AICE PSYCH VOCAB SLIDES 1-117

3 types of experiment

lab, field, natural

independent variable

variable that is manipulated

dependent variable

The measurable effect, outcome, or response in which the research is interested.

the laboratory experiment

Experiment in which conditions are highly controlled and IVs are manipulated in order to discover cause and effect

Advantages of Lab experiment

+ Can establish cause and effect

+ Few if any extraneous variables

+Easy to replicate

+High internal validity

standardized procedures

A set of procedures that are the same for all participants in order to be able to repeat the study- means that replication is possible

disadvantages of laboratory experiment

1. The results may be biased by sampling, demand characteristics, or experimenter bias.

2. Controlling variables is reductionistic, as it is unlikely that any behavior would exist in isolation from other behaviors.

3. Artificial conditions (setting and task) can produce unnatural behavior, which means research lacks ecological validity

controlling variables

Keeping all variables the same except the manipulated variable

ecological validity

The extent to which a study is realistic or representative of real life.

the field experiment

an experiment conducted in the participants' natural environment

advantages of field experiment

+ More ecologically/externally valid

+ Fewer demand characteristics

+Replication can occur to some extent

+ Fewer experimenter effects

disadvantages of field experiment

- Chance of extraneous variables

- More time consuming

- Ethical issues (informed consent)

- Need a skilled researcher

the natural experiment

An experiment in which nature, rather than an experimenter, manipulates an independent variable.

advantages of a natural experiment

+ Fewer demand characteristics or researcher effects if Ps unaware of being tested.

+ Fewer ethical issues

+ Allows Ps who wouldn't normally be tested to take part.

disadvantages of a natural experiment

- Lack of control

over extraneous variables

- may be subject to bias if participants know theyre being studied

- Impossible to replicate exactly

experimental designs

How you carry the experiment out, how the IV is set up

3 types of experimental design

Independent measures, repeated measures and matched pairs

repeated measures

All participants take part in all conditions of the experiment

advantages of repeated measures

No participant variables, fewer people needed, cheaper to do.

Disadvantages of Repeated Measures Design

- Increased likelihood of demand characteristics confounding results

- Fatigue effect (tired of repeating it twice)

- Order effects (two types) can occur

order effects

occur when the order in which the participants experience conditions in an experiment affects the results of the study

how to eliminate order effects

counterbalancing

independent groups / measures

each participant is in just one condition of the IV

advantages of independent groups design

+ Reduces demand characteristics

+ Prevents order effects

demand characteristics

cues in an experiment that tell the participant what behavior is expected

disadvantages of independent groups design

- Individual differences can occur, does not always reduce participant variables

- Lots of P.ps are required

- More time consuming

participant variables

Individual differences in the personal characteristics of research participants that, if not controlled, can confound the results of the experiment.

how to eliminate participant variables

random allocation

random allocation

an experimental technique for assigning human participants or animal subjects to different groups in an experiment using randomization

matched pairs

a technique whereby each participant is identical to one other participant in terms of a third variable ex race, age, intelligence

advantages of matched pairs

no order effects and less participant variables

disadvantages of matched pairs

-Very time consuming to match ppts on characteristics

-Impossible to match identically - unless identical twins!

experimental controls

a control is an action taken by the experimenter to try and ensure that the IV causes the DV rather than an extraneous variable

extraneous variable

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

confounding variable

a specific type of extraneous variable that not only affects the dependent variable but is also related to the independent variable

3 types of confounding variables that need to be controlled

situational variable, experimenter variable, experimenter bias

Situational variables

features in the environment that participants might encounter

experimenter variable

where the presence of the researcher themselves may affect the outcome of the experiment

Experimenter variable effect in 2 ways

demand characteristics and experimenter bias

how to control demand characteristic

single blind design- participant is not aware of the behavior that is expected of them (kept blind)

experimenter bias

the influence of the experimenter's expectations on the outcome of research ex) smiling when participant is doing what is desired

how to control experimenter bias

double-blind study, both participant and experimenter are unaware of the behavior expected

Participant variables

Individual differences in the personal characteristics of research participants that, if not controlled, can confound the results of the experiment. ex) level of motivation, eyesight, memory

advantages of controlling variables

more control over irrelevant/extraneous variables means that the DV is more likely to be due to the IV; cause and effect are more likely to be shown

controls act like a bench of "normality"

control of variables makes study more replicable

disadvantages of controlling variable

- more reductionist

- more controls = more artifical -> lowers ecological validity

- attempting to control variables makes p's suspicious (p bias)

self report

a method in which people provide subjective information about their own thoughts, feelings, or behaviors, typically via questionnaire or interview

