Experimental Design and Variables in Psychological Studies Quiz

Independent variable is what the experimenter manipulates.

Dependent variable is what is being measured or observed.

Confounding variables distort the relationship between independent and dependent variables.

Categorical variables categorize data into groups.

Continuous variables can take any value within a range.

Cross-sectional studies examine different groups at one point in time.

Control group establishes baseline for comparison against experimental groups.

Quasi-experimental design lacks random assignment to groups.

Each participant undergoes all conditions, serving as their own control.

Counterbalancing prevents order effects by varying condition presentation.

Sampling involves selecting participants, while assignment involves allocating them to groups.

Face validity assesses if a measure appears to measure what it claims.

Internal validity deals with the study's design, while external validity concerns generalizability.

Both the participants and the experimenter are unaware of group assignments.

Longitudinal studies track changes in variables over an extended period.

Manipulation check verifies if the independent variable was altered as intended.

Pilot studies help refine procedures and identify potential issues.

Internal validity concerns accuracy within the study, while external validity deals with generalizability to other contexts.