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Research Methods Terms Flashcards

1
Q

Between-Subjects Experimental Design

A

A research design in which different participants are assigned to different experimental conditions, meaning each participant experiences only one condition.

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2
Q

Example: A study testing the effects of sleep deprivation on memory performance assigns one group to sleep for 8 hours and another group to sleep for only 4 hours. Each participant is only in one condition.

A

Between-Subjects Experimental Design

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3
Q

Independent-Measures Experimental Design

A

Another term for a between-subjects design where different groups of participants are used for different experimental conditions. It allows for comparisons between different groups.

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4
Q

Example: A researcher tests the effect of a new drug by giving one group the drug and another group a placebo, then comparing their results.

A

Independent-Measures Experimental Design

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5
Q

Individual Differences

A

The unique characteristics (e.g., intelligence, personality, past experiences) that vary from one participant to another and can affect experimental results.

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6
Q

Restricted Random Assignment

A

A method of assigning participants to different groups while ensuring that certain characteristics (e.g., age, gender) are balanced between groups.

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7
Q

Matching

A

A technique used to reduce individual differences by pairing participants with similar characteristics across different experimental conditions.

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8
Q

In a study on memory, participants with similar IQ scores are matched so that one goes into the experimental group and the other into the control group, ensuring a fair comparison.

A

Matching

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9
Q

Within-Subjects Experimental Design

A

A research design in which the same participants experience all experimental conditions, allowing for direct comparisons within the same group

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10
Q

Example: A study tests participants’ memory before and after drinking caffeine to see how their performance changes over time.

A

Within-Subjects Experimental Design

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11
Q

History

A

An external event that occurs during a study and affects participants’ performance, influencing results.

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12
Q

Example: A study on stress levels might be unintentionally influenced if a major natural disaster occurs during data collection.

A

History

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13
Q

Statistical Regression

A

The tendency for extreme scores to move closer to the average when measured again.

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14
Q

Order Effects

A

Changes in participants’ performance caused by the sequence in which experimental conditions are presented.

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15
Q

Example: In a reaction time study, participants may perform better in later trials simply due to practice.

A

Order Effects

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16
Q

Maturation

A

Natural changes in participants over time that affect their performance in an experiment.

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17
Q

example: A study measuring children’s reading ability over a year might show improvement, but it could be due to natural cognitive development rather than the experimental condition.

A

Maturation

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18
Q

Instrumentation

A

Changes in the measurement tool or observer over time that affect the results of an experiment.

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19
Q

Example: A researcher’s accuracy in timing participants’ responses in a reaction test may decline due to fatigue.

A

Instrumentation

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20
Q

Carry-Over Effects

A

When the effects of one condition influence performance in a later condition within the same experiment.

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21
Q

Progressive Error

A

Gradual changes in participants’ responses over time, often due to practice or fatigue.

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22
Q

Example: In a long cognitive task, participants may become tired and perform worse in later trials.

A

Progressive Error

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23
Q

Counterbalancing

A

A method used to control order effects by varying the sequence of conditions for different participants.

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24
Q

Example: In a study testing the effects of music on concentration, half of the participants listen to classical music first and silence second, while the other half experiences the opposite order.

