Chapter 6 & 7 Study Guide: Research Strategies and Experimental Research

Flashcards covering key concepts related to research strategies and experimental research from chapters 6 and 7.

What is the overall plan of a study in research strategies?

It is based on the question you ask and what you want to find out.

Descriptive Research

Describes one variable and provides a 'snapshot' of a group through averages and percentages, without assessing relationships.

Correlation Research

Measures two variables within the same group to show relationships, but does not imply causation.

Experimental Research

Demonstrates cause and effect by manipulating one variable and comparing groups. It is the strongest method.

Quasi-Experimental Research

An experimental approach that lacks full control and cannot fully establish causation.

Non-experimental Research

Involves comparing groups to show relationships without establishing cause and effect.

External Validity

Concerns whether study results can apply to the real world.

Internal Validity

Refers to how much confidence we have in the study's findings regarding cause and effect.

Extraneous Variables

Unwanted variables that can affect the outcome of a study.

Confounding Variables

Variables that can distort the results of a study and complicate the interpretation of the data.

Threats to External Validity

Include selection bias, unrealistic study conditions, and measurement issues.

Manipulation in Experiments

The process of changing one variable to observe the effect on another variable.

Independent Variable (IV)

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment.

Dependent Variable (DV)

The variable that is measured in response to changes in the independent variable.

Placebo Effect

The phenomenon where participants experience changes simply because they believe they are receiving treatment.

Manipulation Check

A method to verify that the independent variable was successfully manipulated.

Randomization

Random assignments, not guaranteed to be successful