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Research cam be categorized as _______ or quantitative, and quantitative research is further categorized as nonexperimental or experimental. Non experimental research is conducted to collect data on variables, while experimental research is conducted to test _______ about relationships between variables.
qualitative
hypotheses
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Variables are behaviors or other characteristics that _______ from person to person or situation to situation. Research distinguishes between several types of variables: A person's status on the _______ variable is assumed to affect his/her status on the ________ variable. For example, if a psychologist conducts a study to test the hypothesis that children who watch violent films are more aggressive than children who watch nonviolent film, the study's independent variable is ________ and its dependent variable is ________.
vary
independent
dependent
type of film (violent vs. nonviolent)
aggressiveness
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To assess the effects of an independent variable on a dependent variable, the independent variable must have at least two ________.
levels
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Researchers are sometimes interested in identifying the effects of mediator and/or moderator variables. A mediator variable ________ the relationship between independent and dependent variables, while the moderator variable ________ the relationship between independent and dependent variables
explains or accounts for
affects the strength of
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An important decision when using observation to identify or measure a behavior is how to record the behavior. One way is to obtain a narrative record of the behavior. For example, _______ analysis involves recording a subject's verbalizations when he has been instructed to "think aloud" while solving complex cognitive problems. Alternatively, a specific aspect of a behavior can be recorded. ________ recording is particularly useful when the target behavior has no clear beginning or end, while ______ sampling is a useful technique when the behavior occurs infrequently or leaves a permanent record
Protocol
interval
event
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Experimental research is categorized as true experimental or quasi-experimental. The primary feature that distinguishes a true experimental research from quasi-experimental research is that, in the former, the experimenter can _______ subjects to different treatment groups. This allows to experimenter to be more certain that subjects in different groups are initially similar and, consequently, that any observed differences between them on the _______ variables were caused by the ______ variables.
randomly assign
dependent
independent
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Researchers do not ordinarily have access to the entire population of interest and must draw a ________ from the population. So that any observed relationship between variables in the sample can be generalized to the ________, the people in the sample must be as ________ of the population as possible in terms of relevant characteristics such as age, gender, and severity of symptoms. The simplest way to achieve this goal is to draw a(n) ________ sample, in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for inclusion in the sample. In contrast to other sampling techniques, _______ sampling involves selecting units (groups) of individuals rather than individuals from the population
sample
population
representative
simple random
cluster
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When conducting an experimental research study, an investigator wants a design that will maximize variability in the dependent variable that is due to the __________, control variability due to _________, and minimize variability due to ___________.
independent variable
extraneous variables (systematic error)
random error
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Experimental variability, or variability in the dependent variable that is due to the ________ variable, is maximized when groups are made as different as possible with respect to that variable, while variability due to _________ error is minimized by ensuring that random fluctuations in subjects, conditions, and measuring instruments are eliminated or equalized among all treatment groups.
independent
random
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A number of techniques are used to control the effects of extraneous variables, which are irrelevant to the research hypothesis but correlate with the _______ variable. The random ________ of subjects to different levels of the independent variable is considered the most powerful method of control because it helps ensure that groups are initially _______ with regard to all known and unknown extraneous variables.
dependent
assignment
equivalent
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Matching is useful for controlling an extraneous variable when the number of subjects is too ______ to guarantee that random assignment will equalize the group in terms of an extraneous variable. When using blocking, subjects are not individually matched but are ________ in terms of their status on the extraneous variable, and subjects within each _______ are randomly assigned to ones of the treatment groups.
small
blocked (grouped)
block (group)
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The ANCOVA or other statistical technique can be used to statistically ________ the effects of an extraneous variable on the DV.
remove
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Interval recording is most useful _____.
A.for investigating rare events (behaviors) that typically involve counting the number of times the behavior occurs during an event
B.for behaviors without a clear beginning or end (e.g., on-task behavior) and involves recording whether or not the behavior occurred during each interval
C.when an experimenter is interested in observing a behavior in different contexts
D.when an experimenter is interested in studying complex behavioral sequences (e.g., social interactions)
B
Interval recording is useful for behaviors that do not have a clear beginning or end (e.g., on-task behavior). It involves recording whether or not the behavior occurred during each interval.
Answer A: Event recording is used primarily to investigate rare events (behaviors) and usually involves counting the number of times the behavior occurs during an event.
Answer C: Situational sampling is used when an experimenter is interested in observing a behavior in different contexts.
Answer D: Sequential analysis is used to study complex behavioral sequences (e.g., social interactions).
