Posted: November 24th, 2023

Week Four Homework Exercise PSYCH/610

Week Four Homework Exercise PSYCH/610

Week Four Homework Exercise

Answer the following questions, covering material from Ch 8–10 of Methods in Behavioral Research:

1. What is a confounding variable and why do researchers try to eliminate confounding variables? Provide two examples of confounding variables.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of posttest only design and pretest-posttest design?

3. What is meant by sensitivity of a dependent variable?

4. What are the differences between an independent groups design and a repeated measures design?

5. How does an experimenter’s expectations and participant expectations affect outcomes?

6. Provide an example of a factorial design. What are the key features of a factorial design? What are the advantages of a factorial design?

7. Describe at least four different dependent variables.

8. What are some ways researchers can manipulate independent variables?

9. What is the difference between main effects and interactions?

10. How do moderator variables impact results? Provide an example.

11. A researcher is interested in studying the effects of story endings on preference ratings. He randomly assigns participants into two groups: predictable ending or surprise ending. He instructs them to read the story and provide preference ratings. The experimenter’s variation of story endings is a __________ (straightforward or staged) manipulation.

12. A researcher was interested in investigating the vocabulary skills of 6th graders in a program for gifted students. She gave a group of participants a test of vocabulary that was aimed at the 7th-grade level. She quickly discovered that there was limited variability in the scores because nearly all the students answered 90% or more of the questions correctly. This outcome is called a _______ effect.

______________________
1. Which one of the following types of variables is most difficult to evaluate objectively in a true experiment? Explain why you think that (See instructions below).

a) Dependent variable
b) Independent variable
c) Confounding variable
d) Extraneous variable
e) None of the above

Instructions: Make selection, provide a concept definition (text), and support your opinion on the selection with an example from research that illustrates the concept. Do so in a maximum of 250 words. Use credible and peer reviewed sources. Credible sources include course materials, University Library research that is peer reviewed, and Internet sites ending in .edu or .gov with with the one exception of research pulled from the www.apa.org site. If research is pulled from the APA site, use the www.apa.org

2. GIVE FEEDBACK ON THE FOUR PARAGRAPHS LISTED BELOW 150-200 WORDS

1.The variable that is the most difficult to evaluate objectively in a true experiment would be Extraneous variable. According to Cozby & Bates (2015), “It would be impossible to know whether participants that were participating in an aerobics class or those watching aerobics on video, would have a better mood due to what they were doing” (p.162). With extraneous variable there are so many other factors that come into play such as; does either room have more doors, air conditioning, heating, windows, ect. Those things actually can change the response of each group making the data collected unreliable. In an article I found regarding women who are pregnant and using cocaine, the study that was done took place over quite a few years. According to Richardson & Day (1999), “One of the issues that were identified was the failure to control adequately for extraneous variables” (p.234). The researchers realized that some of the studies were inadequate and that most of the time information was not interpreted correctly to the client or their providers. The lack of communication caused further issues and endangered some of those pregnancies. Since the study on prenatal cocaine exposure was performed over such a lengthy period of time it is hard to make sure that there will not be anything extraneous that would have an effect on the study. Without trying to eliminate those extraneous variables the study becomes compromised and the data does not appear to be as relevant as other studies.

Reference:

Cozby, P. C., & Bates, S. C. (2015). Methods in Behavioral Research (12th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Richardson, G. A., & Day, N. L. (1999). Studies of prenatal cocaine exposure: Assessing the influence of extraneous variables. Journal of Drug Issues, 29(2), 225-236. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/docview/208833439?accountid=458

2.Independent variables are tested to see of the have an effect on the dependent variable, which is why the extraneous variables (not intentionally studied) are known to be undesirable variables, and sometimes they are difficult for the researcher to control (Cozby, 2015). As an example, since the extraneous variable is not a variable of interest, they may still influence an outcome of a research study or experiment. According to Losen & Oyinalde (2014), the extraneous variable has its positives as it can be used to provide alternative explanations when coming to the experiments effects, but it must be controlled for and not take the place of the independent variable, which has to determine the actual effects. References:Cozby, P. C., & Bates, S. C. (2015). Methods in Behavioral Research (12th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Losen, A., & Oyinalde, A.O (2014) Extraneous Effects of Race, Gender, and Race-Gender Homo- and Heterophily Conditions on Data Quality 4(1) Directory of Open Access Journals DOI: 10.1177/2158244014525418

3.The variable that I think is most difficult to evaluate is the confounding variable. In our reading from chapter four they talk in depth about the confounding variable. They explain the third variable that is hard to get a read on. According to Cozby & Bates (2015) the confounding variable is what we call the third when an uncontrolled one is operating. When a third variable is operating it can cause a huge problem since it can introduce an alternative explanation which can reduce the overall validity of the study (Cozby & Bates, 2015). If two variables are confounded they are so intertwined that you will not be able to determine which of the variables is operating in a situation (Cozby & Bates, 2015). The example they give is about how exercise can cause a reduction in anxiety but when they input income that can cause the third variable (Cozby & Bates, 2015). The third variable which can be extraneous to the two variables being studied. There can be any number of third variables that may be responsible a relationship between two variables (Cozby & Bates, 2015).

