Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following is an example of a physical variable that should be controlled in an experiment?
Which of the following is an example of a physical variable that should be controlled in an experiment?
- Lighting in the experimental room. (correct)
- Participant's level of social anxiety.
- Subject's mood on the day of the experiment.
- Experimenter's expectations.
Elimination, as a control technique, involves minimizing the impact of extraneous variables rather than completely removing them.
Elimination, as a control technique, involves minimizing the impact of extraneous variables rather than completely removing them.
False (B)
What does the constancy of conditions aim to achieve in experimental design?
What does the constancy of conditions aim to achieve in experimental design?
To control extraneous physical variables by keeping all aspects of the treatment conditions identical, except for the independent variable.
The technique of _______ involves equally distributing the effects of extraneous physical variables across treatment conditions.
The technique of _______ involves equally distributing the effects of extraneous physical variables across treatment conditions.
Match the following techniques with their primary goal in controlling extraneous physical variables:
Match the following techniques with their primary goal in controlling extraneous physical variables:
In which order should you apply techniques to control extraneous variables?
In which order should you apply techniques to control extraneous variables?
Social variables primarily concern the physical environment in which an experiment takes place.
Social variables primarily concern the physical environment in which an experiment takes place.
Define 'demand characteristics' in the context of experimental research.
Define 'demand characteristics' in the context of experimental research.
Demand characteristics can threaten internal validity by _______ an experiment if they vary across experimental conditions.
Demand characteristics can threaten internal validity by _______ an experiment if they vary across experimental conditions.
A single-blind experiment is primarily used to control:
A single-blind experiment is primarily used to control:
The placebo effect occurs when a subject receives an active treatment and improves due to the treatment's physiological effects.
The placebo effect occurs when a subject receives an active treatment and improves due to the treatment's physiological effects.
Briefly explain how 'cover stories' are used to control demand characteristics.
Briefly explain how 'cover stories' are used to control demand characteristics.
_______ bias refers to any behavior by the experimenter that can confound the experiment.
_______ bias refers to any behavior by the experimenter that can confound the experiment.
The Rosenthal effect, also known as the Pygmalion effect, primarily involves:
The Rosenthal effect, also known as the Pygmalion effect, primarily involves:
A single-blind experiment effectively controls both demand characteristics and experimenter bias.
A single-blind experiment effectively controls both demand characteristics and experimenter bias.
Why is a double-blind design considered superior to a single-blind design in controlling experimenter bias?
Why is a double-blind design considered superior to a single-blind design in controlling experimenter bias?
Warm and friendly experimenters tend to elicit _______ subject performance compared to hostile or authoritarian experimenters.
Warm and friendly experimenters tend to elicit _______ subject performance compared to hostile or authoritarian experimenters.
How can experimenters control for personality variables in research?
How can experimenters control for personality variables in research?
If statistical analysis reveals an interaction between the 'experimenter' variable and other independent variables, it suggests that the experiment was well-controlled and free from confounding variables.
If statistical analysis reveals an interaction between the 'experimenter' variable and other independent variables, it suggests that the experiment was well-controlled and free from confounding variables.
In situations with a single experimenter, what steps can be taken to minimize the impact of personality variables?
In situations with a single experimenter, what steps can be taken to minimize the impact of personality variables?
Compared to nonvolunteers, volunteers tend to be more _______, score higher in social desirability, and hold more liberal social and political attitudes.
Compared to nonvolunteers, volunteers tend to be more _______, score higher in social desirability, and hold more liberal social and political attitudes.
Context variables, as extraneous variables, are primarily:
Context variables, as extraneous variables, are primarily:
Allowing subjects to sign up for experiments known to be more appealing invariably enhances the external validity of research findings.
Allowing subjects to sign up for experiments known to be more appealing invariably enhances the external validity of research findings.
Explain the potential threat to external validity when subjects can choose to participate in experiments with titles that strongly appeal to them.
Explain the potential threat to external validity when subjects can choose to participate in experiments with titles that strongly appeal to them.
Selecting friends as participants might introduce bias into a study and threaten its _______ validity.
Selecting friends as participants might introduce bias into a study and threaten its _______ validity.
Why is it generally discouraged to run experiments with friends as participants?
Why is it generally discouraged to run experiments with friends as participants?
Match the following scenarios with the type of validity they primarily threaten:
Match the following scenarios with the type of validity they primarily threaten:
Subjects who sign up late in the semester are invariably more motivated than those who sign up early.
Subjects who sign up late in the semester are invariably more motivated than those who sign up early.
According to Rosenthal, what is another possible reason for the differences seen at the start and end of an experiment?
According to Rosenthal, what is another possible reason for the differences seen at the start and end of an experiment?
The phenomenon where experimenters treat subjects differently based on their expectations, influencing subject performance, is known as the _______ effect.
The phenomenon where experimenters treat subjects differently based on their expectations, influencing subject performance, is known as the _______ effect.
