Extraneous variables + ways to minimise them.

Question 1

List 4 extraneous variables.

Answer 1

• Order effects.
• Experimenter effects.
• Participant-related variables.
• Non-standardised instructions and procedures.

Question 2

Order effects + a way to minimise it.

Answer 2

Order effects refers to the impaired or improved performance of the participant, due to exposure more than once. Order-effects are common in within-subjects design. PRACTISE EFFECTS OR FATIGUE EFFECTS. A way to minimise order effects from occurring is through COUNTERBALANCING.

Question 3

Experimenter effects + a way to minimise it.

Answer 3

This is when the expectations of the experimenter has an effect towards the results of an experiment. Such as very high expectation. A way to minimise is through DOUBLE BLIND PROCEDURES.

Question 4

Participant variables + a way to minimise it.

Answer 4

This is also known as individual differences, which is the unique characteristic each participant can bring to the study, which can have an effect on the results, such as age differences, or intelligence. A way to minimise is through SAMPLING SIZE AND PROCEDURES.

Question 5

Non- standardised instructions and procedures + a way to minimise it.

Answer 5

Non-standardised instructions is when procedures and instructions differ across each participant, which can lead to a difference in results. A way to minimise is through STANDARDISED TESTING CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURES.

Question 6

Counterbalancing.

Answer 6

This is a method used to reduce order effects that involves ordering experimental conditions in a certain way. For example, splitting a group into two halves. Then the first group does condition A then B, then the second group goes in reverse order, doing B then A. This way, results can be collected in the same, equal way.

Question 7

Double-blind procedure.

Answer 7

This is a procedure, in which both the participant and the experimenter, do not know what condition the participant is allocated to, which reduces experimenter effects.

Question 8

Sampling size and procedures.

Answer 8

This is a way to minimise participant-related variables, in which involves samples representativeness of the population.