Research methods (Variables)

Operationalization

Making variables strictly specific and detailed

Operational IV and DV

Increase objectivity

Allow study to be replicated

Extraneous variables

Have an impact on the relationship between IV and DV

Confounding variables

Distort the relationship between IV and DV

Extraneous situational variables

Things in the environment that may impact research

Order effects

When participants improve or worsen in the second condition because they practiced or became fatigued

Investigator effects

When a researcher gives clues to the participants

Extraneous participant variables

Individual characteristics of each participant such as personality

Controlling extraneous variables

Attempt to make the groups as similar as possible

Eliminating extraneous variables

Removing possibility of them occurring

Advantages of standardisation

Improved replicability of the experiment

Counterbalancing (controlling order effects)

Sample split into two groups. The first group does the first condition and then the second. The other group does the second condition and then the first

Randomisation (controlling order effects)

The allocation of participants into groups is randomised

Ways of controlling demand characteristics

Single blind procedure and double blind procedure

Single blind procedure

Participants are unaware of the study aim or expectations

Double blind procedure

The participants and the researchers don’t know the aim of the study

How to control participant variables

All participants take part in all conditions or participants are randomly allocated of being assigned to a group