Exam 3 Research Methods

Measures of behavior that eliminate the problem of reactivity because observations are made in such a way that the presence of the observer is not detected by those being observed.

Source of evidence that is based on the remnants, fragments, and products of past behavior; used as an alternative to or in conjunction with other research methods.

Source of evidence based on records or documents relating the activities of individuals, institutions, governments, and other groups; used as an alternative to or in conjunction with other research methods.

Any of a variety of techniques for making inferences by objectively identifying specific characteristics of messages, usually written communications but may be any form of message; used extensively in the analysis of archival data.

Bias that results from the way physical traces are laid down and the way archival sources are produced, edited, or altered, as they are established; when present, the bias severely limits generality of research findings.

Degree to which differences in performance can be attributed unambiguously to an effect of an independent variable, as opposed to an effect of some other (uncontrolled) variable; an internally valid study is free of confounds.

Bias that results from the way physical traces and archives survive over time; when present, the bias severely limits the external validity of research findings.

Each separate group of subjects in the experiment represents a different condition as defined by the level of the independent variable.

Most common technique for forming groups as part of an independent groups design; the goal is to establish equivalent groups by balancing individual differences.

Most common type of independent groups design in which subjects are randomly assigned to each group such that groups are considered comparable at the start of the experiment.

The most common technique for carrying out random assignment in the random groups design; each block includes a random order of the conditions and there are as many blocks as there are subjects in each condition of the experiment.

Possible causes of a phenomenon that must be controlled so a clear cause-effect inference can be made.

Occurs when a subject fails to complete the experiment because of equipment failure or because of experimenter error.

Occurs when subjects are lost differentially across the conditions of the experiment as the result of some characteristic of each subject that is related to the outcome of the study.

Experimenters’ expectations that may lead them to treat subjects differently in different groups or to record data in a biased manner.