Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a defining characteristic of nonexperimental research?
What is a defining characteristic of nonexperimental research?
In nonexperimental research, when is it appropriate to investigate noncausal relationships?
In nonexperimental research, when is it appropriate to investigate noncausal relationships?
Which type of research focuses on the statistical relationship between two variables without manipulation?
Which type of research focuses on the statistical relationship between two variables without manipulation?
What is one weakness of single variable research design, such as the pretest-posttest design?
What is one weakness of single variable research design, such as the pretest-posttest design?
Signup and view all the answers
Which method is commonly used in qualitative research to uncover prevalent themes?
Which method is commonly used in qualitative research to uncover prevalent themes?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of nonexperimental research involves manipulation of the independent variable without random assignment?
What type of nonexperimental research involves manipulation of the independent variable without random assignment?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a useful application for exploratory nonexperimental research?
What is a useful application for exploratory nonexperimental research?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of these is NOT a type of nonexperimental research mentioned?
Which of these is NOT a type of nonexperimental research mentioned?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of research design is used when a researcher conducts interviews to learn about unmarried teenage fathers' feelings and summarizes them?
What type of research design is used when a researcher conducts interviews to learn about unmarried teenage fathers' feelings and summarizes them?
Signup and view all the answers
Which research design is exemplified by measuring impulsivity in drivers and its relationship with traffic tickets?
Which research design is exemplified by measuring impulsivity in drivers and its relationship with traffic tickets?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a key characteristic of correlational research regarding independent and dependent variables?
What is a key characteristic of correlational research regarding independent and dependent variables?
Signup and view all the answers
In the described study where patients are assigned to hypnosis or exercise treatments, what type of research design is being applied?
In the described study where patients are assigned to hypnosis or exercise treatments, what type of research design is being applied?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a common issue in naturalistic observation that researchers must consider?
What is a common issue in naturalistic observation that researchers must consider?
Signup and view all the answers
What should researchers avoid to ensure the accuracy of their observations in naturalistic research?
What should researchers avoid to ensure the accuracy of their observations in naturalistic research?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a limitation of correlational research when exploring relationships between variables?
What is a limitation of correlational research when exploring relationships between variables?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is not a characteristic of correlational research?
Which of the following is not a characteristic of correlational research?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a limitation of quasi-experimental research related to group assignment?
What is a limitation of quasi-experimental research related to group assignment?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is an example of a confounding variable that can affect quasi-experimental design outcomes?
Which of the following is an example of a confounding variable that can affect quasi-experimental design outcomes?
Signup and view all the answers
In a pretest-posttest design, what does the presence of a control group allow researchers to do?
In a pretest-posttest design, what does the presence of a control group allow researchers to do?
Signup and view all the answers
What is spontaneous remission in the context of psychological treatment?
What is spontaneous remission in the context of psychological treatment?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is a potential problem when using a pretest-posttest design?
Which of the following is a potential problem when using a pretest-posttest design?
Signup and view all the answers
What does an interrupted time series design allow researchers to analyze?
What does an interrupted time series design allow researchers to analyze?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following accurately describes a non-equivalent group design?
Which of the following accurately describes a non-equivalent group design?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a key advantage of combining treatment and control groups in quasi-experimental research?
What is a key advantage of combining treatment and control groups in quasi-experimental research?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Nonexperimental Research Overview
- Nonexperimental research lacks the ability to definitively prove cause-and-effect relationships.
- It's used when manipulating the independent variable (IV) or randomly assigning participants to different conditions isn't feasible or ethical.
- This research type serves an important purpose in exploring relationships and patterns.
Types of Nonexperimental Research
-
Single variable research: Focuses on a single variable, often used in pretest-posttest designs.
- Example 1: A new math curriculum is introduced, and student math achievement is measured before and after. Improved scores are attributed to the curriculum.
- Weakness: Other factors can influence the results, not solely the curriculum.
- Example 2: Measuring self-esteem of children who have been bullied. This could show a correlation but not a cause-and-effect relationship. Self-esteem could be influenced by multiple factors.
-
Correlational research: Investigates the statistical relationship between two or more variables.
- Focus: Statistical relationships, no manipulation, and no random assignment
- Example: Measuring impulsivity in drivers and correlating it with the number of traffic tickets they have received.
-
Quasi-experimental research: The independent variable is manipulated, but participants can't be randomly assigned to groups.
- Pros: Determines the direction of causation because the IV is manipulated.
- Cons: Confounding variables can't be accounted for, as there is no random assignment.
-
Types:
- Non-equivalent group design: Groups are different in ways that aren't controlled for (e.g., neurotic vs. non-neurotic personality groups).
-
Pretest-posttest design: The dependent variable is measured before and after manipulation.
- Important Considerations: Problems can include history, maturation, regression toward the mean (people tend to score closer to the average on subsequent occasions), and spontaneous remission (improvement without treatment).
- Examples: Measuring student attitudes before and after an anti-drug program.
- Interrupted time series design: Tracks trends and developments over time, useful for longitudinal analysis. A treatment is introduced and monitored by tracking data over time.
- Combination design: Includes a treatment group receiving a specific treatment and a control group not receiving the treatment. This compares the impact on the treatment group to the control group.
-
Qualitative research: Focuses on understanding motivations and experiences. Findings are non-numerical, not derived from statistical procedures.
- Key focus: Uncovering underlying reasons, prevalent trends in thoughts, and opinion using methods that gather rich narrative descriptions.
-
Examples:
- Examining patient perceptions of doctors in a hospital.
- Understanding young women's experiences on dating sites.
- Exploring non-experts' views on climate change.
- Method: Thematic analysis is a common method, where researchers identify common themes in collected qualitative data (e.g., interview transcripts).
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
Explore the key aspects of nonexperimental research, including its types and limitations. Understand how this research method is crucial for examining relationships and patterns when experimental designs are not feasible. Delve into examples of single-variable and correlational research to see their implications.