Cozby, P. C., & Bates, S. C. (2015). Methods in Behavioral Research (12th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

4.The confounding variables can be difficult to control by the researcher (Cozby & Bates, 2015). In fact, it is said that researchers do fail to control it, as to eliminate the underlying problems the human judgment is necessary. The confounding variable also makes it difficult to find a linkage between treatments and the outcomes. According to Brodt, Dettori, Skelly (2012), Confounding happens when the effects are mixed, where the confounding factors may provide false demonstrations which show to be apparently associated with the treatments and or outcomes, when in reality there is not an association. When coming to exposures in the medical field, treatment group observations, consideration is recommended when coming to the effect truly due to exposure or alternative explanations, there for appropriate methods have to be used for adjustments, where the human judgment is required.
References:
Brodt, E., Dettori, J.R., Skelly, A.C. (2012) Assessing bias: the importance of considering confounding NCBI Retrieved from: https;//www.ncbi.mlh.nih.gov
____________________________
1. Which one of the following is an example of an expectation that can cause bias in an experiment? Explain why you think that is so (See instructions below).

a) Experimenter behaves inconsistently with participants
b) Participant wants to look good in the eyes of the experimenter
c) Experimenter is unaware of the hypothesis
d) Participant reads the hypothesis in the informed consent form
e) All of the above

Instructions: Make selection, provide a concept definition (text), and support your opinion on the selection with an example from research that illustrates the concept. Do so in a maximum of 250 words. Use credible and peer reviewed sources. Credible sources include course materials, University Library research that is peer reviewed, and Internet sites ending in .edu or .gov with with the one exception of research pulled from the www.apa.org site. If research is pulled from the APA site, use the www.apa.org

1. GIVE FEEDBACK ON THE PARAGRAPH LISTED BELOW 150-200 WORDS

1.Experimenter bias is something that can ruin all credibility in the outcomes of an experiment. Because experimenters are usually aware of the study that they have to do, they usually end up having certain expectations out of the study, creating experimenter bias or expectancy effects (Cozby 2015). Cozby uses an example in which he says a researcher is more likely to ask certain questions to participants in particular conditions, which would cause the outcome of the results to be biased (Cozby 2015). Personally, I think that experimenter bias is inevitable. The human mind is conditioned to have certain feelings that are associated with certain situations, so it is harder than people think to remove oneself from the research in order to produce objective results. In a study focusing on experimenter bias, a researcher studies how the selection of the participants have a direct effect on the bias that experiments have during the actual study; usually the bias begins in the selection process, with researchers choosing certain people who they feel will produce the greatest results (Forester 2000), therefore proving experimenter bias is inevitable.

Cozby, P. C., & Bates, S. C. (2015). Methods in Behavioral Research (12th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Forster, K. I. (2000). The potential for experimenter bias effects in word recognition experiments. Memory & Cognition, 28(7), 1109-1115.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kenneth_Forster/publication/12144818_The_potential_for_experimenter_bias_effects_in_word_recognition_experiments/links/0c960528e5baf73778000000.pdf
______________________________
Scenario: Researchers provided both content of class and gender of instructor within vignettes for 2 classes of students that were manipulated by the experimenter. For example, the content manipulated in the two different classes was either counseling or research methods. The gender of the instructor manipulated in the vignettes was either male or female. In the research results, the main effects indicated instructor gender and course content were not statistically significant.

Answer each question in a maximum of 250 words excluding citations: Which of the following research designs is the above experimenter using? Why do you say that? What is the strength of the design that you selected from the list below?

a) Inverted U
b) 2 x 2
c) IV x PV
d) None of the above (What alternative design then?)

Instruction: Provide a definition of your concept design from our text then, discuss support for your selection including an example from research that illustrates your point. Do so with a maximum of 250 words excluding citations.

Order | Check Discount

Tags: Week Four Homework Exercise PSYCH/610