Variables Flashcards
What are extraneous variables?
Extraneous variables are Uncontrolled variable that can affect DV and cause difficulty proving cause-and-effect relationship between IV and DV, can make IV look like it affects DV when it didn’t. For example, measuring test scores (DV) of genders (IV) may be affected by sleep quality (EV)
What are confounding variables?
Confounding variables are Uncontrolled variable that can affect IV which will cause effect on DV.
What are the effects of extraneous variables?
Can affect difficulty establishing cause-and-effect relationship between IV and DV
What are participant extraneous variables?
Participant EV’S-These are characteristics about the participant themselves that affect the results of the study
(Age, gender, eyesight, personality)
What are situational extraneous variables?
Situational EV’S-These are factors in the environment or situation that can impact upon the results of a study
What are experimenter effects?
Experimenter effects-Sometimes the way in which the experimenter behaves and conducts self can impact upon the outcome of the study also.
Experimenter may give verbal or nonverbal cues which give away aim of study, leading to demand characteristics
What are three examples of experimenter effects?
The Hawthorne Effect- Exaggerated characteristics and behaviour as you know you’re part if a study (Aggression, sadness)
Demand Characteristics - Acting in a way you believe the experimenter wants you to
The Screw You Effect - Acting the opposite way you believe the experimenter wants you to
Describe and Evaluate standardised procedures? (in relation to procedures)
Research Procedures are kept the same, may be same set of instructions so that all groups/participants can have same experience (Done in same environment under exact same conditions such as noise, temperature and the room they’re in) can eliminate experimenter effects where non-verbal and verbal cues may be given. Improves replicability of experiment
Reduces experimenter effects
Increases replicability
What is Single blind procedure?
Participants may be unaware that they are taking part in a study (for example, during an observation) and if they do know that they are part of an experiment, they may not know the condition that they have been allocated to.
This helps to control for demand characteristics.
higher internal validity
What is Double blind procedure?
Participants and experimenter don’t know aim or conditions of the study and this controls experimenter effects
The researcher will employ team to conduct research for them.
Reduces experimenter effects and demand characteristics
What is Counterbalancing?
For repeated measures design, both groups do both conditions , one group does one condition first then the other, for example, testing drug vs cognitive treatments of depression, one group may do drug and then cognitive test and other group may do the opposite.
ABBA
1 Group does condition A and then condition B.1 Group does B and then A
Reduces participant variables
Reduces order effects: Fatigue and practice
Fatigue- Participants may be tired/bored
Practice- Participants may be more prepared for condition
Fewer ppts needed
What is randomisation?
Sample is randomly allocated to experimental conditions
Reduces participant variables (Individual differences) and researcher bias
