Experimental Design and Validity Quiz

Randomization is crucial to minimize bias and ensure that each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to different groups.

Quasi-experimental designs lack random assignment and control groups but still involve studying the effects of an intervention, as seen in the one-group pretest-posttest design.

Demand characteristics occur when participants infer the purpose of the study and change their behavior accordingly, potentially confounding the results.

Construct validity evaluates whether a measurement instrument accurately reflects the abstract concept or construct it claims to assess.

Convenience samples may not accurately represent the broader population, limiting the generalizability of findings beyond the specific sample.

Control groups allow researchers to compare the effects of the treatment by providing a standard against which the results can be measured.

External validity pertains to the extent to which findings from a study can be applied to other contexts or populations beyond the one being studied.

Repeated measures designs involve each participant being exposed to all conditions of the experiment, reducing variability and eliminating potential biases associated with individual differences.

Confounding variables are additional variables that influence the dependent variable alongside the independent variable, making it difficult to discern their individual effects.

Random assignment helps ensure that participant characteristics are evenly distributed across experimental conditions, reducing the likelihood of systematic biases.

Factorial designs involve manipulating more than one independent variable to examine their combined effects on the dependent variable.

Pilot studies are conducted to gather initial data and assess the feasibility of a larger-scale study, refining the research methods and identifying potential problems.

Internal validity concerns the degree to which the observed effects can be attributed to the manipulation of the independent variable, while external validity relates to the extent to which findings can be applied beyond the specific conditions of the study.

Double-blind procedures ensure that neither the participants nor the researchers involved in the study know which participants are receiving the treatment or the control, minimizing bias and placebo effects.

Counterbalancing involves systematically varying the order in which participants experience different conditions to control for any potential biases introduced by the sequence of treatments.