10 Questions
What is the basic rationale for experimental design according to Gilbert, Light, and Mosteller (1975)?
To determine which variables have a causal relationship
In the context of communication research, what is an example of experimentation?
Exposing consumers to different versions of an advertisement to determine the most persuasive one
What is one significant purpose of experimental design mentioned in the text?
To ascertain authentic causal relationships between variables
What are the three conditions that need to be satisfied to establish causality between A and B?
A and B must vary together, A must precede B in time, A must demonstrably cause B
Why is measuring variables only once at 'time 1' a major weakness of surveys in establishing causality?
It prevents the observation of changes in variables over time
Why is it important for A to precede B in time when establishing causality?
To demonstrate that A demonstrably causes B
What is one potential disadvantage of conducting online experiments, as mentioned in the text?
Lack of participant engagement in active tasks
What technique is suggested in the text as an alternative approach to recruiting a large number of students for an experiment?
Recruiting one or two students for in-depth interviews
Why have online experiments been slower to develop, according to the text?
The need for participants to actively engage in tasks
What has the internet been used for more extensively compared to online experiments, as per the text?
Hosting surveys
Study Notes
Experimental Design Rationale
- The basic rationale for experimental design is to establish causality between variables by manipulating one variable and measuring its effect on another.
Experimentation in Communication Research
- An example of experimentation in communication research is manipulating a message (e.g., the tone of a message) and measuring its effect on the audience's response.
Purpose of Experimental Design
- One significant purpose of experimental design is to establish causality between variables.
Establishing Causality
- To establish causality between A and B, three conditions need to be satisfied:
- A must precede B in time
- A must be correlated with B
- There must be no other plausible explanations for the correlation between A and B
Limitations of Surveys
- Measuring variables only once at 'time 1' is a major weakness of surveys in establishing causality because it does not allow for the manipulation of variables and the measurement of their effect over time.
Importance of Temporal Precedence
- A must precede B in time to establish causality because it allows researchers to determine whether A causes B or if B causes A.
Disadvantages of Online Experiments
- One potential disadvantage of conducting online experiments is that they may not generalize well to real-world settings.
Alternative Approach to Recruiting Participants
- The text suggests using online platforms, such as Amazon's Mechanical Turk, as an alternative approach to recruiting a large number of students for an experiment.
Development of Online Experiments
- Online experiments have been slower to develop because of concerns about the validity and reliability of data collected online.
Internet Use
- The internet has been used more extensively for surveys and data collection compared to online experiments.
This quiz explores the impact of media on interpersonal communication, the influence of Internet use, and the effect of advertising on adolescent behavior. It delves into debates about media regulation, educational technology investments, and advertising expenditures.
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