experimental method

• What is the aim of research methods?

  General statement of investigation intent
• What are investigator effects?

  Effects of investigator's behavior on research
• What is a hypothesis?

  Clear and testable statement of variables
• When can a directional hypothesis be used?

  If previous research has been conducted
• What are extraneous variables?

  Variables other than the IV affecting the DV
• What are co-founding variables?

  Variables that vary systematically with the IV
• What are the two types of variables in research methods?

  • Independent Variable (IV)
  • Dependent Variable (DV)
• What does it mean for a hypothesis to be operationalized?

  It needs to be measurable
• What does the null hypothesis state?

  No difference between IV and DV due to chance
• What are control variables in an experiment?

  • Volume of a drink
  • Same time limit
  • Same questions or speaking task
• What is the experimental method referred to in the study material?

  Speed-up!
• What is randomisation in research methods?

  Using chance to correct for bias
• Why is standardisation important in research studies?

  It ensures all participants follow the same procedures
• What are independent groups in research methods?

  Two groups doing different conditions
• What is a key advantage of independent groups?

  Participants are only tested once
• How does independent groups control for confounding variables?

  By ensuring participants are randomly allocated
• What is a disadvantage of independent groups?

  Requires twice as many participants
• Why can independent groups be expensive?

  More time is needed for recruiting participants
• What characterizes repeated measures in research methods?

  Same participants in all conditions
• What is counterbalancing in repeated measures?

  Changing the order of conditions for participants
• How do participant variables affect repeated measures?

  They remain constant across conditions
• How can repeated measures reduce the validity of results?

  Participants may change their behavior over time
• What is a potential issue with repeated measures?

  Participants may guess the aims of the study
• What defines matched pairs in research methods?

  Two related groups paired on important variables
• What is an advantage of matched pairs?

  No order effects due to single testing
• What is a disadvantage of matched pairs?

  Requires twice as many participants as repeated measures
• Why can matched pairs be costly?

  More time is spent on recruiting participants
• demand characteristics

  situational or investigator variables that allow participants to guess the aim of a study
• three types of extraneous variables

  participant variables, situational variables and investigator effects
• participant variables

  personal characteristics of the participants
• investigator effects

  when the researcher influences the behaviour of the participants
• situational variables

  features of the external environment that can effect the results of a study
• what are two things demand characteristics may do to participants behaviour?

  -may make them rebel

  -may make them helpful
• standardisation- situational and experimenter variables

  when the extraneous variable is the same for all participants in the study
• matching- participant variables

  when characteristics of participants are divided equally across groups
• random allocation - participant variables

  when participants are allocated randomly to experimental groups
• single blind study- demand characteristics

  participants don't know what experiment they're in
• double blind study- experimenter and demand characteristics

  when participants and researchers both don't know what experimental group they're in
• uncontrolled extraneous variables can effect what...

  the validity and reliability of a study
• standardised variables


  when participants all do or experience the same thing