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Cluster sampling involves_____.
A.dividing the population into segments and randomly selecting individuals from those strata
B.selecting people on the basis of their availability
C.selecting every nth (e.g., 10th, 100th) participant from a list of individuals in the population beginning with the random selection of the first participant
D.selecting units rather than individuals
D
Cluster sampling involves selecting clusters (units) rather than individuals. It is a useful technique when it is not feasible to identify or obtain access to individuals in the entire population. For example, rather than randomly selecting individual high school students from the population of all high school students, it may be necessary to select a sample of high schools and then include all students in those schools or a sample of students from those schools.
Answer A: This described stratified random sampling. Common strata include gender, SES, and race/ethnicity.
Answer B: This describes a convenience sample.
Answer C: This describes systematic sampling, which is similar to simple random sampling. Researchers select members from a larger population according to a random starting point but with a fixed, periodic interval such as every 10th or 100th participant
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A researcher instructs a participant to "think aloud" while solving complex geometry problems to identify the thought processes that underlie successful and unsuccessful problem-solving. The participant's verbalizations will be recorded and analyzed. This technique is known as_____.
A.protocol analysis
B.behavioral sampling
C.process analysis
D.situation sampling
A
Protocol analysis is a qualitative research strategy used to examine cognitive processes that underlie problem-solving and other complex tasks involving subjects to "think aloud" while solving a problem. The subject's verbalizations are recorded and later coded in terms of relevant categories.
Answer B: Behavioral sampling is a quantitative method for sampling and recording frequency or duration of behavior, including interval recording and event sampling.
Answer C: Process analysis is a qualitative technique used to identify, classify, and understand weaknesses and opportunities for improving a process. Protocol analysis is used to examine cognitive processes that underlie problem-solving and other complex tasks involving subjects to "think aloud" while solving a problem.
Answer D: Situational sampling is used when the goal of the study is to observe a behavior in a number of settings, whereas protocol analysis involves one setting and is used to examine cognitive processes that underlie problem-solving and other complex tasks.
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The primary characteristic that distinguishes true experimental research from quasi-experimental research is that, in the former,_____.
A.participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group
B.the researcher manipulates the independent variable
C.the researcher properly controls for systematic and random error
D.the researcher places the participants in equivalent groups to ensure fair comparisons
A
The hallmark of true experimental research is that participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group.
Answer B: Although the independent variable is manipulated in research, it is NOT the characteristic that differentiates experimental research from other types of research. In true experimental research, participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group.
Answer C: While controlling for error is important in research, it is NOT the defining characteristic of experimental research. Random assignment to groups is the hallmark of true experimental research.
Answer D: While some research designs involve equivalent groups, such as a matched-subjects design, in true experimental research, participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group.
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When using the technique known as blocking _____.
A.the researcher is looking to manipulate one independent variable per "block"
B.the researcher is trying to control the effects of a (confounding) extraneous variable
C.the researcher is attempting to parse out the effects on the dependent variable at different levels of the independent variable
D.the researcher is seeking to sort participants by a naturally occurring grouping characteristic
B
When using blocking, the researcher is trying to control the effects of a (confounding) extraneous variable by treating it as an independent variable so a researcher can evaluate its main and interaction effects on the dependent variable.
Answer A: This is not characteristic of the blocking technique. When using this technique, the researcher is trying to control the effects of a (confounding) extraneous variable.
Answer C: This is not characteristic of the blocking technique. When using this technique, the researcher is trying to control the effects of a (confounding) extraneous variable.
Answer D: This is not reflective of the blocking technique. Researchers use blocking to attempt to control the effects of an extraneous variable.
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To assess the effects of a stimulus control procedure on eating behaviors, Dr. Barry Buvette obtains a sample of 20 overweight females and 20 overweight males and determines their average daily caloric intake and satisfaction with their food consumption during the seven days before and seven days after training in the procedure. The dependent variable(s) in this study is/are_____.
A.the stimulus control procedure
B.the weight of the participants
C.the seven-day time interval
D.average daily caloric intake and satisfaction with their food consumption
D
In an experiment, the researcher manipulates the independent variable and measures the outcome in the dependent variable. The researcher is measuring both the average daily caloric intake and satisfaction with food consumption as outcome (dependent) variables.
Answer A: The stimulus control plan is the independent variable.
Answer B: The weight of the participants is not a variable being manipulated (IV) or measured as an outcome (DV).
Answer C: The seven-day time interval is not a variable being manipulated (IV) or measured as an outcome (DV).
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