Research methods flash cards chapter 1

Design Confounds

Introduces alternative explanation to observed effects

Selection effects

participants see the level of the IV they are apart of

Order effects

Differences observed due to manipulation of the IV might be due to what order the participants experienced the IV

Pretest Posttest

Independent subjects

2 groups (1 for each level of IV)

Susceptible to threats of internal validity

Maturation threats

Observed change occurs spontaneously over time

Provides an alternative explanation to observed results

To avoid them you need a comparison group

History threats

observed change may be caused by external factor that influences most individuals in group

Observed effect was not due to our manipulation but rather an external factor

To avoid them use comparison group

Regression threats

Observed change may be caused by regression to the mean

Different than maturation because factors

is a comparison group

Attrition threats

observed change may be caused by participants of a specific type of having to cease participation in the study

threat to internal validity because we are documenting the regression of scores to an expected mean

Remove participants who leave study early

Testing threats

When the participant does better the second time compared to the first, threat to internal validity because its not their first time doing it, use comparison group to avoid these

Instrumentation threats

Observed changes may be due to how the groups are being measured, threat to internal validity because its not a consistent measure of the DV, use posttest only

Observer bias

Researchers expectations influence results, threat to internal validity because its based on behavior not the actual manipulation, comparison groups can help but not always

Demand characteristics

Cue for participants to understand the research

To help get rid of observer effects and demand characteristics use a

double blind study which means the researchers and the participants don’t know what they’re getting themselves into

Placebo effects

participant thinks they’re getting a great treatment when it is really nothing, combat this using a double blind placebo control study which is the same as a double blind study but just for placebo groups

Null effects

IV does not affect the DV

Weak manipulation

Manipulation wasn't strong enough to make a difference

Insensitive measures

operationalizations of the DV weren’t sensitive enough to make a difference

Ceiling effect

all participants score high on the DV

Floor effect

All participants score low on the DV

Noise

Unsystematic variable affects both groups

Measurement error

difference in the truth of their behavior and how they scored on the test

Individual differences

individual differences cancelled out observable effects

situation noiseo

external factors make unsystematic noise

sometimes an _____ isn’t observed

effect,

this is okay null effects help us!

a null effect does not mean the ______

end