Research methods a level psychology

• What does control of variables refer to in psychological research?


  It refers to managing factors that could influence the outcome of an experiment.
• Why is controlling variables important in psychological research?


  It helps ensure that changes in the dependent variable are due to the independent variable.
• How does controlling variables increase the validity of research findings?


  By ensuring that observed changes are due to the independent variable, not other factors.
• What is an example of a controlled variable in a caffeine and memory study?


  Time of day when the memory test is conducted.
• What are the key reasons for controlling variables in psychological research?


  • Ensures internal validity
  • Allows for reliability and replication
  • Enhances generalizability
  • Increases precision of measurements
  • Strengthens causal inference
• What is internal validity in the context of controlling variables?


  It ensures that changes in the dependent variable are caused by the independent variable.
• How does controlling variables contribute to reliability in research?


  It allows experiments to be replicated, producing consistent results across different studies.
• What are extraneous variables?


  Factors that could influence the dependent variable but are not the focus of the study.
• What is a confounding variable?


  A type of extraneous variable that systematically varies with the independent variable.
• Why is it important to control extraneous variables?


  To isolate the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
• What are the different types of variables in psychological research?

  • **Independent Variable (IV)**: Factor manipulated by the researcher.
  • **Dependent Variable (DV)**: Outcome measured in response to the IV.
  • **Extraneous Variables**: Factors that could influence the DV but are not the focus.
  • **Confounding Variables**: Extraneous variables that vary systematically with the IV.
  • **Control Variables**: Extraneous variables kept constant across conditions.
• In a study on background noise and reading comprehension, what is the independent variable?


  The presence or absence of background noise.
• What is randomization in controlling variables?


  Randomly assigning participants to different conditions to distribute extraneous variables evenly.
• How does standardization help in controlling variables?


  It keeps procedures, instructions, and testing conditions the same for all participants.
• What is the purpose of counterbalancing?


  To control for order effects by varying the order of conditions or tasks.
• What is a limitation of highly controlled experiments?


  They may lack ecological validity.
• What ethical principle is violated by not informing participants about stress induction?


  Informed consent.
• What are the limitations and ethical considerations of controlling variables in psychological research?


  **Limitations**:

  • Artificiality may reduce ecological validity.
  • Complexity in controlling all variables.
  • Generalizability may be limited.

  
  

  **Ethical Considerations**:

  • Informed consent must be obtained.
  • Deception raises ethical concerns.
  • Right to withdraw must be respected.