Psychology Chapter 13: Quasi-Experimental Designs

Questions and Answers

What is a significant limitation of the one-group pretest-posttest design?

It fails to eliminate most threats to internal validity. (correct)

It allows for random assignment of participants.

It combines multiple treatment conditions.

It requires a longitudinal approach.

In a nonequivalent control group design, which is a key concern?

The treatment effect is guaranteed to be present.

The design requires random assignment.

There is no pretest measurement for any group.

The groups may not have been similar prior to treatment. (correct)

What does a simple interrupted time series design involve?

Only one measure taken before and after the treatment.

Multiple pretests taken after introducing the treatment.

Using a control group that does not receive the treatment.

Several pretest measures followed by several posttest measures. (correct)

What is a primary strength of the control group interrupted time series design?

It helps to rule out history effects. Signup and view all the answers

What is a major challenge associated with longitudinal designs in research?

Participants may drop out over time, affecting validity. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect do cross-sequential cohort designs effectively address?

They help in teasing apart age and cohort effects. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common disadvantage of program evaluation methods?

They can be cost-intensive and require substantial effort. Signup and view all the answers

What type of research design may be used to study age-related development?

Quasi-independent longitudinal designs. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a comparative time series design from other designs?

It analyzes how multiple variables relate over time. Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a limitation of time series designs?

Some treatment effects may remain after removal. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Pretest-Posttest Designs

Alternatives to randomized controlled experiments are needed when participant assignment is impractical.
One-group pretest-posttest design collects measures before and after an intervention but has significant weaknesses.
This design does not effectively eliminate internal validity threats and may be affected by the regression to the mean.

Nonequivalent Control Group Design

Involves groups that resemble the treatment group but have not received the intervention.
Nonequivalent control group posttest-only design assesses groups after treatment is applied to one group, revealing potential pre-existing differences.
Nonequivalent control group pretest and posttest design measures both groups before and after treatment but can still be vulnerable to internal validity threats.
Ensuring similarity in groups involves finding closely matched control groups and gathering detailed participant information.

Time Series Designs

Dependent variable measurements occur repeatedly before and after the quasi-independent variable implementation.
Simple interrupted time series design captures multiple measurements before and after treatment.
This design helps in observing if changes coincide with the treatment introduction.
Variants include interrupted time series with reversals and multiple replications, showing variability over time.
Limitations include challenges in manipulating the quasi-independent variable without permanent effects.

Control Group Interrupted Time Series Design

Compares treated and non-treated groups in an interrupted time series format to mitigate historical effects.
Enhances understanding of how the quasi-independent variable impacts both groups.

Comparative Time Series Design

Examines correlations between changes in two or more variables over time.

Longitudinal Designs

Treats time as the quasi-independent variable and is useful in developmental psychology for studying age-related changes.
Presents barriers such as participant retention and funding, making long-duration studies challenging.
Offers advantages over cross-sectional designs by focusing on age-related changes rather than generational effects.

Cross-Sequential Cohort Designs

Involves tracking two or more cohorts across multiple times.
This approach allows differentiation between age and cohort effects, enhancing data interpretation.

Program Evaluation

Employs behavioral research methods to gauge the effectiveness of interventions aimed at behavior modification.
Key purposes include assessing goal attainment, making decisions about program continuation, and identifying improvements for future programs.

Description

Explore the concepts of quasi-experimental designs in this quiz based on Chapter 13. Understand the intricacies of pretest-posttest designs, including their limitations and threats to internal validity. Learn why these alternative designs are necessary when random assignments are not feasible.