Pause Problems – Chapter 5 (Smith and Davis)

PSY3211 – Research Methods and Data Analysis in Psychology

 

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Question 1

(Independent Variables): In a simple study that answers the general research question, “What is the best way to help students make friends in college?” Think hard about your independent variable. How does your control group differ from your experimental group? That is, what does the experimental group get that the control group does not get that might impact their ability to make friends?
Your Answer:

The the general research question is indeed broad. The student can gain friends in different ways and this can be tested by comparing the control and experimental groups when exposed to certain factors such as common interests and extra curricular activities.

Question 2

(Dependent Variables): I want you to describe two different dependent variables you would want to measure in your college friendship study. Remember, these are your participant responses to the independent variable, so use your IV as the stimulus that will produce changes in your DVs. Think of at least two different dependent variables!
Your Answer:

In this case we can take the extra curricular activities as the independent variable. The first dependent variable can next be the number of friends made during college and the second dependent variable can be the average time spent with one’s friends on a weekly basis.

Question 3

(Extraneous Variables): Come up with one other extraneous variable that might explain your IV – DV relationship. That is, any variable (other than your IV) that may impact your DV.
Your Answer:

An extraneous variable in this case can be personality characteristics of the participants, particularly whether they are extroverts or introverts. Extroverts are much more likely to have a bigger social social circle than introverts.