3 main components of self report

1. the specific method either questionnaire or interview

2.the format of structure of the questions

3.the way in which the p's will provide answers

questionnaire

a written set of questions to be answered by a research participant

open ended questions

questions that allow respondents to answer however they want

closed questions

Questions that can usually be answered with yes or no / likert scale

fixed./forced choice

participant must commit to agreeing or disagreeing

interviews

person-to-person conversations for the purpose of gathering information by means of questions posed to respondents

advantages of self report

1. Participants are given the opportunity to express a range of feelings and explain their behavior.

2. The data obtained may be "rich" and detailed, especially with open-ended questions.

disadvantages with self report

- closed questions do not give the P the opportunity to explain themselves

-p might give out socially desired answers

- closed/forced choice might for p into choosing answer that doesnt reflect their true opinion, lowering validity

- open ended may be time consuming

correlation

A measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.

positive correlation

A correlation where as one variable increases, the other also increases, or as one decreases so does the other. Both variables move in the same direction.

negative correlation

as one variable increases, the other decreases

no correlation

There is no relationship between data sets.

main strength of correlation

can give precise information about the degree of relationship between variables

main weakness of correlation

cause and effect cannot be inferred

observation

data collected through observations with the intent of recording their behavior

3 types of observation

controlled, natural, participant

controlled observation

Watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment ex) laboratory

natural observation

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

participant observation

a naturalistic observation in which the observer becomes a participant in the group being observed

unstructured observation

the problem has not been specifically defined, so a great deal of flexibility is allowed the observers in terms of what they note and record

structured observation

researcher identifies beforehand which behaviors are to be observed and recorded

2 types of structured observation

Event sampling and Time sampling

Event sampling

A target behaviour or event is first established then the researcher records this event every time it occurs

Time sampling

The procedure of observing and recording behavior during intervals or at specific moments ex) 5, 10, 15 sec intervals

covert observation

Participants do not know they are being observed

overt observation

Participants know they are being observed

advantages of observation

Takes advantage of natural setting to study phenomena

Provides access to groups that would otherwise be difficult to study

Not dependent on participant's recall

Usually inexpensive to conduct

disadvantages of observation

The reasons for the observed behavior may not be determined, since little is known about the underlying motives, beliefs, attitudes, and preferences.

time-consuming and expensive,

observational methods may be unethical

lack of control over variables

difficult to replicate

case study

an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

advantages of case study

examines rare behavior in detail, provide starting point for developing a hypothesis, high ecological validity as they are studied every day

disadvantages of case study

cannot determine cause and effect, experimenter bias, sample size too small to apply to general population, participants may quit

hypothesis

A testable prediction, often implied by a theory

3 types of hypothesis

Non-directional (2 tailed), Directional (1 tailed), and Null

Directional (1 tailed) hypothesis

This predicts the direction of the outcome- Females WILL be able to spell words more correctly as compared to males

Non directional (2 tailed)

also predicts a difference or correlation but not the expected results. the will be a DIFFERENCE in the number of words spelt correctly between females and males

Null hypothesis

A prediction that there is no difference between groups or conditions, or a statement or an idea that can be falsified, or proved wrong. "PROVED BY CHANCE"

operationalized

clearly defining a research variable so that it can be measured. STUDY CAN BE REPLICATED

Ecological Validity

The extent to which a study is realistic or representative of real life. - one way of achieving this is by making the study unethical

Advantages of trying to achieve High ecological validity

- More likely to behave normally.

- Less likely to demand characteristics.

Disadvantages of trying to achieve high ecological validity

-may be impossible to recreate real-life situation

-lack of control over confounding variables

-study may be unethical w/o consent

Validity

the extent to which a test measures or predicts what it is supposed to- always advantageous to have a valid study

types of validity

internal and external

internal /experimental validity

refers to whether the effects observed in the study are due to the manipulation of the IV and not some other factor (extraneous variable)

External Validity

extent to which we can generalize findings to real-world settings

ways to assess validity

face validity, construct validity

construct validity

refers to the ability of a measurement tool to actually measure the psychological concept being studied

face validity

extent to which respondents can tell what the items are measuring

ethics

the principles of right and wrong that guide the experimenter in psychological experiments

informed consent

an ethical principle that research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate

deception

misleading participants about the true purpose of a study or the events that will actually transpire

protection of participants (harm)

Participants should not be harmed in any way (mentally or physically)

debrief

the post-experimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants

right to withdraw

A participant's right to leave a study at any time and their ability to do so.

Confiedentiality

keep information private about p's data