Study Design and Participant Artifacts

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Questions and Answers

What is a variable unintentionally built into the study design called?

Extraneous variable

Confounding variable (correct)

Participant artifacts

Experimenter artifacts

What effect occurs when researchers unconsciously treat participants differently based on their expectations?

Observer effects

Demand characteristics

Expectancy effects (correct)

Evaluation apprehension

Which method aims to prevent participants from interpreting the study's purpose?

Experiments involving deception

Participant debriefing

Camouflaging the hypothesis (correct)

Informed consent

What is a characteristic of participants described as WEIRD?

Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic Signup and view all the answers

What type of board reviews study protocols to protect the rights and welfare of participants?

Institutional Review Board Signup and view all the answers

In the context of research ethics, what does the cost/benefit ratio evaluate?

The potential learnings of a study against its costs Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of using covert observation in research?

To prevent observer effects and capture natural behavior Signup and view all the answers

What term refers to the tendency of participants to alter their behavior due to fear of judgment?

Evaluation apprehension Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a recommended solution to avoid participant artifacts?

Testing diverse populations Signup and view all the answers

What historical event highlighted the need for stringent ethical guidelines in research?

Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment Signup and view all the answers

What does a correlation coefficient of +1 indicate?

A perfect positive correlation Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of random assignment in experiments?

To ensure equal chance of participants in all conditions Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the dependent variable in an experiment?

The outcome that is measured in response to the independent variable Signup and view all the answers

What is the basic dilemma of the social psychologist?

The trade-off between internal and external validity Signup and view all the answers

Which type of correlation indicates that as one variable increases, the other variable decreases?

Negative correlation Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of psychological realism in experiments?

To ensure participant reactions reflect real-life situations Signup and view all the answers

Field experiments are conducted in which setting?

Natural environments Signup and view all the answers

What does internal validity ensure in an experimental study?

The dependent variable is affected only by the independent variable Signup and view all the answers

Which animal is noted for passing the Mirror Self-Recognition Test alongside humans?

Dolphins Signup and view all the answers

What condition describes the inability to recognize oneself in a mirror?

Mirror agnosia Signup and view all the answers

Which phenomenon occurs when a person denies ownership of a body part?

Somatoparaphrenia Signup and view all the answers

In the I-spy Experiment by Wegner and Wheatley, who actually moved the cursor?

A confederate disguised as a participant Signup and view all the answers

What does the phenomenon of 'choice blindness' refer to?

Failing to recognize discrepancies in choice and selection Signup and view all the answers

In the context of self-awareness layers, which group of animals showed failure in the mirror self-recognition test due to social isolation?

Chimps and dogs Signup and view all the answers

Which statement correctly relates thoughts to actions according to the provided concepts?

Causation is perceived when events are closely related in time Signup and view all the answers

Which effect describes the experience of an artificial hand being perceived as a real body part?

Rubber hand illusion Signup and view all the answers

Which emotional expression might be interpreted differently across cultures?

Guilt Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does the Central Theory emphasize?

Physiological arousal and emotional experience occur independently. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of emotional expressions, what is a significant criticism of the basic emotion theory?

There are more than six basic emotions. Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario highlights the context dependence of emotional expression?

A player smiles happily when their teammates are present. Signup and view all the answers

What percentage accuracy did tribesmen achieve when identifying faces from their own culture?

100% Signup and view all the answers

According to Ekman, which emotion is NOT considered one of the six basic emotions?

Pride Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of cultural specificity in emotional expression?

To interpret emotions based on cultural context. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key limitation of reading emotions solely from facial expressions?

Contextual cues can distort interpretation. Signup and view all the answers

What effect does downward comparison typically have on self-esteem?

It raises self-esteem. Signup and view all the answers

What does Basking in Reflected Glory (BIRG) refer to?

Experiencing self-gratification from someone else's success. Signup and view all the answers

According to the Self-Evaluation Maintenance theory, which factor is crucial in determining how someone feels about another's success?

The strength of the social tie to the successful individual. Signup and view all the answers

In the study by Lepper, Greene, & Nisbett, what was the result regarding intrinsic motivation?

Intrinsic motivation was undermined by expected rewards. Signup and view all the answers

What impact does an unexpected extrinsic reward have on intrinsic motivation?

