Discovering Statistics Using SPSS Chapter 1.
Key words from Chapters 1 & 2
Alternative Hypothesis - The prediction that there will be an effect (ie
... [Show More] that your
experimental manipulation will have some effect or that certain variables will relate to
each other.
Between-Group design - Another name for independent design.
Between-subject design - Another name for independent design.
Bimodal - a description of a distribution of observations that has two modes.
Binary variable - a categorical variable that has only two mutually exclusive categories
(dead or alive).
Boredom effect - refers to the possibility that performance in tasks may be influenced
(assumed negative) by boredom/lack of concentration if there are many tasks, or the
task goes on for a long period of time.
Categorical variable - any variable made up of categories of objects/entities.The UK
degree classifications are a good example because degrees are classified as a 1,
2:1,2:2,3, pass or fail. Therefore, graduates form a categorical variable because they
will fall into only one of these categories.
Central tendency - a generic term describing the centre of a frequency distribution of
observations as measured by the mean, mode and median.
Confounding variable - a variable (that we may or may not have measured) other than
the predictor variables in which we're interested that potentially affects an outcome
variable.
Correlational research - a form of research in which you observe what naturally goes on
in the world without directly interfering with it. This term implies that data will be will be
analyzed so as to look at relationships between naturally-occuring variables rather than
making statements about cause and effect. Compare with cross-sectional research and
experimental research.
Content validity - evidence that the content of the construct it was designed to cover.
Continuous variable - a variable that can be measured to any level of precision (Time is
a continuous variable, because there is in principle no limit on how finely it could be
measured.)
Counterbalancing - a process of systematically varying the order in which experimental
conditions are conducted. In the simplest case of there being two conditions (A and B),
counterbalancing simply implies that half of the participants complete condition A
followed by condition B, whereas the remainder do condition B followed by condition A.
The aim is to remove systematic bias caused by practice effects or boredom effects.
Criterion validity - evidence that scores from an instrument correspond with or predict
concurrent external measures conceptually related to the measured construct.
Cross-sectional research - a form of research in which you observe what naturally goes
on in the world without directly interfering with it. This term specifically implies that data
come from people at different age points with different people representing each age
point. See also correctional research.
Dependent variable - another name for outcome variable. This name is usually
associated with experimental methodology (which is the only time it really makes sense)
and is so called because it is the variable that is not manipulated by the experimenter
and so its value depends on the variables that have been manipulated. (You can always
use outcome variable instead).
Discrete variable - a variable that can only take on certain values (usually whole
numbers) on the scale.
Ecological validity - evidence that the results of a study, experiment or test can be
applied, and allow inferences to real world conditions.
Experimental hypothesis - a synonym for alternative hypothesis.
Experimental research - a form of research in which one or more variable is
systematically manipulated to see there effect (alone or in combination) on an outcome
variable. This term implies that data will be able to be used to make statements about
cause and effect. Compare with cross-sectional research and correlation research.
Falsification - the act of disproving a hypothesis or theory.
Frequency distribution - a graph plotting values of observations on the horizontal axis,
and the frequency with which each set on the vertical axis (aka histogram)
Histogram - a frequency distribution.
Hypothesis - a prediction about the state of the world (see experimental hypothesis and
null hypothesis.
Independent design - an experimental design in which different treatment conditions
utilize different organisms (eg in psychology this would mean using different people in
different treatment conditions) and so the resulting data are independent (aka betweengroup or between-subject design).
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