Quantitative research methods

Question 1

What is an independent variable (IV)?

Answer 1

The variable that the research manipulates.

Example: In a study testing whether consuming ‘sugar’ improves memory, ‘sugar’ is the IV.

Question 2

What is a dependent variable (DV)?

Answer 2

The variable that the researcher measures.

Example: In the sugar and memory study, the DV is ‘memory’.

Question 3

What does it mean to operationalise a variable?

Answer 3

To state the variable in more specific, measurable terms.

Question 4

How can the IV be operationalised?

Answer 4

In terms of how it is going to be manipulated.

Question 5

How can the DV be operationalised?

Answer 5

In terms of how it is going to be measured.

Question 6

What characterizes standardised experiments?

Answer 6

Procedures are written in enough detail to be replicated by another researcher.

Question 7

What is a true experiment?

Answer 7

An experiment that randomly allocates participants to the conditions of the study.

Question 8

What is a control condition?

Answer 8

The absence of any IV, serving as a baseline.

Question 9

What are experimental conditions?

Answer 9

The presence of IV, used for comparison.

Question 10

What is an experimental hypothesis (H1)?

Answer 10

A prediction of how the IV will affect the DV.

Question 11

What is a null hypothesis (H0)?

Answer 11

States that the IV will have no effect on the DV or that any change in the DV will be due to chance.

Question 12

Provide an example of a null hypothesis.

Answer 12

Consuming one Mintie will have no significant effect on adolescents’ ability to recall words from a list of 15.

Question 13

What is a one-tailed hypothesis?

Answer 13

Predicts an effect in one direction.

Question 14

Provide an example of a one-tailed hypothesis.

Answer 14

Consuming sugar will increase one’s recall.

Question 15

What is a two-tailed hypothesis?

Answer 15

Predicts an effect in either direction.

Question 16

Provide an example of a two-tailed hypothesis.

Answer 16

Consuming sugar will have an effect on one’s recall.

Question 17

What are quasi-experiments?

Answer 17

Experiments with participants grouped based on a trait or behaviour.

Question 18

What is a natural experiment?

Answer 18

A subset of quasi-experiments using an IV that is naturally occurring.

Question 19

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 19

Variables other than the IV that may influence the DV.

Question 20

What happens if extraneous variables are not minimized?

Answer 20

They become confounding variables.

Question 21

What is the main limitation of quasi-experiments?

Answer 21

They do not show direct causation due to lack of random allocation.

Question 22

What is ‘internal validity’?

Answer 22

The extent to which a study accurately establishes a causal relationship between the IV and DV.

Question 23

What are demand characteristics?

Answer 23

Participants act differently simply because they know they’re in a study.

Question 24

What is the expectancy effect?

Answer 24

The participant attempts to discern the experimenter’s hypotheses to help the researcher.

Question 25

What is the screw you effect?

Answer 25

The participant attempts to discern the experimenter's hypotheses to undermine the study's credibility.

Question 26

What is the social desirability effect?

Answer 26

Participants answer in a way that makes them look good to the researcher.

Question 27

What is researcher bias?

Answer 27

Expectations of the researcher consciously or unconsciously affect the findings of the study.

Question 28

How can a double-blind procedure help in research?

Answer 28

It prevents both participants and the researcher from knowing the aim of the study or group assignments.

Question 29

What is participant variability?

Answer 29

Characteristics of the sample may affect the dependent variable.

Question 30

What methods can minimize participant variability?

Answer 30

Random sampling and/or random allocation.

Question 31

What does artificiality refer to in experiments?

Answer 31

The situation of the experiment is unlikely to occur in reality, raising questions of ecological validity.

Question 32

What is a correlation?

Answer 32

The measurement of the extent to which pairs of related values of two variables tend to change together.

Question 33

What is a positive correlation?

Answer 33

If one variable increases, so does the other.

Question 34

What is a negative correlation?

Answer 34

If one variable decreases, the other increases.

Question 35

What is a curvilinear relationship?

Answer 35

One variable increases, so does the other, but only up to a certain point, after which the other decreases.

Question 36

What is a correlational study?

Answer 36

Collecting data to determine if there is a statistical relationship between variables without manipulating the IV.

Question 37

When are correlational studies typically used?

Answer 37

When an experiment cannot be conducted.

Question 38

What is the difference between experimental and correlational research?

Answer 38

Experimental research tests cause-and-effect relationships; correlational research studies associations without manipulation.

Question 39

What is an independent variable?

Answer 39

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment.

Question 40

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 40

The variable that is measured in an experiment.

Question 41

What is high internal validity?

Answer 41

Allows conclusions to be made about causality.

Question 42

What is high external validity?

Answer 42

The ability to generalize conclusions to other populations or settings.

Question 43

What is a survey?

Answer 43

A set of questions and the process of collecting, aggregating, and analyzing the responses.

Question 44

What types of data can surveys involve?

Answer 44

Quantitative and qualitative data, or just quantitative.

Question 45

What is a Likert Scale?

Answer 45

A rating scale used in surveys for closed questions.

Question 46

What is an independent measures design?

Answer 46

Members of the sample are randomly allocated to one condition of the experiment.

Question 47

What are the strengths of an independent measures design?

Answer 47

* No order effects * Same materials can be used for all conditions * Less time-consuming

Question 48

What are the limitations of an independent measures design?

Answer 48

* Participant variability may influence results * More participants are required

Question 49

What is a repeated measures design?

Answer 49

One sample of participants is exposed to all conditions of the experiment.

Question 50

What are the strengths of a repeated measures design?

Answer 50

* Participant variables are controlled * Fewer participants are needed

Question 51

What are the limitations of a repeated measures design?

Answer 51

* Participants may demonstrate order effects

Question 52

What is a matched pairs design?

Answer 52

Members of the sample are pre-tested regarding a variable deemed important for the experiment.