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Chapter 7
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31
Psychology
Undergraduate 4
10/23/2014

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Term
Concurrent Validity
Definition
The degree to which scores on the measuring instrument correlate with another known standard for measuring the variable being studied.
Term
Confounding
Definition
An error that occurs when the value of an extraneous variable changes systematically along with the independent variable in an experiment; an alternative explanation for the findings that threatens internal validity.
Term
Construct Validity
Definition
The degree to which an operational definition accurately represents the construct it is intended to manipulate or measure.
Term
Content Validity
Definition
The degree to which the content of a measure reflects the content of what is being measured.
Term
Dependent Variable (DV)
Definition
The specific behavior that a researcher tries to explain in an experiment; the variable that is measured.
Term
Experimental Operational Definiton
Definition
The explanation of the meaning of independent variables; defines exactly what was done to create the various treatment conditions of the experiment.
Term
Extraneous Variable
Definition
A variable other than an independent or dependent variable; a variable that is not the focus of an experiment but can produce effects on the dependent variable if not controlled.
Term
Face Validity
Definition
The degree to which a manipulation or measurement technique is self-evident.
Term
History Threat
Definition
A threat to internal validity in which an outside event or occurrence might have produced effects on the dependent variable.
Term
Hypothetical Construct
Definition
Concepts used to explain unseen processes, such as hunger, intelligence, or learning; postulated to explain observable behavior.
Term
Independent Variable (IV)
Definition
The variable (antecedent condition) that the experimenter intentionally manipulates.
Term
Instrumentation Threat
Definition
A threat to internal validity produced by changes in the measuring instrument itself.
Term
Interitem Reliability
Definition
The degree to which different items measuring the same variable attain consistent results.
Term
Internal Validity
Definition
The certainty that the changes in behavior observed across treatment conditions in the experiment were actually caused by the independent variable.
Term
Interrater Reliability
Definition
The degree of agreement among different observers or raters.
Term
Level of Measurement
Definition
The type of scale of measurement - either ratio, interval, ordinal, or nominal - used to measure a variable.
Term
Levels of the Independent Variable
Definition
The two or more values of the independent variable manipulated by the experimenter.
Term
Manipulation Check
Definition
An assessment to determine whether the independent variable was manipulated successfully.
Term
Maturation Threat
Definition
A threat to internal validity produced by internal (physical or psychological) changes in subjects.
Term
Measured Operational Definition
Definition
The description of exactly how a variable in an experiment is measured.
Term
Method
Definition
The section of a research report in which the subjects and experiment are described in enough detail that the experiment may be replicated by others; it is typically divided into subsections, such as Participants, Apparatus or Materials, and Procedures.
Term
Operational Definition
Definition
The specification of the precise meaning of a variable within an experiment; defines a variable in terms of observable operations, procedures, and measurements.
Term
Predictive Validity
Definition
The degree to which a measuring instrument yields information allowing prediction of actual behavior or performance.
Term
Reliability
Definition
The consistency and dependability of experimental procedures and measurements.
Term
Selection Interactions
Definition
A family of threats to internal validity produced when a selection threat combines with one or more of the other threats to internal validity; when a selection threat is already present, other threats can affect some experimental groups but not others.
Term
Selection Threat
Definition
A threat to internal validity that can occur when nonrandom procedures are used to assign subjects to conditions or when random assignment fails to balance out differences among subjects across the different conditions of the experiment.
Term
Statistical Regression Threat
Definition
A threat to internal validity that can occur when subjects are assigned to conditions on the basis of extreme scores on a test; upon retest, the scores of extreme scorers tend to regress toward the mean even without any treatment.
Term
Subject Mortality Threat
Definition
A threat to internal validity produced by differences in dropout rates across the conditions of the experiment.
Term
Testing Threat
Definition
A threat to internal validity produced by a previous administration of the same test or other measure.
Term
Test-Retest Reliability
Definition
Consistency between an individual's cores on the same test taken at two or more different times.
Term
Validity
Definition
The soundness of an operational definition; in experiments, the principle of actually studying the variables intended to be manipulated or measured.
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