PSYCH 1F03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Blind Experiment, Confounding
9 Mar 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
The scientific method: construct a theory, generate a hypothesis, choose research method, collect data, analyze data, report the findings, revise existing theories, scientific method standardizes the procedure of research + reduces bias. Anecdotal evidence: evidence gathered from others or self experience: cannot draw conclusions from anecdotal evidence, single experience might not be representative, personal experience might not represent others. Experiment: scientific tool used to measure the effect of one variable on another. Dependent variable: variable being observed by the scientist. Experimental group: receive independent variable (group getting experimented on: should be as similar as possible. Control groups: will not receive independent variable (comparison group) Practice effect: improved performance over the course of an experiment due to becoming more experience. Within-subjects design: method to guarantee control/experimental groups are as similar as possible: tests same subject repeatedly while independent variable is manipulated. Between subjects design: one group acts as the control group.