Flashcards
Physical variables
Physical variables
Aspects of the testing situation that need to be controlled, such as day of the week, experimental room, and lighting.
Elimination
Elimination
Completely removing extraneous physical variables from the experimental situation.
Constancy of conditions
Constancy of conditions
Controls extraneous physical variables by keeping all aspects of the treatment conditions identical, except for the independent variable.
Balancing
Balancing
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Social variables
Social variables
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Demand characteristics
Demand characteristics
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Single-blind experiment
Single-blind experiment
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Placebo effect
Placebo effect
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Cover story
Cover story
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Experimenter bias
Experimenter bias
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Rosenthal effect
Rosenthal effect
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Double-blind experiments
Double-blind experiments
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Experimenter personality effects
Experimenter personality effects
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Volunteers
Volunteers
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Context variables
Context variables
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Study Notes
Physical Variables
- Aspects of a testing situation that must be controlled are physical variables
- Examples of physical variables are the day of the week, the experimental room, and lighting
Elimination
- Elimination removes extraneous physical variables from the experimental situation
- Soundproofing a room is an example of elimination
- Removal of extraneous physical variables prevents variance across different treatment conditions
Constancy of Conditions
- Constancy of conditions controls extraneous physical variables
- All aspects of the treatment conditions should be identical, except for the independent variable
- All subjects can be tested in the same room or at the same time of day
Balancing
- Balancing is used to control extraneous physical variables by equally distributing their effects across treatment conditions
- Half of the subjects can perform the task in the morning, and half in the evening
Controlling Extraneous Variables
- Eliminate extraneous variables whenever possible
- Keep conditions constant where elimination is not possible
- Balance the effect of extraneous variables when keeping conditions constant is not possible
Social Variables
- Aspects of relationships between subjects and experimenters that can influence experimental results are social variables
- Demand characteristics and experimenter bias are examples of social variables
Demand Characteristics
- Cues within the experimental situation that demand or elicit specific participant responses are demand characteristics
- Students cue to professors to wrap up the lecture by packing their binders, looking at the door, etc.
How Demand Characteristics Threaten Internal Validity
- Demand characteristics can confound an experiment when they vary across experimental conditions
- Subjects may act to confirm the experimental hypothesis
Single Blind Experiment
- Subjects are not told their treatment condition in a single-blind experiment
- The experimental and control groups might receive identical looking capsules with different medicines in a single-blind drug study
How Single Blind Variables Control Demand Characteristics
- Subjects are not told their treatment condition
- Eliminating cues that might alter the subject's behavior
Placebo Effect
- A subject receives an inert treatment and improves due to positive expectancies
Cover Story
- A false plausible explanation of the experimental procedures is a cover story
- Used to disguise the research hypothesis from the subjects
- Should be used sparingly, as it constitutes deception
Experimenter Bias
- Any behavior by the experimenter that can confound the experiment is experimenter bias
- An experimenter providing more attention to subjects in one condition than another
Rosenthal Effect
- The Rosenthal effect is the phenomenon where experimenters treat subjects differently based on expectations
- Influences subject performance as a result
- Known as the Pygmalion effect and self-fulfilling prophecy
Experimenter Bias Example
- Teachers might give more attention and feedback to high aptitude students than to low aptitude students
- The Rosenthal effect can confound an experiment, producing results consistent with the experimenter's expectations
Single-Blind vs Double-Blind
- Single-blind experiments only control demand characteristics; subjects are blinded to their condition
- Double-blind experiments control both demand characteristics and experimenter bias; the experimenter and subjects are blinded
Personality Variables
- Subjects learn more, talk more, earn higher test scores, and are eager to please when experimenters are warm and friendly
- Hostile or authoritarian experimenters obtain inferior subject performance
Controlling Personality Variables
- Employ multiple experimenters to run an equal number of subjects in each experimental condition, also known as balancing
- Treat "experimenter" as an independent variable in statistical analysis
- Confounding occurs if an interaction is found
- Minimize face-to-face contact and closely follow the script when there is a single experimenter
- Videotape sessions to confirm consistent performance
Volunteers
- Volunteers are more sociable
- Score higher in social desirability
- Hold more liberal social and political attitudes
- Less authoritarian
- Score higher on intelligence tests than nonvolunteers
Context Variables
- Extraneous variables produced by experimental procedures created by the research setting environment are context variables
- The assignment of participants to conditions is a context variable
Selecting the Experiment
- Offering subjects to sign up for experiments based on titles differing in appeal
- This may result in a biased sample threatening external validity
- Examples of experiment titles are "The Memory Test Experiment" compared to "The Heavy Metal Music Experiment"
Friends as Participants
- Selecting friends might bias samples, threatening external validity
- Both you and your friends might act differently in experiments versus strangers
Folklore About Subjects
- Subjects who sign up late in the semester may be less motivated, thus behave differently versus those who signed up earlier
- Differences seen at the start and end of an experiment may be due to changes in the experimenter, according to Rosenthal.
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