It can potentially maintain intrinsic motivation. Signup and view all the answers

In the Taboo game experiment, how did the participants react to sharing clues based on the framing of the game?

Participants shared fewer clues when it was framed as a diagnostic. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main premise of the Overjustification Effect?

Extrinsic rewards can diminish intrinsic motivation. Signup and view all the answers

What key distinction is made regarding motivation in children playing with markers?

Children preferred playing without any rewards. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Study Design

A variable unintentionally embedded in the study design can lead to misleading cause-and-effect conclusions.
Experimenter Artifacts: Expectation effects occur when researchers unconsciously influence outcomes based on their hypotheses.
Participant Artifacts:
- Evaluation Apprehension: Participants may alter their behavior due to the fear of being judged.
- Demand Characteristics: Participants may guess the study's purpose and alter their behavior based on those beliefs.

Solutions to Participant Artifacts

Camouflage the hypothesis to reduce demand characteristics.
Implement covert observation to capture natural behavior without the participants' knowledge, followed by thorough debriefing.
Use implicit measures like reaction time and psychophysiological methods (e.g., fMRI, EMG).

WEIRD Populations

The majority of research participants come from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic backgrounds, limiting the generalizability of findings.
Consider using more representative populations to improve study relevance.

Ethical Considerations in Research

Nuremberg Trials and the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment highlighted the importance of ethical standards.
Institutional Review Board (IRB): Reviews study protocols to ensure participant protection from physical and psychological harm, privacy risks, and unnecessary deception.
Cost/Benefit Ratio: Assess the potential benefits of the study against its risks.

Correlation vs. Causation

Correlation describes a relationship between two variables but does not imply that one causes the other.

Experimental Methodology

Random assignment to different conditions helps determine causal relationships while controlling for extraneous variables.
Independent Variable: The manipulated variable to observe effects on the dependent variable.
Dependent Variable: Measured outcome expected to be influenced by the independent variable.
Internal Validity: Ensures that only the independent variable affects the dependent variable.
External Validity: Refers to how generalizable results are to other contexts and populations.
Psychological Realism: Measures whether experimental psychological processes mirror those in real life.
Field Experiments are conducted in natural settings rather than laboratories, enhancing ecological validity.

Identifying Self-Awareness

Mirror Self-Recognition Test shows various species' ability to recognize themselves.
Self-misidentification includes conditions like:
- Mirror Agnosia: Inability to recognize oneself due to brain damage.
- Somatoparaphrenia: Denial of ownership of body parts.
- Rubber Hand Illusion: Perception of an artificial limb as part of one's own body.

Internal Thoughts and Decisions

Choice Blindness: Difficulty in recognizing when choices differ from initial intentions, impacting decision-making awareness.

Causation of Action

I-spy Experiment demonstrates the illusion of conscious will, where participants believe they control an action that is in fact influenced by an experimenter.

Upward Comparison: Comparing oneself to someone superior can lower self-esteem.
Downward Comparison: Comparing oneself to someone inferior can bolster self-esteem.
Basking in Reflected Glory (BIRG): Individuals feel a sense of pride based on others' successes associated with them.

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

Overjustification Effect: External rewards can undermine intrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation is heightened in the absence of expected rewards.

Basic Emotions and Critiques

Six basic emotions identified by Ekman include emotions expressed universally across cultures.
Criticism emphasizes that expressions of emotion can vary distinctly across cultural contexts.

Emoji use in social contexts can change the perception of normal emotional responses.
Emotions are context-dependent, influenced by social interactions and environments.

Theories of Emotion

James-Lange Theory: Proposes that physiological arousal precedes emotional experience.
Cannon-Bard Theory: Argues that physiological arousal and emotional experience occur simultaneously but independently.

Context Dependence of Emotion

Emotional interpretation can be affected by surrounding cues, indicating the importance of context in understanding emotions.

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Description

This quiz explores the impact of unintended variables in study design, particularly focusing on experimenter and participant artifacts. You'll learn about evaluation apprehension, demand characteristics, and solutions to minimize biases in research. Test your understanding of these critical concepts in psychological research.