Experimental Research Overview
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Questions and Answers

What contributes to high internal validity in an experiment?

  • Random assignment to groups (correct)
  • Inconsistencies in manipulations
  • Using a large number of subjects
  • Longer testing periods for participants

    • Which scenario best illustrates a limitation of within-subject design?

  • It requires fewer participants than between-subject designs.
  • It manipulates the independent variable effectively.
  • It avoids the need for counterbalancing.
  • There is potential for carryover effects. (correct)

    • What aspect of external validity is highlighted in its definition?

  • The control of extraneous variables during the experiment
  • The ability to repeat results under identical conditions
  • The generalization of results to broader populations (correct)
  • The manipulation of the independent variable

    • Which best describes the role of construct validity in research?

    <p>It ensures that the research question is truly being measured.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which situation is least likely to benefit from a within-subject design?

    <p>Experiments where carryover effects are a significant concern</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does mundane realism refer to in research methods?

    <p>The similarity of the study environment to real-life situations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes operationalization in research?

    <p>The specification of how a research question will be studied.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is psychological realism concerned with?

    <p>The applicability of mental processes in different contexts.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is statistical validity defined in the context of research?

    <p>The soundness of the statistical conclusions drawn from data.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does face validity assess?

    <p>The surface-level appearance of measure accuracy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of an experiment?

    <p>To determine cause and effect relationships</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best describes an independent variable in an experiment?

    <p>The factor that is manipulated</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes the experimental group from the control group?

    <p>The experimental group receives the treatment being tested</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is random assignment important in experiments?

    <p>It helps control for confounding variables</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a common misconception about experiments?

    <p>Experiments can establish correlation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of a pilot test in research?

    <p>To ensure the procedure works as planned</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a dependent variable?

    <p>The variable that is measured to assess the effect</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which component is essential to include in the Current Study section of Assignment 2?

    <p>An outline of the research question and hypothesis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it important to summarize past research in a literature review?

    <p>To demonstrate how current work builds upon existing knowledge</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does experimentation differ from other research methods?

    <p>It manipulates variables to observe effects</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of a control group in an experiment?

    <p>To provide a baseline for comparison against the experimental group</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What should be briefly introduced in the Current Study section according to the guidelines?

    <p>The study's main variables and general idea</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What kind of research design will be reviewed on October 22nd?

    <p>Non-Experimental Research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When is Assignment 2 due in Canvas?

    <p>October 23rd</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the major focuses for the upcoming chapter on October 29th?

    <p>Survey Research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which design will be discussed on November 12th?

    <p>Factorial Designs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main purpose of a control condition in a randomized clinical trial?

    <p>To check for the placebo effect</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a type of order effect?

    <p>Prejudice effect</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a between-subjects experiment, how are participants typically assigned to conditions?

    <p>Using random assignment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does counterbalancing aim to eliminate in experimental design?

    <p>Order effects</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary disadvantage of using a zero treatment group?

    <p>It may not account for placebo effects</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes a 'matched group design'?

    <p>Participants are grouped by similar characteristics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of effect occurs when participants' performance changes due to becoming tired or bored?

    <p>Fatigue effect</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an advantage of random counterbalancing?

    <p>It helps control for individual differences</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a characteristic of within-subjects experiments?

    <p>Each participant is tested in all conditions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a potential result of context effects in experiments?

    <p>Participants' interpretation of stimuli changes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a potential drawback of relying on self-selected participants in psychological research?

    <p>They may not represent the general population.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect does experimenter expectancy have in a research study?

    <p>It can unintentionally influence participant behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a double-blind study designed to achieve?

    <p>Both the participant and experimenter are unaware of group assignments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is standardizing the procedure important in psychological research?

    <p>It helps all participants experience the study in the same way.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a manipulation check assess in a research study?

    <p>The effectiveness of the independent variable manipulation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one characteristic of a subject pool in research?

    <p>Is an established group willing to participate in studies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of pilot testing in research?

    <p>To assess the feasibility and clarity of the procedure.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Volunteer participants in psychological research are often found to have which of the following traits?

