Introduction to Experimental Research

These flashcards cover key concepts related to experimental research, including definitions, conditions, and the importance of random assignment and control.

What is experimental research?

Experimental research is a type of research that allows us to infer causation from variable A to variable B.

What are the key features of experimental research?

The key features are random assignment and experimenter control.

What does random assignment mean in experimental research?

Random assignment means randomly assigning participants to either the experimental group or the control group.

What were the conditions in the hypothetical experiment about nature exposure?

The experimental condition involved participants walking through a forest, while the control condition involved participants sitting in an empty room.

Why is random assignment important?

It makes it more likely that each group will have roughly equal characteristics, preventing biased results.

What is an independent variable?

An independent variable is the presumed cause that the experimenter manipulates.

What is a dependent variable?

A dependent variable is the presumed effect that is measured in response to changes in the independent variable.

What are confounding variables?

Confounding variables are variables that are not controlled by the experimenter and may impact the results.

Why is it problematic if participants self-select into groups?

Self-selection can lead to biased results, as individuals may choose groups based on their preferences or characteristics.

How does experimenter control help in infering causation?

Experimenter control allows researchers to manipulate one variable to observe its impact on another variable.