Methods after the midterm: 7 Small n research

Question 1

what type of designs does small n reseach use (within, between, mixed)?

Answer 1

within-subject design

Question 2

what are the seperate experiments in small n research

Answer 2

the subjects

Question 3

how is reliabilty assesed in small n research

Answer 3

replication

Question 4

what type of situations is small n research useful?

Answer 4

assumption of minimal biological or psychological variability

• avalibility or convenience constraints
• interest in small area of population
• detailed comparison
• need to understand process in time
• no need for generalization

Question 5

consistent ____ and ____ in small n research

Answer 5

level (magnitude of treatment effects) and trend (one-way/ unidirectional changes)

Question 6

spatio-temperal patterns in small n research mean what

Answer 6

search of swquential analysis of behaviour. Serial configuration of events and actions in time

Question 7

what is type of series for the search of temporal patterns?

Answer 7

time series analyses

Question 8

what famous ethologist used small n research and for what? What n was used?

Answer 8

BF skinner used small n of 4 for rats and assumed vary low biological variability and generalized rats to humans very quickly

Question 9

explain what a consistent trend is in small n research (we want a consistent trend)

Answer 9

expected every subject to react the same way

Question 10

explain what a stability is in small n research

Answer 10

we need to know what the subject looks like before the independent variabel is applied (baseline established)

Question 11

explain what a temperal patterns is in small n research

Answer 11

detailed analysis over time

tracking something in space and time e.g. time series

Question 12

explain what sequences of spatio-temperol patterns is in small n research

Answer 12

sequences analysis of behaviour in time and space

e.g. movement analysis

Question 13

what is pooling falicy (small n research)

Answer 13

cannot compensate for power by gathering more data per participant - doesnt make it more genralizable and does not increase power

Question 14

what is the prinicple of experimental research

Answer 14

replication

Question 15

who said it is important to replicate and observe change in a subject e.g. learning

Answer 15

bernard

Question 16

how to know if you are able to generalize a small n study

Answer 16

replicate to determine if effect was fluke

Question 17

should you replicate every small n stufy to see if it is generalizable?

Answer 17

no - if there is no effect when you first start off you don’t need to continue

Question 18

what is beneficial about small n studies (extraneous varibales)?

Answer 18

easier to determine/ pinpoint because being more precise about data you are collecting for each subject

Question 19

problems with small n research?

Answer 19

• carry-over effects (like within subject)
• weak effect if IV doesnt work
• if baseline is off, phenoma is unobservable (DV)

Question 20

What are the 3 types of small-n study designs?

Answer 20

Baseline- goof for small n, make sure you do this before applying IV
dynamic - moment to moment changes
discrete- individual subject performance

Question 21

what is important in basline exams

Answer 21

replication needs to reproduce the same or very similar results - baseline only met when a stability criterion is reached

Question 22

why can’t repliable baselines be created with large n research

Answer 22

differences in baseline in populations are different - average out dont aply to majority, not reliable baseline

Question 23

what lets you know your IV is soley responsible for the effect seen?

Answer 23

a table baseline

Question 24

intra-subject replication?

Answer 24

subjects are their own control , wait till they reach baselin until performing next treatment

Question 25

what is reversal strategy in small n designs

Answer 25

looking at the recovery from a treatment back to subjects baseline

Question 26

what is a stable baseline?

Answer 26

differs by study - establish an operatinoally defined stability criterion - acceptable time to reach criterion

Question 27

issues with baselines (uncontrolled variation)

Answer 27

slowly drifting baseline over time - might not notice it - it'll influence results causing issue

Question 28

issues with baselines (irreversible)

Answer 28

participant is unable to return to baseline

Question 29

What are the two contrasting approaches to baselines (explain and name them)

Answer 29

group approach - statistical methods should be used to control for failure to reduce uncontrolled variation single-subject approach - should try to identitfy extraneous variables not under control and bring them under experimental control

Question 30

what is systematic replication

Answer 30

replication beyond single-subject procedures - you do a smaller one and then if it turns out well replicate study with more subjects

Question 31

what is a drifting baseline

Answer 31

basline that slowly systemically changes

Question 32

what is an unrecoverable baseline

Answer 32

baseline that won't have reversal due to carryover effects

Question 33

what are inappropriate baseline levels

Answer 33

low baseline good UNLESS data has a floor effect. high baseline good UNLESS data has ceiling effect - martha and john example with different starting - seeing if effect is same -

Question 34

explain single factor single-subject baseline designs

Answer 34

1 independent varaible (AB, ABA, or ABAB)

Question 35

multifactor designs - single-subject baseline designs

Answer 35

two or more independent variables e.g. melatonin + bright light

Question 36

multiple-baselines designs - single-subject baseline designs

Answer 36

several dependent variables | e.g polygraph

Question 37

dynamic designs

Answer 37

processes and behaviours through time ; often called time series

Question 38

discrete trials design (example)

Answer 38

subject receive each treatment or condition many times and each tiral (session) is a data point; e.g dog session, go for lunch, come back new session. 1-5 session per day

Question 39

what is controlled for in discrete traisl designs

Answer 39

extraneous variables

Question 40

how are treatments presented to subjects

Answer 40

randomized or counterbalanced (change up order for no order effects; not all subjects see same order)

Question 41

what is another name of sequential analysis

Answer 41

sequential hypothesis testing

Question 42

what does inter-subject variation mean within discrete trials

Answer 42

they look at them and compare between subjects

Question 43

what is special about discrete trials compared to other small n studies

Answer 43

they can be large designs

Question 44

what is essential in small n designs (final exam material)

Answer 44

every single instance matters

Question 45

what is psychophysics an example of (sub sections: signal detection theory, and detection of stimuli)

Answer 45

discrete trial design examples

Question 46

what type of designs are decision-making, judgment and diagnosis studies?

Answer 46

discrete trial design examples

Question 47

learning, cognition (memory), concepts: discrimmination/ categorizetion are what type of designs

Answer 47

discrete trial designs

Question 48

in neuroscience, what kinds of designs are most often used

Answer 48

discrete trials designs

Question 49

how long are sequential analysies

Answer 49

as long as they need to be until significant results are observed or the quota "N" is obtained --> the stopping rule

Question 50

advantages to sequential analysies

Answer 50

- could be economical - conclusion might be reached ealier than with common hypothesis testing principles - comprimise between idiographic and nomenthetic research

Question 51

when are sequential analysis used

Answer 51

when subject availability is questionable | often used in clinical trials

Question 52

explain general procedure of sequential analysis

Answer 52

start with 2 trials or so,,,, compare two groups check if alternative hypothesis is accepted. If yes, its terminated. if not add more n and continue. Continue until alternative is acceptive or 'n' quota is reached