Experimental Designs

Flashcards for exam review.

True Experiments

Studies where the researcher manipulates an independent variable, uses random assignment, and includes a control group.

Single-Factor Designs

Experiments with only one independent variable.

Factors

Independent variables in an experiment.

Levels

The different values or categories of a factor.

Conditions/Treatments

The combinations of factors and levels that participants experience.

Random Assignment

Placing participants into experimental groups by chance to control for confounding variables.

Within-Subjects Designs

Designs in which the same participants are exposed to all levels of the independent variable.

Between-Subjects Designs

Designs in which different participants are assigned to different groups or conditions.

Order Effects

Changes in participants’ performance resulting from the order in which conditions are presented.

Sequence Effects

Effects due to the specific sequence of conditions, not just the order.

Counterbalancing

Techniques used to control for order and sequence effects.

One-Group Posttest-Only Design

A design in which a single group is exposed to a treatment and then measured afterward.

Factorial Designs

Studies with two or more independent variables, each with multiple levels.

Factorial Notation

A shorthand to describe the number of factors and their levels (e.g., 2×3 design).

Main Effects

The effect of one independent variable on the dependent variable, ignoring other variables.

Interactions

The effect of one independent variable depends on the level of another independent variable.

Within-Subjects Factorial Designs

Designs in which all participants experience every combination of all independent variable levels.

Between-Subjects Factorial Designs

Designs in which each participant experiences only one combination of independent variable levels.

Mixed Designs

Designs that include both within-subjects and between-subjects variables.