Nature of Experiments Vocabulary

Quantitative Data

Quantitative data is information that can be measured and expressed numerically, allowing for mathematical and statistical analysis to identify patterns and test hypotheses.

Validity

Data validity is the measure of data's accuracy, correctness, and relevance to ensure it is fit for its intended purpose and conforms to predefined rules or standards.

Standardized

Standardized data is information that has been transformed into a common format, structure, and scale, making it consistent and comparable across different sources.

Counterbalanced

Counterbalanced data refers to data collected from a study where the order of treatments or conditions has been systematically varied for different participants to control for order effects, such as fatigue or learning.

Expectancy Effect

Expectancy effect data refers to results from studies that demonstrate how a person's beliefs or expectations can influence their behavior and the outcomes of their experiences, often acting as a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Reactivity

Reactivity data refers to information that measures or describes how a substance, material, or system responds to external stimuli typically chemical, physical, or environmental changes.

Independent Variable

What is changing 

Dependant Variable

What is measured

Controlled Variables

Stays the same through the whole experiment

Standardized Procedure

A Standardized Procedure is a detailed, written protocol that outlines the exact sequence of actions, materials or equipment needed, and safety or quality controls required to perform a particular operation consistently across different users or settings.

Random allocation to conditions

Random allocation to conditions is the process of assigning participants to different experimental groups or treatment conditions using a random method (such as random number generators, coin flips, or computer algorithms) to eliminate bias and ensure that groups are equivalent at the start of the experiment.

Demand Characteristics

Demand characteristics are aspects of an experiment that communicate to participants what behavior is expected or desired, causing them to change their natural behavior and potentially bias the findings.

Correlational Studies

Correlational studies are research designs that measure the degree and direction of association between two or more naturally occurring variables to determine whether and how strongly they are related.

Lab Experiment

Lab experiment: A research method in which an independent variable is deliberately manipulated under controlled conditions to determine its causal effect on a dependent variable.

True Experiment

True experiment: A research method in which participants are randomly assigned to different conditions, the independent variable is manipulated, and the effect on the dependent variable is measured to determine causality.

Quasi Experiment

Quasi-experiment: A research method in which the researcher manipulates an independent variable but does not randomly assign participants to experimental conditions, often because random assignment is impractical or unethical.

Field Experiment

Field experiment: A research method in which the independent variable is manipulated in a natural environment to observe its effect on the dependent variable, while maintaining as much control over extraneous variables as possible.

Natural Experiment

Natural experiment: A research method where the independent variable occurs naturally or outside the researcher’s control, and the researcher observes its effect on the dependent variable.