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Questions and Answers
What is the difference between a population and a sample in research?
What is the difference between a population and a sample in research?
A population is the entire group of interest in a study, while a sample is a subset of the population that is selected to represent the larger group.
What is the purpose of using a control group in an experiment?
What is the purpose of using a control group in an experiment?
A control group is used in an experiment to provide a baseline for comparison. It receives no treatment or a placebo, so researchers can isolate the effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
What is the difference between random sampling and random assignment?
What is the difference between random sampling and random assignment?
Random sampling is used to select participants from a population to ensure that the sample is representative of the population. Random assignment is used to place participants in different experimental groups, such that each group is equally likely to receive each treatment condition.
What is the primary limitation of correlational research?
What is the primary limitation of correlational research?
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What is the difference between a longitudinal study and a cross-sectional study?
What is the difference between a longitudinal study and a cross-sectional study?
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Give an example of a scenario where you would use a mixed design?
Give an example of a scenario where you would use a mixed design?
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How can researchers control for order effects in a within-subjects design?
How can researchers control for order effects in a within-subjects design?
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Study Notes
Population vs. Sample
- Population: The entire group of individuals that a researcher is interested in studying.
- Sample: A smaller, representative subset of the population that is selected for study.
- Researchers use samples to make inferences about the larger population.
Purpose of Control Groups
- A control group provides a baseline for comparison in an experiment.
- This group does not receive the treatment or manipulation being studied.
- By comparing the control group to the experimental group, researchers can determine whether the treatment had an effect.
Random Sampling vs. Random Assignment
- Random sampling: A process for selecting participants for a study, ensuring that every member of the population has an equal chance of being chosen. This helps to create a representative sample.
- Random assignment: A process for assigning participants to different conditions or groups in an experiment, ensuring that each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any condition. This helps to control for confounding variables.
Limitations of Correlational Research
- Correlational research examines relationships between variables but cannot determine cause and effect.
- Just because two variables are correlated does not mean one causes the other.
- There may be a third variable that is influencing both.
Longitudinal vs. Cross-Sectional Studies
- Longitudinal studies track the same participants over a period of time.
- Cross-sectional studies collect data from different groups of participants at a single point in time.
- Longitudinal studies are useful for examining changes over time, while cross-sectional studies are useful for examining differences between groups.
Mixed Design
- A mixed design combines elements of both between-subjects and within-subjects designs.
- For example, a study might compare two different types of therapy (between-subjects factor), while also measuring participants' progress over time (within-subjects factor).
- Mixed designs can provide more comprehensive information than either design alone.
Controlling for Order Effects
- Order effects occur when the order in which conditions are presented influences participants' responses.
- Researchers can control for order effects by using counterbalancing. This involves presenting the conditions in different orders to different participants.
- For instance, in a study with two conditions (A and B), half of the participants might receive condition A first, then condition B, while the other half receives condition B first, then condition A.
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Description
Dive into the essential concepts of selecting research participants in psychology. Learn about population, sample, and various sampling methods including probability and non-probability sampling techniques. This quiz will test your understanding of bias, representativeness, and methodology in research design.
