Research design

Research Design

Refers to how participants in a study are grouped into experimental and control groups, determining exposure to conditions of the independent variable.

Experimental Group

The group of participants in an experiment that is exposed to the manipulated independent variable.

Control Group

The group of participants that is not exposed to the independent variable and serves as a baseline for comparison.

Independent Measures

A research design where different groups of participants are exposed to only one condition of the experiment.

Repeated Measures

A design that uses the same participants in all conditions of an experiment.

Matched Pairs

A design where participants are paired based on similar characteristics, with each participant exposed to only one condition.

Demand Characteristics

Participants' changes in behavior caused by their awareness of the study's aims, which can confound data.

Participant Variables

Individual differences among participants that can affect the results of an experiment.

Extraneous Variables

Any variables other than the independent variable that might affect the dependent variable.

Random Allocation

The process of assigning participants to different experimental conditions in a way that each participant has an equal chance.

Order Effects

Effects on participant behavior in later conditions of an experiment resulting from their participation in previous conditions.

Carryover Effects

Effects that occur when the influence of one condition persists into another condition.

Practice Effects

Improvements in performance due to repeated exposure to the experimental tasks.

Fatigue Effects

Deterioration in performance due to tiredness or boredom in later conditions of an experiment.

Context Effects

Influences on participant performance based on how they interpret experimental tasks after prior exposure.

Counterbalancing

A method to control for order effects by ensuring all participants experience conditions in different orders.

Time Lag

A strategy involving a delay between conditions to reduce the impact of order effects.

Randomizing Stimulus Materials

A method of arranging experimental stimuli in a random order to control for order effects.

Randomizing Order of Conditions

Presenting experimental/control conditions in a random order to each participant to minimize bias.

Participants Matching

Aligning participants in different conditions according to specific characteristics relevant to the study.

Balancing Participant Variables

Ensuring that participant characteristics are distributed evenly across experimental conditions.

Experimental Design

Another term for research design, specifically in the context of experimental research.

Psychological Research

The scientific study of human behavior and mental processes.

Strengths of Independent Measures

Reduces bias and demand characteristics by limiting participants' exposure to conditions.

Limitations of Independent Measures

May be affected by participant variables, leading to potential data discrepancies.

Controlling Participant Variables

Strategies to minimize the impact of individual differences on experimental results.

Repeated Measures Design Advantages

Controls for participant variables as the same individuals are used across all conditions.

Disadvantages of Repeated Measures

Can introduce order effects, influencing the outcomes of subsequent conditions.

Matched Pairs Design Advantages

Combines benefits of independent measures and repeated measures while controlling for individual differences.

Challenges of Matched Pairs Design

Difficulties in perfectly matching participants across multiple relevant criteria.

Allocation in Research Design

The process of organizing participants into different groups based on the chosen research design.

Outcome of Experiment

The final results and findings derived from the conducted experimental study.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment to observe its effects.

Dependent Variable

The outcome that is measured in an experiment to assess the impact of the independent variable.