Studies

• What is the purpose of a pilot study?

  To trial run the actual investigation
• How many participants are typically involved in a pilot study?

  A handful of participants
• Why are pilot studies important for self-report methods?

  They help refine ambiguous questions
• What do pilot studies check in observational studies?

  Coding systems before the real investigation
• What is a key benefit of conducting a pilot study?

  Identifying potential issues early
• What is a single-blind procedure?

  Participants are unaware of the study's aim
• Why is a single-blind procedure used?

  To control for demand characteristics
• What is a double-blind procedure?

  Neither participants nor researchers know the aims
• In what type of studies are double-blind procedures often important?

  Drug trials
• What is the role of a third party in a double-blind procedure?

  To conduct the investigation without bias
• What is the difference between the experimental group and the control group?

  The experimental group receives the real drug
• What does 'control' refer to in research?

  Setting a baseline for comparison
• What is an independent groups design?

  Having two separate groups in an experiment
• What is a repeated measures design?

  Each participant takes part in both conditions
• How does a control group help in an experiment?

  It allows comparison with the experimental group
• What is the significance of the independent variable in an experiment?

  It is the factor being manipulated
• What happens if the change in behavior of the experimental group is significantly greater?

  The independent variable likely caused the effect
• What is the purpose of coding systems in observational studies?

  To categorize and analyze observed behaviors
• Why is it important to modify the design or procedure after a pilot study?

  To save time and money in the long run