Measurement Concepts and Research Process (feb 9th)

A set of flashcards covering key concepts on measurement and research processes relevant for exam preparation.

Measurement Error

The difference between the measured value and the true value of a variable.

Independent Variable

The variable that the researcher manipulates in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured in response to changes in the independent variable.

Operational Definition

A statement of the procedures or ways in which a researcher is going to measure specific variables.

Reliability

The consistency of a measure, indicating how stable and repeatable a measurement is over time.

Validity

The degree to which a measurement accurately reflects what it is intended to measure.

Construct Validity

The extent to which a test measures the theoretical construct it is intended to measure.

Concurrent Validity

The degree to which a new measure correlates with an established measure of the same variable.

Predictive Validity

How well a measure predicts future outcomes or performance.

Bias

Systematic errors that can affect the internal and external validity of a study.

Selection Bias

When the sample in a study is not representative of the larger population.

Information Bias

Errors that occur due to inaccurately measured and recorded key variables.

Random Error

Errors that are inconsistent and not predictable.

Systematic Error

Errors that are consistent, repeatable, and correctable; also known as bias.

Floor Effects

When a task is too difficult, resulting in all participants performing poorly.

Ceiling Effects

When a task is too easy, causing everyone to perform well or at maximum capacity.

Ethical Considerations

The moral implications of research practices, including treatment of participants.

Internal Validity

The extent to which a study can establish a trustworthy cause and effect relationship.

External Validity

The extent to which results of a study can be generalized to the larger population.

Types of Measurement

Include categorical (nominal and ordinal) and numeric (continuous and discrete) variables.

Cronbach’s Alpha

A common measure of internal consistency for multi-item scales.

Convergent Validity

The measure's ability to correlate positively with related variables.

Discriminant Validity

The measure's ability to not correlate with unrelated variables.

Hawthorne Effect

When participants change their behavior simply because they are being observed.