Chapter 3 - Defining And Measuring Variables

Front 1

In attempting to explain and predict behavior, scientists and philosophers often develop __ that contain hypothetical mechanisms and intangible elements.

Back 1

theories

Hint 1

p 74

Front 2

Many research variables, particularly variables of interest to behavioral scientists, are in fact hypothetical entities created from theory and speculation. These variables are

Back 2

constructs or hypothetical constructs

Hint 2

p 74

Front 3

__ are statements about the mechanisms underlying a particular behavior.

Back 3

Theories

Hint 3

p 74

Front 4

__ are hypothetical attributes or mechanisms that help explain and predict behavior in a theory.

Back 4

Constructs

Hint 4

p 74

Front 5

Constructs are influenced by __ and then it influences behavior.

Back 5

External Stimulus

Hint 5

p 75
External stimulus ->
Construct->External behavior

Front 6

Method of defining and measuring a construct is __ __

Back 6

operational definition

Hint 6

p 75

Front 7

Operational definition measures __ __ resulting as a measurement of the hypothetical construct.

Back 7

observable behavior

Hint 7

p 75

Front 8

The most familiar example of an operational definition is an __ __.

Back 8

IQ test

Hint 8

p 75

Front 9

Whenever the variables in a research study are hypothetical constructs, you must use __ __ to define and measure the variables.

Back 9

operational definitions

Hint 9

p 76

Front 10

Consulting a pervious research is the best way to determine how a variable should be __.

Back 10

measured

Hint 10

p 76

Front 11

Two general criteria used to evaluate the quality of any measurement procedure is 1___ and 2____.

Back 11

validity and reliability

Hint 11

p 77

Front 12

The first criterion for evaluating a measurement procedure is __.

Back 12

validity

Hint 12

p 77

Front 13

You must demonstrate that the measurements procedure is actually measuring what is claims to be measuring.

Back 13

validity

Hint 13

p 77

Front 14

The __ of a measurement procedure is the degree to which the measurement process measures the variable that is claims to measure.

Back 14

validity

Hint 14

p 78

Front 15

Researchers have developed several methods for assessing the validity of measurements..

Back 15

Face validity
Concurrent validity
Consistency of a relationship
Predictive validity
Construct validity
Convergent and Divergent validity

Hint 15

p 78

Front 16

__ validity is the simplest and least scientific definition of validity.

Back 16

Face validity

Hint 16

p 78

Front 17

__ validity concerns the superficial appearance, or face value, of a measurement procedure

Back 17

Face

Hint 17

p 78

Front 18

EX: an IQ test ought to include questions that require logic, reasoning, and good memory. Such questions appear appropriate for measuring intelligence. Therefore, it has high __ validity.

Back 18

face

Hint 18

p 78

Front 19

__ __ is established by demonstrating that the scores obtained from the new measurement technique are directly related to the score obtained form another, better-established procedure for measuring the same variable.

Back 19

concurrent validity

Hint 19

p 78

Front 20

Validity (and reliability) of measurements can be established by demonstrating the __ of a relationship between two different measurements.

Back 20

consistency

Hint 20

p 79

Front 21

To show the amount of consistency, the two scores for each person (one score from the new measure and one score from a well-estabolished measure) can be presented in a graph called a __ __.

Back 21

scatter plot

Hint 21

p 79

Front 22

A consistant __ __ between two measurements when both measurements change together in the same direction so that people who score high on the first measurement (toward the right of the graph) will score high on the second measurement (towards to top)

Back 22

positive relationship

Hint 22

p 79

Front 23

A consistant __ __ between two measurements when both measurements change together in the opposite direction so that people who score high on the first measurement (toward the right of the graph) will score low on the second measurement (towards to bottom)

Back 23

negative relationship

Hint 23

p 79

Front 24

__ of a relationship is determined by computing a correlation between two variables.

Back 24

consistency

Hint 24

p 79

Front 25

An inconsistent relationship relationship, or a correlation near zero , is an indication that the measurement procedure is not __.

Back 25

valid

Hint 25

p 81

Front 26

When the measurements of a construct accurately predict behavior, it is called __ __.

Back 26

predictive validity

Hint 26

p 81

Front 27

Predictive validity is used int he __ __ for the behavior of children.

Back 27

n-Ach test

Hint 27

p 81

Front 28

Measurements of a variable behave in exactly the same way as the variable itself, then we have established the __ __.

Back 28

construct validity

Hint 28

p 81

Front 29

__ __ involves creating two different methods to measure the same construct, then showing a strong relationship between the measures obtained from the two methods.

Back 29

convergent validity

Hint 29

p 82

Front 30

__ __ involves demonstrating that we are measuring one specific construct and not combing two different constructs in the same measurement process.

Back 30

divergent validity

Hint 30

p 82

Front 31

Creating two different methods to measure the same variable, and then demonstrating a strong relationship between the two measures is an example of __ __.

Back 31

convergent validity

Hint 31

p 82

Front 32

The second criterion for evaluating the quality of a measurement procedure is called __.

