EP LAB - Introduction to Experimental Psychology Lab (Handout-Based)

Experiment

__________ occurs when the environment is systematically manipulated so that the causal effect of this manipulation on some behavior can be observed.

False

Aspects of the environment that are not of interest, and hence not manipulated, are still retained and not held constant, so as to influencing the outcome of the experiment.

[True or False]

False

The two special features of an experiment are Extraneous Variables and Confounding Variables

[True or False]

Dependent Variable

The ______ is the response measure of an experiment that is dependent on the subject

Independent Variable

The _______ is a manipulation of the environment controlled by the experimenter

Levels

An experiment must have at least two values, or ______, of the experiment, as to compare with each other to determine if the independent variable produces a change in a behavior or outcome

True

In the ideal experiment, no factors (variables) except the one being studied are permitted to influence the outcome. Therefore, these other factors should be controlled.

[True or False]

True

If, as in the ideal experiment, all factors but one (that under investigation) are held constant, we can logically conclude that any differences in outcome must be caused by manipulation of that one independent variable.

[True or False]

False

As the levels of the independent variable are changed, the resulting differences in the dependent variable can occur only because the independent variable has changed. In other words, changes in the independent variable, together with the confounding variables, cause the observed changes in the dependent variable.

[True or False]

True

Designing experiments so that there can be only one explanation of the results is at the heart of the experimental method.

[True or False]

False

Experimental Research techniques are limited to statements about description and correlation, while Non-Experimental Research permit statements about causation—that is, independent variable A causes variable B to change

[True or False]

Hypothesis

The first step the experimenter must take is to translate the problem into a testable _________

Problem

A _______ is a vague statement that must be verified or a question that must be answered

False

The crucial distinction between a problem and a hypothesis is that a problem is directly testable, whereas the hypothesis is not

[True or False]

True

Outlining an experimental design does not establish all the conditions needed for data acquisition. Although the design tells you how to assign subjects to experiments, it does not tell you how to get the subjects.

[True or False]

Random Selection

It is a method of collecting data which means that any member of a population has an equal chance of being selected as a participant

Random Selection

It is a method of collecting data which highlights that each selection is independent of other selections, so choosing one person does not affect the chances of selecting anyone else

Random Assignment

It is a method of collecting data which means that each participant in the experiment is randomly assigned to experimental treatments, a technique considered to be prudent because it increases our ability to make causal inferences from the experimental results

Statistical Analysis

It refers to the analyzation of data, which is a theoretically neutral procedure that serves theory and hypothesis testing

Data Analysis

It refers to the analyzation of data, which calculates the mean for each level of independent variable, as well as for the combinations of independent variables to show interactions

False

Tables are usually easier to understand than figures

[True or False]

True

Raw (unanalyzed) data are hardly ever reported. Instead, some descriptive statistic, such as the mean, is used to summarize data. Other statistics often accompany data to tell the reader about the reliability of these data.

[True or False]