Questions and Answers
A scatterplot is often used to display data from?
What type of research involves looking up divorce documents in county courthouses to compare divorce rates of racially mixed marriages?
archival research
If a neuropsychologist studies the behavior of a single patient with brain damage, what type of research is being conducted?
a case study
What are the most fundamental tasks of scientists?
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What term is used for case histories analyzing the lives of famous figures?
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In correlational observations, what is the term for the issue of not knowing which variable caused a change?
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When measuring a person's behavior in an experiment, what is being measured?
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If concerned with generalizing results from an experiment, what aspect are you worried about?
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What is it called when participants are assigned to conditions by random selection?
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What are random variables determined by?
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What is a confounding variable?
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What does internal validity refer to in an experiment?
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List one threat to internal validity.
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What is the threat to internal validity known as maturation?
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What happens when random assignment cannot be used in an experiment?
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What is mortality in the context of internal validity?
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How can testing be a threat to internal validity?
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What is statistical regression a threat to?
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What can interactions with selection refer to?
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What threat to internal validity might be operating if half of the upper-level managers did not complete a leadership program?
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If you discover that tighter admission standards may have affected the results of your computerized course, what threat are you facing?
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Study Notes
Research Methods in Psychology
- A scatterplot displays data from a correlational observation.
- The investigation of divorce rates between racially mixed and same-race couples through court documents exemplifies archival research.
- Studying a single patient with brain damage in depth refers to case study research.
Scientific Tasks and Validity
- Key scientific tasks involve establishing relationships between circumstances and behaviors and integrating findings into a broader knowledge base.
- Psychohistories analyze the lives of famous figures through case histories.
- In correlational observations, the directionality problem complicates understanding causation between variables.
Variables in Experiments
- Measuring behavior in an experiment pertains to a dependent variable.
- Concerns regarding generalizing results to a larger population are associated with external validity.
- Assigning participants randomly, such as drawing names from a hat, makes participant assignment a random variable.
Validity in Experimental Research
- Random variables are outcomes determined purely by chance.
- A confounding variable arises when an extraneous factor systematically changes while manipulating an independent variable.
- Internal validity assesses how convincingly a change in the independent variable caused changes in the dependent variable and reflects the experiment's replicability.
Threats to Internal Validity
- Various factors threaten internal validity, including:
- History: Events happening between tests that affect outcomes.
- Maturation: Changes in participants as they age or gain experience.
- Selection: Non-random assignment affecting group comparability.
- Mortality: Differential dropout rates among participants.
- Testing: Effects of pre-testing or repeated tests altering behavior.
- Statistical regression: Regression to the mean affecting results due to extreme outcomes.
Specific Threats Explained
- The history threat refers to external events impacting study results.
- Maturation occurs when participants grow or change while involved in the study.
- Selection threats arise when random assignment isn’t possible, leading to biased groups.
- Mortality involves cases where participants fail to complete a study, potentially skewing results.
- The testing threat indicates that the testing process itself may influence outcomes.
- Statistical regression is a phenomenon where extreme scores naturally move closer to the average upon retesting.
Application of Internal Validity Threats
- An evaluation of a leadership program comparing managers who completed a physically challenging program versus matched pairs may expose a selection threat.
- In comparing computer-aided instruction and traditional lectures, a tightening of admission standards can introduce a history threat, impacting results.Evaluating the effects of group interaction skills on anxious clients requires careful consideration of these validity threats.
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Description
Test your knowledge with these flashcards for PSY 301 Experimental Psychology. The flashcards cover key concepts such as scatterplots and different research methods, including correlational and archival research. Perfect for exam preparation and reviewing essential topics in psychology.