Back 32

reliability

Hint 32

p 84

Front 33

A measurement has reliability if it produces identical/nearly identical results when __.

Back 33

repeated

Hint 33

p 84

Front 34

The __ of a measurement procedure is the stability or consistency of the measurement.

Back 34

reliability

Hint 34

p 85

Front 35

The concept of reliability is based on the assumption that the variable being measured is __ or __.

Back 35

stable or constant

Hint 35

p 85

Front 36

Common errors in reliability are observer error, environmental error, and __ changes.

Back 36

participant

Hint 36

p 86

Front 37

Possible cause for error

Observer error: ___ error
Environmental error: __ of day
Participant error: hunger

Back 37

human
time

Hint 37

p 86

Front 38

Types of reliability:
Successive measurements uses t__
Simultaneous measurements uses i__
Internal consistency uses s__

Back 38

test-retest/ parallel-forms reliability
inter-rater reliability
split-half reliability

Hint 38

p 87

Front 39

__ __ is established by comparing the scores obtained form two successive measurements of the same individuals and calculating a correlation between the two sets of scorers.

Back 39

Test-retest reliability

Hint 39

p 87

Front 40

__ __ is the degree of agreement between two observers who simultaneously record measurements of the behaviors.

Back 40

Inter-rater reliability

Hint 40

p 88

Front 41

__ __ is obtained by splitting the items on a questionnaire or test in half, and then calculating the degree of consistency between the two scores for a group of participants.

Back 41

split-half reliability

Hint 41

p 88

Front 42

The set of categories used for classification is called the __ __ __.

Back 42

scale of measurement

Hint 42

p 89

Front 43

__ __ simply represent qualitative differences in the variable measured. The variables are named, and not at all related.

Back 43

nominal scale

ex: english, math, science, history

Hint 43

p 89

Front 44

__ __ are names categories, but are systematically organized.

Back 44

ordinal scale

ex: 1st, 2nd, or 3rd
ex: A, B, C, or D
ex: strongly agree=5, neutral=3, strongly disagree=0

Hint 44

p 89

Front 45

__ and __ scales are organized sequentially and all categories are the same size.

Back 45

Interval and ratio

Hint 45

p 90

Front 46

__ and __ scales makes is possible to determine the distance.

Back 46

Interval and ratio

ex: Bob's score is three times larger than Jane's.

Hint 46

p 90

Front 47

Difference between an interval scale and a ratio scale.

Back 47

Ratio scales have a true 0.

ex: How many siblings to you have?Zero.

Hint 47

p 91

Front 48

Three categories of modalities are

Back 48

self report, physiological, behavioral

Hint 48

p 93

Front 49

__ __ __ is the most direct way to assess a construct.

Back 49

self-report measure

ex: I am scared, frightened...

Hint 49

p 94

Front 50

__ __ involve brain imaging techniques.

Back 50

physiological measures

ex: heart rate, brain waves

Hint 50

p 94

Front 51

__ __ provide researchers with a vast number of options, making it possible to select the behavior that seems to be best for defining and measuring the construct.

Back 51

behavioral measures

Hint 51

p 95

Front 52

__ effect is the clustering of scores at the high end of a measurement scale, allowing little or no possibility of increases in value.

Back 52

ceiling effect

Hint 52

p 97

Front 53

__ effect is the clustering of scores at the low end of a measurement scale, allowing little or no possibility of decreases in value.

Back 53

floor effect

Hint 53

p 97

Front 54

An __ is a nonnatural feature accidentally introduced into something being observed.

Back 54

artifact

Hint 54

p 97

Front 55

__ bias occurs when the measurements obtained in a study are influenced by the experimenter's beliefs or expectations.

Back 55

experimental

Hint 55

p 98

Front 56

__ if the researcher does not know the predicted outcome.

Back 56

sing-blind

Hint 56

p 99

Front 57

__ if both the researcher and the participants are unaware of the predicted outcome.

Back 57

double-blind

Hint 57

p 99

Front 58

__ __ refers to any of the potential cues or features of a study.

Back 58

demand characteristics

Hint 58

p 99

Front 59

__ occurs when participants modify their natural behavior in response to the fact that they are participating in a research study or the knowledge that they are being watched.

Back 59

reactivity

Hint 59

p 99

Front 60

Participants know the hypothesis and does what it takes to prove it right

Back 60

good subject role

(not an ideal role)

Hint 60

p 100

Front 61

Participants know the hypothesis and does what it takes to prove it wrong

Back 61

negativistic subject role

(not an ideal role)

Hint 61

p 100

Front 62

Participants are overly concerned on their performance, so they place themselves on a desirable light

Back 62

apprehensive subject role

(not an ideal role)

Hint 62

p 100

Front 63

Participants attempt to follow instructions to the letter and avoid acting suspicious

Back 63

faithful subject role

(an ideal role)

Hint 63

p 100

Front 64

A ___ is any setting that is obviously devoted to the discipline of science.

Back 64

laboratory

Hint 64

p 101

Front 65

A __ is any setting is a place that the participants or subjects perceives as a natural environment.

Back 65

field

Hint 65

p 101