Exam #1 Study Guide
● Variable: Something that varies/changes.
○ It must have AT LEAST 2 values (i.e. levels).
■ Example: Variable = Year in college; Levels = Freshman, sophomore, etc.
● Types of Variables ↴
1. Manipulated: The levels are assigned/manipulated.
a. Example: A researcher assigns group A to a cold room and group B to a
warm room.
i. Temperature = variable; Cold & warm = levels (2)!
2. Measured: The levels are simply observed/recorded.
3. Selected: The researcher chooses a variable's level(s) they can't control.
a. Example: A researcher chooses the age of participants they want in a
study. You can’t assign someone the age you want them to be, so the age
(IV) is only selected.
● Constant: A variable reduced to only 1 level (NO CHANGE).
● Independent variable (IV): The variable being ↴
1. Manipulated: Must be randomly assigned.
2. Selected: These can’t be manipulated (remember the “selected” example!)
a. Types of IVs ↴
i. Physiological based: Manipulate the participants' physiological
state (internal); most likely have to ingest something.
1. Example: Giving Group A french fries and Group B
zucchini fries (that look like french fries) to see how it
affects their mood (DV). Ingestion = Physiological!
, ii. Experience-based: Manipulate the amount/type of
training/learning the participant receives (for a prolonged time!).
1. Example: To test if a technique works on stress,
participants practice for 10, 20, or 30 minutes per session.
a. IV = Time; Levels = 10, 20, 30 mins (3).
iii. Stimulus-based: Manipulate some aspect of the environment
(external); mainly relating to something with the senses/exposure.
1. Example: Showing Group A a photo of a happy puppy and
Group B a photo of a hurt puppy to see how it affects their
mood (DV). Visual = Stimulus!
a. IV = Photo (2 levels); DV = Mood (2+ levels).
iv. Participant-based: Focus on participant characteristics;
specifically choosing what you want or don't want in the
experiment.
1. Example: Choosing only individuals ages 20-30, only
Asians and/or Latinos for a study, etc).
● Dependent variable (DV): The variable being measured; always results from the IV!
○ Ways to Measure the DV ↴
1. Correctness: Counting the number of times a correct or incorrect
response occurs; “Did they DO it?”
a. Example: The percentage of correctly solved math problems on a
test.
2. Rate/frequency: Counting the number of times a response occurs; “How
OFTEN does it happen?”
a. Example: The number of times participants engage in physical
activities per week.
, 3. Degree/amount: Finding a single number that indicates a degree/amount;
“How MUCH of it is there?”
a. Example: The weight in lbs of the harvested crops.
4. Latency/duration: Measure how quickly a participant responds or how
long the response lasts.
a. Example: The time it takes for participants to respond to a
stimulus after it appears on the screen.
● Operationalization: Making something measurable or observable.
○ This is important because you won’t know what you're measuring without
defining it! There shouldn't be any ambiguity.
★ EXAMPLE #1: A tech company wants to assess whether using dark or light mode on
devices affects eye strain. Participants are randomly assigned to use their devices in
dark or light mode for 4 weeks, then their eye strain is measured.
○ IV: Display (dark vs. light); Stimulus-based; 2 levels.
■ Involves manipulating the visual display settings (dark mode vs. light
mode) presented to participants; Senses = stimulus!
○ DV: Eye strain; Can be either correctness or degree/amount (depending on how
you operationalize/define eye strain).
a. Correctness: If you measure it as an outcome (whether
participants experienced eye strain or not), then it would fit
under correctness.
b. Degree/Amount: If you measure the intensity or severity of eye
strain (e.g. on a scale of 1-10), then it would fit under
degree/amount.
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● Variable: Something that varies/changes.
○ It must have AT LEAST 2 values (i.e. levels).
■ Example: Variable = Year in college; Levels = Freshman, sophomore, etc.
● Types of Variables ↴
1. Manipulated: The levels are assigned/manipulated.
a. Example: A researcher assigns group A to a cold room and group B to a
warm room.
i. Temperature = variable; Cold & warm = levels (2)!
2. Measured: The levels are simply observed/recorded.
3. Selected: The researcher chooses a variable's level(s) they can't control.
a. Example: A researcher chooses the age of participants they want in a
study. You can’t assign someone the age you want them to be, so the age
(IV) is only selected.
● Constant: A variable reduced to only 1 level (NO CHANGE).
● Independent variable (IV): The variable being ↴
1. Manipulated: Must be randomly assigned.
2. Selected: These can’t be manipulated (remember the “selected” example!)
a. Types of IVs ↴
i. Physiological based: Manipulate the participants' physiological
state (internal); most likely have to ingest something.
1. Example: Giving Group A french fries and Group B
zucchini fries (that look like french fries) to see how it
affects their mood (DV). Ingestion = Physiological!
, ii. Experience-based: Manipulate the amount/type of
training/learning the participant receives (for a prolonged time!).
1. Example: To test if a technique works on stress,
participants practice for 10, 20, or 30 minutes per session.
a. IV = Time; Levels = 10, 20, 30 mins (3).
iii. Stimulus-based: Manipulate some aspect of the environment
(external); mainly relating to something with the senses/exposure.
1. Example: Showing Group A a photo of a happy puppy and
Group B a photo of a hurt puppy to see how it affects their
mood (DV). Visual = Stimulus!
a. IV = Photo (2 levels); DV = Mood (2+ levels).
iv. Participant-based: Focus on participant characteristics;
specifically choosing what you want or don't want in the
experiment.
1. Example: Choosing only individuals ages 20-30, only
Asians and/or Latinos for a study, etc).
● Dependent variable (DV): The variable being measured; always results from the IV!
○ Ways to Measure the DV ↴
1. Correctness: Counting the number of times a correct or incorrect
response occurs; “Did they DO it?”
a. Example: The percentage of correctly solved math problems on a
test.
2. Rate/frequency: Counting the number of times a response occurs; “How
OFTEN does it happen?”
a. Example: The number of times participants engage in physical
activities per week.
, 3. Degree/amount: Finding a single number that indicates a degree/amount;
“How MUCH of it is there?”
a. Example: The weight in lbs of the harvested crops.
4. Latency/duration: Measure how quickly a participant responds or how
long the response lasts.
a. Example: The time it takes for participants to respond to a
stimulus after it appears on the screen.
● Operationalization: Making something measurable or observable.
○ This is important because you won’t know what you're measuring without
defining it! There shouldn't be any ambiguity.
★ EXAMPLE #1: A tech company wants to assess whether using dark or light mode on
devices affects eye strain. Participants are randomly assigned to use their devices in
dark or light mode for 4 weeks, then their eye strain is measured.
○ IV: Display (dark vs. light); Stimulus-based; 2 levels.
■ Involves manipulating the visual display settings (dark mode vs. light
mode) presented to participants; Senses = stimulus!
○ DV: Eye strain; Can be either correctness or degree/amount (depending on how
you operationalize/define eye strain).
a. Correctness: If you measure it as an outcome (whether
participants experienced eye strain or not), then it would fit
under correctness.
b. Degree/Amount: If you measure the intensity or severity of eye
strain (e.g. on a scale of 1-10), then it would fit under
degree/amount.
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