Week 3 - Definitions and Variables

Question 1

deliberately and consciously invented or adopted for a special scientific purpose. used in theoretical schemes.

Answer 1

construct

Question 2

a symbol to which numerals of values are assigned.

Answer 2

variable

Question 3

the variable that is presumed to cause a change in the dependent variable.

Answer 3

independent variable

Question 4

the antecedent

Answer 4

independent variable

Question 5

the consequent

Answer 5

dependent variable

Question 6

Name 3 examples of independent variables.

Answer 6

• gender
• race
• socioeconomic status

Question 7

Name 2 other names for independent variables.

Answer 7

• treatment

- factor and predictor variable

Question 8

Name 3 other names for dependent variables.

Answer 8

• outcome variable
• results variable
• criterion variable

Question 9

those being studied (could be independent or dependent or neither)

Answer 9

research variables

Question 10

describe the population (and may be confounding variables).

Answer 10

demographic variables

Question 11

influence relationships being studied.

Answer 11

extraneous (confounding) variables

Question 12

defined as the process of assigning numerals to variables to represent quantities of characteristics according to certain rules.

Answer 12

measurement

Question 13

capable of taking on an ordered set of values within a certain range.

Answer 13

continuous variable

Question 14

can only take on two values (Ex: yes/no on a survey)

Answer 14

dichotomous variables

Question 15

can have multiple values (ex: a 5-point opinion scale)

Answer 15

polytomous variables

Question 16

can theoretically have any value along a continuum with a defined range. ex: weight in pounds

Answer 16

continuous variables

Question 17

can only be described in whole integer units ex: heart rate in beats per minute.

Answer 17

discrete variables

Question 18

direct observations of a physical property ex: ROM is degrees or length in cm

Answer 18

direct measures

Question 19

measures that are not observable ex: the height of a column of mercury to measure temperature

Answer 19

indirect measures

Question 20

measured as some value assumed to represent the underlying variable. ex: intelligence, health, strength

Answer 20

abstract variables

Question 21

numbers represent units with equal intervals, measured from true zero

Answer 21

ratio scale

Question 22

numbers have equal intervals, but no true zero

Answer 22

interval scale

Question 23

numbers indicate rank order

Answer 23

ordinal scale

Question 24

numerals are category labels

Answer 24

nominal scale

Question 25

a single value that attempts to describe a set of data by identifying the central position within that set of data.

Answer 25

measure of central tendency

Question 26

Name 3 examples of measures of central tendency.

Answer 26

mean, median, mode

Question 27

the most popular and well known measure of central tendency. can be used with both discrete and continuous data, although its use is most often with continuous data. equal to the sum of all the values in the data set divided by the number of values in the data set.

Answer 27

mean

Question 28

the middle score for a set of data that has been arranged in order of magnitude. less affected by outliers and skewed data.

Answer 28

median

Question 29

the most frequent score in our data set.

Answer 29

mode

Question 30

outside factors that are associated with the other variables.

Answer 30

confounding variables

Question 31

rankings have meaning, they mean something ex: MMT 0-4, salary

Answer 31

ordinal scale

Question 32

rankings don't mean anything - lower score and higher scores (temperature - hotter, colder, doesn't mean good or bad)

Answer 32

interval scale