Quantitative- lecture 1

Question 1

Robert Sessions Woodworth

Answer 1

published book- (1938) Experimental Psychology which is referred to as the bible for research methods

Question 2

Three requirements of causality

Answer 2

1. cause must precede effect in time
2. cause and effect must be empirically correlated with one another
3. the relationship between cause and effects cannot be explained in terms of a third variable

Question 3

What are 3 features of an experiment

Answer 3

1. Establishing independent variables
2. controlling extraneous variables (must be controlled or leads to confounding)
3. measuring dependent variables

Question 4

Establishing independent variables

Answer 4

• Creating experimental conditions or comparisons that are under the direct control of the researcher
• must be a minimum of 2 levels

Question 5

4 types of independent variables

Answer 5

1. manipulated or subject variables
2. situational (features of the enviro that participants may encounter)
3. task (variations in the task given to participants)
4. instructional

Question 6

Controlling extraneous variables

Answer 6

we need to control anything that’s not of interest to us.

- need to eliminate any ‘third variable’ explanations

Question 7

measuring the dependent variable

Answer 7

the operational definition of the measured outcomes

Question 8

4 domains of validity in experimental research

Answer 8

1. statistical conclusion validity
2. construct validity
3. external validity
4. internal validity

Question 9

Statistical conclusion validity

Answer 9

• do correct analysis without violating any assumptions
• report all analyses, even the ones you don’t like
• Don’t go fishing (Type I error – the more the analyses, the higher the chance of a false positive)
• Make sure your measures are reliable, so that if there is an effect you can find it (otherwise you run the risk of Type II error – a false negative

Question 10

Construct validity

Answer 10

• does a test truly measure what is wants to measure?
• are your operational definitions adequate
• if you are using a measuring scale does it truly measure what it reports to measure

Question 11

External validity

Answer 11

also called generalised validity

• the generalisability for other populations, environments and times
• like how 75% of psych studies done on psych students, they are different test subjects so more studies need to be done with real world people.

Question 12

Internal validity

Answer 12

• the degree to which a study is methodologically sound and confound-free
• most nb
• hypothesis needs to be clear.