Research Methods Quiz 2

Front 1

internal validity

Back 1

elimination of plausible alternative causes in an experiment i.e. the independent variable caused the result

Front 2

independent groups designs

Back 2

each group of subjects participates in a different condition of the independent variable

Front 3

random assignment

Back 3

used to form comparable groups priot to implementing the independent variable. balances/averages individual differences

Front 4

random groups design

Back 4

when a random assignment to conditions is used and an observation of each group is made.

Front 5

block randomization

Back 5

assign subjects to conditions one block at a time, each block consists of a random arrangement of the five conditions. controls for time related variables and individual differences

Front 6

threats to internal validity

Back 6

uncontrolled vaibales that may be a potential alternative explanation for a study's findings

Front 7

mechanical subject loss

Back 7

occurs when a subject fails to complete the experiment because of an equipment failure i.e. a computer crashes

Front 8

selective subject loss

Back 8

occurs when subj. are lost differentially across the conditions of the experiment, when some characteristic of the subj. is responsible for the loss and when this subj. characteristic is related to the depended variable used to assess the outcome of the study.

Front 9

experimenter effects

Back 9

potential biases that arise due to the ecpectationsof the experimenter

Front 10

placebo control group

Back 10

a control group that is given a substances that looks like a drug but is inactive

Front 11

mechanical subject loss

Back 11

occurs when a subject fails to complete the experiment because of an equipment failure i.e. a computer crashes

Front 12

selective subject loss

Back 12

occurs when subj. are lost differentially across the conditions of the experiment, when some characteristic of the subj. is responsible for the loss and when this subj. characteristic is related to the depended variable used to assess the outcome of the study.

Front 13

experimenter effects

Back 13

potential biases that arise due to the ecpectationsof the experimenter

Front 14

placebo control group

Back 14

a control group that is given a substances that looks like a drug but is inactive

Front 15

double-blind procedure

Back 15

both the participant and the observer are blind to what treatment is being administered

Front 16

replication

Back 16

repeating the procedures used in a particular experiment in order to determine whether the same results will be obtained a second time

Front 17

effect size

Back 17

how large an effect the independent variable has on the dependent variable. Cohen's d. independent of sample size.

Front 18

meta-analysis

Back 18

a statistical technique used to summarize the effect sizes from several independent experiments investigating the same independent or dependent variable

Front 19

null hypothesis significance testing (NHST)

Back 19

decides whether an independent variable has produced an effect on an experiment i.e. f- or t-test

Front 20

statistically significant

Back 20

outcome is one that has only a small likelihood of occuring if the null hypothesis were true

Front 21

confidence intervals

Back 21

width of interval tells how precise our estimate is, the more narrow the better. if intervals for two conditions do not overlap then population means differ, when intervals do overlap slightly then there is uncertainty, if intervals overlap where one mean is within another groups interval than pop. means do not differ

Front 22

matched groups design

Back 22

researcher makes equivalent groups by matching subjects

Front 23

individual differences variables (subj. variables)

Back 23

characteristic or trait that varies across individuals

Front 24

natural groups designs

Back 24

experiments involving independent variables whose levels are selected - like individual differences variables i.e. cannot randomly assign people to divorce

Front 25

repeated measures designs

Back 25

subj. serve as their own controls bc they participate in both the control and the experimental conditions

Front 26

sensitivity

Back 26

the ability to detect the effect of the independent variable even if the effect is a small one

Front 27

practice effect

Back 27

the changes participants undergo with repeated testing in the repeated measures designs

Front 28

counterbalancing

Back 28

balancing practice effects in the repeated measures design

Front 29

differential transfer

Back 29

arises when performance in one condition differs depending on the condition that precedes it