

Answer 13

1. Manipulation of independent variable

2. Control over extraneous variables

Question 14

independent variable

Answer 14

value is set/chosen by the experimenter (independent of the participant’s behavior)

Question 15

Dependent variable

Answer 15

variable which value you will measure and observe

Question 16

What are the levels of independent variable?

Answer 16

set values of the independent variable

Question 17

What are the treatments of the experiment

Answer 17

specific condition for each level of

Question 18

how do you manipulate the independent variable

Answer 18

exposing participants to at least two levels of the variable

Question 19

What do you want to figure out with your manipulation?

Answer 19

That if you make changes in one variable this will cause changes in the other variable

Question 20

Experimental group

Answer 20

Group that gets the treatment

Question 21

Control group

Answer 21

Groups that doesn’t get the treatment

- Bassline for behavior comparison

Question 22

What are extraneous variables

Answer 22

all variables that may affect your dependent variable (behavior) but are not part of your study

Question 23

What is the problem with extraneous variables ?

Answer 23

may produce uncontrolled changes in your dependent variable

1. difficult determination of effects of the independent variable = Lower external validity
2. differences across the levels of the independent variable —> may seem that the independent variable have cause a change ( but in real not)

Question 24

How can you control extraneous variables ?

Answer 24

1. holding constant

2. Randomize across treatments = Radom assignment

Question 25

What are advantages of the experimental design?

Answer 25

- you can make predictions and identify causal relationships

Question 26

What are disadvantages of the experimental design?

Answer 26

no use if you cannot manipulate the variables | - increase in control ---> decrease of external validity

Question 27

What kinds of non-experimental designs do we have ?

Answer 27

1. descriptive design | 2. Correlational design

Question 28

Descriptive design

Answer 28

Simple describing used as a preliminary step tp understand a phenomenon Not used to find associations between variables = one perspective

Question 29

What is another form of experimental design ?

Answer 29

Demonstration

Question 30

What is a demonstration?

Answer 30

group is exposed to only one treatment conditions - measuring resulting behavior ! Not making predictions about causal relationships Aim: To see what happens under specific conditions and no effect of manipulations

Question 31

What is the difference of a Quasi-Experiment to a true experiment?

Answer 31

+ looking for causal relationship | - no direct manipulation

Question 32

What is the method of a quasi experiment ?

Answer 32

isolating the causal influence not manipulating the IV but selecting cases when the variable varies naturally

Question 33

What are advantages of a quasi experiment ?

Answer 33

good for testing generality IV clear visible - reducing error variance = dividing data into groups of participants with similar response

Question 34

What are the downsides of a quasi experiment ?

Answer 34

misinterpretations | -- ! can never say if it is causal

Question 35

What is a quasi variable ?

Answer 35

similar to an independent variable | difference: no manipulation

Question 36

When do you use a quasi variable ?

Answer 36

when you do not random sampling

Question 37

What are Developmental Designs ?

Answer 37

evaluating behavioral changes related to changes in peoples chronological age - special quasi experiment age = quasi variable - centre of interest is not to predict causal relationship

Question 38

What types of developmental designs are available ?

Answer 38

1. Cross Sectional Design | 2. Longitudinal Design

Question 39

What is a Cross Sectional design

Answer 39

if you take participants from different age groups groups - based on chronological age not measuring same participant in different ages + getting developmental data in short period of time -Generation effect

Question 40

What is the generation effect ?

Answer 40

influence on results by generational differences (e.g. education) -observed effects= effects of age (confounding variable damaging the internal validity

Question 41

Longitudinal Design

Answer 41

a single group is followed over longer periods of time

Question 42

Advantages of longitudinal designs

Answer 42

no generation effect | tracking developmental changes/behavior

Question 43

Downsides of longitudinal designs

Answer 43

1. Cross generational effect 2. Participant/subject mortality 3. Multiple observation effect

Question 44

Cross sectional effect

Answer 44

findings cannot be applied to other generations

Question 45

Multiple Observation effect

Answer 45

threat to internal validity 1. Reactive testing 2. history effect

Question 46

What is the history effect ?

Answer 46

that other factors can come together with age (memory loss) | factors = confounding variable --> age = quasi-independent variable

Question 47

what is a confounding variable

Answer 47

variable that varies along with IV

Question 48

What is the problem with confounding variables

Answer 48

damaging the internal validity

Question 49

What are solutions for to avoid confounding variables

Answer 49

1. random sampling 2. blind techniques- avoiding experimenter bias 3. considering extraneous variables 4. Good knowledge of literature

Question 50

What is the characteristic of a quasi-independent variable

Answer 50

e.g. age - cannot be changed itself | no manipulation