PSY 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Sat Subject Tests, Wrong Impression, Random Assignment
Document Summary
If we do want to use the word cause we have to conduct a formal experiment. Dependent variables: outcome variable, result of independent variable. Control and experimental groups: need a control group. Random assignment groups: everybody has the same chance to be assigned to a group, get a random sample to wash out individual differences, can"t have people select their own group, sometimes can"t do random assignment. Cross sectional studied: quick and cheap, cross section of age, studied all at the same time, can have wrong impression: cohort effect. Being 20 at one time is different from being 20 at a different point in time. Large social changes over time: longitudinal study. Follow the same group of people over a long period of time: mixed longitudinal. Follow a mixed cross section for about 5 years. Validity: a test does what it is required to do: sat subject tests are more valid (better at predicting your college grades) the normal.
