All Flashcards
Give an example of a real-world confounding variable.
Ice cream sales and crime rates are both related to the weather (summer).
How can understanding research methods help in everyday life?
It allows you to critically evaluate claims and evidence presented in the media or by others.
How can the concept of correlation vs. causation be applied to advertising?
Advertisers might imply causation when only a correlation exists, leading consumers to believe a product causes a desired outcome.
How can understanding confounding variables improve the design of public health studies?
Researchers can identify and control for potential confounders to get more accurate results.
How can experimental research be applied to test the effectiveness of a new teaching method?
Randomly assign students to different teaching methods and measure their performance to determine if the new method causes improvement.
How can correlational research be applied to study the relationship between exercise and mental health?
Collect data on exercise habits and mental health scores to see if there is a relationship, but be cautious about inferring causation.
How can descriptive research be applied to study consumer behavior in a store?
Observe and record how customers interact with products and navigate the store to understand their behavior.
How can understanding validity help in evaluating the results of a political poll?
Assess whether the poll's results can be generalized to the entire population and whether the questions accurately measure the intended opinions.
How can the concept of independent and dependent variables be applied to test the effect of caffeine on alertness?
Manipulate the amount of caffeine (independent variable) and measure alertness levels (dependent variable) to see if there is a causal effect.
How can understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different research methods help in evidence-based decision-making?
It allows you to choose the most appropriate method for answering a specific research question and to interpret the results accurately.
Explain the concept of 'Correlation does not equal causation'.
Just because two variables change together doesn't mean one causes the other.
What is the importance of random assignment in experimental research?
Helps control for confounding variables by distributing participant characteristics evenly across groups.
Why is validity important in research?
Validity ensures the trustworthiness of research results.
Describe the basic purpose of descriptive research.
To observe and record behavior without manipulation.
Describe the basic purpose of correlational research.
To detect naturally occurring relationships between variables.
Describe the basic purpose of experimental research.
To explore cause and effect relationships by manipulating variables.
Explain the role of a control group in experimental research.
A control group serves as a comparison to the experimental group, helping to isolate the effect of the independent variable.
What is the impact of confounding variables on internal validity?
Confounding variables threaten internal validity by providing alternative explanations for the results.
Explain why experiments are useful to determine causation.
Experiments manipulate variables and use random assignment, allowing for causal inferences.
What is a key weakness of correlational studies?
Correlational studies cannot determine cause and effect.
What is the effect of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance?
Sleep deprivation can lead to decreased cognitive performance.
What is the effect of random assignment on controlling confounding variables?
Random assignment helps distribute participant characteristics evenly across groups, reducing the likelihood of confounding variables.
What is the effect of using the new social media app on teenagers' self-esteem (according to the FRQ example)?
Using the new social media app was found to cause significantly lower self-esteem scores.
What is the effect of manipulating the independent variable in an experiment?
It allows researchers to determine if changes in the independent variable cause changes in the dependent variable.
What is the effect of confounding variables on the interpretation of research results?
Confounding variables can lead to incorrect conclusions about the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
What is the effect of increased stress levels on academic performance (according to the example)?
Increased stress levels tend to decrease academic performance.
What is the effect of incentives on reading scores (according to the AP Question example)?
Incentives may be related to reading scores, but causation cannot be inferred without an experiment.
What is the effect of controlling variables in an experiment?
It helps to isolate the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
What is the effect of a placebo in an experiment?
It helps to control for participant expectations and biases.
What is the effect of using surveys in research?
Surveys allow researchers to collect data from a large number of participants quickly and cheaply.