Variables

What is an independent variable?

The variable the researcher manipulates

What is a dependent variable?

a variable that is measured every time the independent variable is changed

What is a controlled variable?

The variable that the researcher successfully ensures doesn't affect the DV.

What is an extraneous variable?

Something that may impact the experiment but is not suppose to

What is a confounding variable?

a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in an experiment

What type of error are confounding variables?

Systematic

What are systematic errors?

Consistent and repeatable errors that occur in the data collection process. They typically happen due to flaws in the experiment's design

What are some examples of systematic errors?

Demand Characteristics, Observer Bias and Sampling Bias

What type of errors are extraneous variables?

Random

What are random errors?

Mistakes or variations in data that happen by chance and are unpredictable

What are some examples of random errors?

Participant Mood or Attention, Environmental Factors and Measurement Inconsistencies

What do random errors do to data?

Make them less consistent

What do systematic errors do to data?

Pushes it to a certain direction

How can you reduce systematic errors?

Double-Blind Procedures, Random Sampling, Standardisation

How can you reduce random errors?

Take repeat readings and find a mean