Factorial Designs & Main Effects

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary related to factorial designs and their effects in research methods.

Independent Variable (IV)

The variable that researchers manipulate to see if it causes a change in another variable (the dependent variable).

Dependent Variable (DV)

The variable that is measured to assess the effect of the independent variable.

Factorial Design

A study with two or more independent variables (factors).

Main Effect

The impact of one independent variable on the dependent variable, ignoring other IVs.

Interaction Effect

Occurs when the effect of one independent variable depends on the level of another independent variable.

Levels

Specific values or categories of an independent variable.

Notation System

Expresses the number of levels of independent variables, shown as A × B, where A and B indicate the levels of IVs.

Between-Subjects Design

A design where each participant is in only one condition, avoiding carryover effects.

Within-Subjects Design

A design where each participant experiences all conditions, controlling for individual differences.

Random Assignment

The use of a random process to assign participants to different treatment conditions to control for extraneous variables.

Extraneous Variables

All variables in the study other than the independent and dependent variables that may affect the results.

Confounding Variables

An extraneous variable that changes systematically with the independent variable, posing a threat to internal validity.

Higher-Order Factorial Design

Designs that involve three or more independent variables.

Causal Relationship

A relationship where changes in one variable cause changes in another.

Main Effects Analysis

The evaluation of each independent variable separately to determine significant overall effects.

Third-Variable Problem

The potential issue that a statistical relationship between two variables is caused by a third, unidentified variable.

Directionality Problem

A situation in which it is unclear which variable is affecting the other, often addressed through manipulation in experimental designs.

Manipulation

The systematic change of the independent variable to create different treatment conditions.

Control Group

The group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment, serving as a baseline for comparison.

Experimental Group

The group of participants in an experiment that receives the treatment or manipulated level of the independent variable.