    <p>Higher need for social approval.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Experimental Research Overview

    • Experimental research is a carefully controlled procedure, manipulating variables to determine cause and effect.
    • Key features: independent variable (manipulated) and dependent variable (measured); experimental and control groups.
    • Correlation is not causation, only experiments can determine cause and effect

    What is an Experiment?

    • Carefully controlled scientific procedure that manipulates variables to determine cause and effect.
    • Key features include independent (manipulated) and dependent variables (measured).
    • Experimental group receives treatment, control group receives no treatment.

    Manipulation of the IV

    • To manipulate an independent variable (IV) means systematically changing its level to expose different participant groups to different levels of the variable.
    • Examples include whether a child watches violent or non-violent television.
    • Designs include single factor two-level and multi-level designs.

    Two Features of an Experiment

    • Manipulation of the independent variable: this variable is the "cause" of the effect (dependent variable)
    • Control of extraneous variables: keeping other variables constant (e.g. random assignment of participants).

    Treatment and Control Conditions

    • Treatment: intervention intended to change behavior for the better (e.g., psychotherapy).
    • Treatment group receives treatment.
    • Control group does not receive treatment.
    • Randomized controlled trials experiment the effectiveness of psychotherapies and medical treatments.

    Types of Control Conditions

    • No-treatment control condition (receives nothing)
    • Placebo control group (receives a placebo, checks for placebo effect).
    • Wait-list control condition (treatment delayed, checks for "expectation of improving").

    Types of Designs (Between-Subjects)

    • Each participant tested only once.
    • Relies on random assignment
    • Block randomization, or matching participants on the dependent variable or extraneous variable

    Types of Designs (Within-Subjects)

    • Each participant tested in all conditions.
    • Order Effects: carryover effects, practice effects, fatigue effects, context effects.
    • Counterbalancing: complete, or random counterbalancing

    Order Effects

    • Carryover effect: effect of testing condition on participant's behavior in later conditions.
    • Practice effect: improved performance in later conditions due to practice.
    • Fatigue effect: worsened performance in later conditions due to tiredness or boredom.
    • Context effect: testing condition changes how participant perceives stimuli or interprets task.

    Counterbalancing

    • Counterbalance testing order for different participants, to control for order effects.
    • Methods include complete and random counterbalancing

    Internal Validity

    • A valid experiment supports the conclusion that the IV caused the observed DV differences.
    • Strong support through IV manipulation and control of extraneous variables (e.g., random assignment).

    External Validity

    • External validity supports generalizability to people and situations beyond the study.
    • Two types: mundane and psychological realism.

    Construct Validity

    • Construct validity is when the research question is clearly operationalized.
    • Operationalization is the specification of exactly how the research question will be studied.

    Statistical Validity

    • Statistical validity concerns the proper statistical treatment of data and the researchers' statistical conclusions.

    Prioritizing Validities

    • High internal and construct validity but may compromise external validity in some studies is common.

    Last Class – Face Validity

    • Face validity is an informal assessment of how accurate a measure looks on the surface.
    • Can be assessed quantitatively, but generally evaluated informally.

    Last Class – Criterion Validity

    • Criterion validity measures correlation between a measure and other variables (criteria) it should correlate with.
    • Types include concurrent (same time) and predictive (future) validity, as well as convergent (correlated with existing, established measures of similar concepts) validity.

    Recruiting Participants

    • Subject pools are established groups of people agreeing to participate in research.
    • Volunteers show differences in demographics/characteristics.

    Standardizing the Procedure

    • Experimenter expectancy effect: researchers’ expectations affect participants’ behavior.
    • Double-blind studies prevent both researcher and participant from knowing condition assignments.
    • Procedures should be standardized to replicate.

    Manipulation Checks & Pilot Testing

    • Manipulation check: separate measure confirming IV success.
    • Pilot test: small-scale study of procedure and/or stimuli/materials.

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    Related Documents

    Experimental Research Lecture Notes PDF

    Description

    This quiz explores the fundamentals of experimental research, including key concepts such as independent and dependent variables, control groups, and the significance of manipulating variables. By assessing your understanding of these concepts, it aims to clarify how experiments can establish cause and effect relationships.

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