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1. In an experiment, what is the independent variable?
The variable that is manipulated
ExplanationThe independent variable is the one manipulated by the researcher to observe its effect.
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2. What is a control group used for in experimental design?
To provide a baseline for comparison with the experimental group
ExplanationA control group helps establish a baseline to evaluate the impact of the independent variable in the experimental group.
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3. What is the purpose of a placebo in a medical experiment?
To ensure blinding in the experiment
ExplanationPlacebos help maintain blinding by providing a treatment with no active effect.
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7. In statistics, what is the purpose of random assignment in experiments?
To reduce bias and ensure groups are equivalent at the start of the experiment
ExplanationRandom assignment helps minimize bias by ensuring that participants are equally distributed among experimental conditions.
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8. What is the difference between correlation and causation?
Correlation is a statistical relationship, causation is a direct cause-and-effect relationship
ExplanationCorrelation indicates a statistical association, while causation implies a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
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12. Why is it important to randomly assign participants to experimental conditions?
To control for extraneous variables and increase the internal validity of the study
ExplanationRandom assignment helps control for extraneous variables, enhancing the internal validity of the study.
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13. What is a covariate in experimental research?
A variable that is measured but not of primary interest
ExplanationCovariates are measured variables not of primary interest but considered for their potential influence on the study.
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15. What is the purpose of a pilot study in experimental research?
To test the feasibility of the experimental procedures and identify potential issues
ExplanationPilot studies assess the feasibility of experimental procedures and help identify potential issues before the main study.
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16. What is the purpose of blinding in a controlled experiment?
To keep the researcher unaware of which participants are in the experimental or control group
ExplanationBlinding ensures researchers remain unaware of participants' group assignments, reducing bias.
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4. What is the difference between a categorical and a numerical variable?
Categorical variables are qualitative, while numerical variables are quantitative
ExplanationCategorical variables represent qualities, while numerical variables express quantities.
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5. What is a confounding variable in experimental research?
A variable that is unrelated to the study but may affect the results
ExplanationConfounding variables are extraneous factors that may interfere with the interpretation of results.
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6. What is a factorial design in experimental research?
A design with multiple independent variables, each with multiple levels
ExplanationFactorial designs involve manipulating multiple independent variables with different levels to examine their combined effects.
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9. In experimental design, what is the role of a counterbalanced design?
To ensure that each participant experiences all experimental conditions
ExplanationCounterbalanced designs ensure participants experience all experimental conditions, reducing order effects.
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10. What is the difference between a repeated measures design and an independent measures design?
Repeated measures involve the same participants in all conditions, while independent measures use different participants in each condition
ExplanationRepeated measures involve the same participants across all conditions, while independent measures use different participants for each condition.
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11. What is a within-subjects factor in experimental design?
A variable that is manipulated within the same participants across different conditions
ExplanationWithin-subjects factors are variables manipulated within the same participants across various experimental conditions.
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14. In a 2x2 factorial design, how many independent variables are there?
Two
ExplanationA 2x2 factorial design involves two independent variables.
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17. What is the difference between a single-blind and a double-blind experiment?
In a single-blind experiment, only the participants are unaware of the treatment, while in a double-blind experiment, both participants and researchers are unaware.
ExplanationIn single-blind experiments, only participants are unaware of the treatment, while in double-blind experiments, both participants and researchers remain unaware.
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18. What is a Type I error in hypothesis testing?
Rejecting a true null hypothesis
ExplanationType I error occurs when a true null hypothesis is incorrectly rejected in hypothesis testing.
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19. What is the purpose of a crossover design in experimental research?
To eliminate carryover effects by exposing each participant to all experimental conditions
ExplanationCrossover designs expose each participant to all experimental conditions, minimizing carryover effects.
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20. In a repeated measures ANOVA, what does the F-ratio measure?
The variability between groups
ExplanationThe F-ratio in a repeated measures ANOVA measures the variability between groups of participants.