A

Counterbalancing

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25
Matched-Subjects Design
A research design where participants are paired based on similar characteristics (e.g., age, IQ) before being assigned to different experimental conditions.
26
Example: In a memory experiment, participants with similar baseline memory scores are matched, with one assigned to a control group and the other to an experimental group.
Matched-Subjects Design
27
Nonexperimental Research Strategy
A research approach that examines relationships between variables without manipulating them, meaning no cause-and-effect conclusions can be drawn.
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Quasi-Experimental Research Strategy
A research method that attempts to establish cause-and-effect relationships but lacks full experimental control, such as random assignment.
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Example: A study compares students from two different schools, one using a new teaching method and the other using traditional methods, but the groups were not randomly assigned.
Quasi-Experimental Research Strategy
30
Nonequivalent Group Design
A research design in which participants are assigned to different groups, but not randomly, making the groups potentially different at the start.
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Differential Research Design
A type of nonexperimental study that compares pre-existing groups based on a specific characteristic.
32
Example: Comparing extroverts and introverts on social anxiety without assigning them randomly to those groups.
Differential Research Design
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Nonequivalent Control Group Design
A quasi-experimental design in which one group receives treatment while another does not, but groups are not randomly assigned.
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Posttest-Only Nonequivalent Control Group Design
A design where one group receives treatment and both groups are tested only after the treatment.
35
Example: A company offers a new training program to one department and later compares their productivity with another department that did not receive the training.
Posttest-Only Nonequivalent Control Group Design
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Pretest–Posttest Nonequivalent Control Group Design
A design where both groups are tested before and after treatment, but groups are not randomly assigned.
37
Example: Measuring students’ stress levels before and after a mindfulness program in one school while another school does not receive the program.
Pretest–Posttest Nonequivalent Control Group Design
38
Pre–Post Design
A research design that measures participants before and after an event or intervention.
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Example: Measuring employees’ job satisfaction before and after switching to remote work.
Pre–Post Design
40
Cohort Effects
Differences between groups that result from their historical or generational backgrounds rather than the experimental condition.
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Example: Older adults may score lower on a technology skills test than younger adults due to differences in early life experiences, not because of cognitive decline.
Cohort Effects
42
Longitudinal Developmental Research Design
A study that follows the same group of participants over a long period to observe changes over time.
43
Example: Studying the same group of children from age 5 to 18 to examine how their reading skills develop.
Longitudinal Design
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Quasi-Independent Variable
A variable that is treated as an independent variable in quasi-experiments but is not manipulated by the researcher.
45
Dependent Variable
The variable that is measured in an experiment; it is affected by the independent or quasi-independent variable.
46
Pretest–Posttest Design
A research design in which the same participants are measured before and after an intervention.
47
Example: Measuring students’ confidence levels before and after a public speaking course.
Pretest–Posttest Design
48
Time-Series Design
A research method that involves repeated measurements over time before and after an intervention to detect patterns.
49
Developmental Research Designs
Research methods used to study changes in behavior or characteristics over time.
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Example: Investigating how language skills evolve from childhood to adulthood.
Developmental Research Designs
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Cross-Sectional Developmental Research Design
A study that compares different age groups at the same point in time to examine age-related differences.
52
Example: Comparing memory performance in 20-year-olds, 40-year-olds, and 60-year-olds in one single study session.
Cross-Sectional Developmental Research Design
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Cohort
A group of individuals who share a common characteristic, often used in developmental studies.
54
Example: People born in the 1990s might be a cohort in a study on the impact of digital technology on learning.
Cohort
55
Factor
An independent variable in an experiment. When an experiment has multiple factors, each represents a different independent variable being tested.
56
Example: In a study on student performance, “teaching method” (lecture vs. interactive) and “study time” (short vs. long) can be two factors.
Factor
57
Factorial Design
An experimental design that involves two or more independent variables (factors) and examines their combined effects on a dependent variable.
58
Example: A study testing both “sleep duration” (6 hours vs. 8 hours) and “caffeine intake” (yes vs. no) on memory performance. This results in four different conditions.
Factorial Design
59
Main Effect
The effect of a single factor (independent variable) on the dependent variable, ignoring other factors. Example: In a study testing sleep (6 hours vs. 8 hours) and caffeine (yes vs. no) on memory, if people with 8 hours of sleep perform better overall, there is a main effect of sleep.
60
Interaction Between Factors
When the effect of one factor depends on the level of another factor.
61
Example: In a study on sleep and caffeine, if caffeine improves memory only for participants with 6 hours of sleep but not for those with 8 hours, there is an interaction between sleep and caffeine.
Interaction Between Factors
62
Mixed Design
A research design that combines elements of both between-subjects and within-subjects designs.
63
Combined Strategy
A research approach that uses both experimental and nonexperimental elements, such as combining manipulated independent variables with pre-existing participant characteristics.
64
Example: A study examining how “teaching style” (lecture vs. discussion) affects test performance while also considering the pre-existing personality type (introvert vs. extrovert) of students.
Combined Strategy
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Independent Variable (IV)
The variable that is manipulated by the researcher to determine its effect on the dependent variable.
66
Experimental Group
The group of participants that receives the experimental treatment or manipulation.
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Random Assignment
A method of assigning participants to different experimental conditions in a way that minimizes pre-existing differences between groups.
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Causal Relationship
A cause-and-effect relationship in which changes in one variable directly lead to changes in another.
69
Third-Variable Problem
A situation in which an unmeasured variable may be responsible for the observed relationship between two other variables.
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Directionality Problem
The challenge in determining whether A causes B or B causes A in correlational studies.
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Extraneous Variables
Any variables other than the independent variable that might influence the dependent variable.
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Confounding Variables
An extraneous variable that systematically varies along with the independent variable, making it difficult to determine which variable is actually affecting the dependent variable.
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Manipulation
The process of deliberately altering one or more variables in an experiment to observe its effects.
74
Control
Techniques used to eliminate or reduce the influence of extraneous variables.
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Holding Variables Constant
A method of controlling extraneous variables by keeping them the same for all participants.
76
Matching
A technique used to control for confounding variables by ensuring that groups are equal on important characteristics.
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Randomization
A control technique that ensures each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any experimental condition.
78
Placebo Effect
A change in participants’ behavior due to their expectations rather than the experimental manipulation.
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Single-Blind Study
An experiment in which participants do not know whether they are receiving the experimental treatment or a placebo.
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Double-Blind Study
An experiment in which neither the participants nor the experimenters know who is receiving the treatment and who is receiving the placebo.
81
Experimental Validity
The degree to which an experiment accurately establishes a causal relationship.
82
Internal Validity
The extent to which the observed effects in a study are due to the manipulation of the independent variable and not confounding variables.
83
External Validity
The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations, people, or settings.
84
Field Experiment
An experiment conducted in a natural setting rather than a laboratory.
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Simulation
A research method in which researchers create realistic, but controlled, conditions to test hypotheses.
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Demand Characteristics
Cues in an experiment that may lead participants to guess the hypothesis and alter their behavior accordingly.
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Experimenter Bias
The unintentional influence that a researcher may have on the results of a study due to expectations or unintentional behavior.
88
Ceiling Effect
A limitation in data collection where scores cluster near the highest possible value, preventing differences from being detected.
89
Floor Effect
A limitation in data collection where scores cluster near the lowest possible value, preventing differences from being detected.
90
Control Group
A group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment, allowing for comparison with the experimental group.

English Vocabularies (5 decks)

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