01:830:340 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Null Hypothesis, Dependent And Independent Variables, External Validity
Document Summary
The scientific method: select and define the problem, develop a hypothesis = a testable prediction. Null hypothesis = prediction that there"s no relationship/effect: choose a method for testing the hypothesis, collect and analyze the data, interpret the results and draw conclusions. Dependent variable - the factor we are trying to predict (depends on the iv) Independent variable - (the predictor) the factor we believe will affect the dependent variable. Operational definition - how we measure our constructs of interest. E. g. response on structured clinical interview = diagnosis. Examine the relationship between an iv and a dv as they naturally occur (without manipulating it) Group comparison - relationship between membership in a group and another variable. Allows us to establish if iv was present before dv. Statistic that represent the relationship between two variables. Describes the direction and strength of the association. External validity = results generalize to real-life phenomena. Risk is not the same as cause.
