A research hypothesis, in its plural form "hypotheses," is a specific, testable prediction about the anticipated results of a study, established at its outset. The research hypothesis is often referred to as the alternative hypothesis.| Simply Psychology
In research, the independent variable is manipulated to observe its effect, while the dependent variable is the measured outcome. Essentially, the independent variable is the presumed cause, and the dependent variable is the observed effect.| Simply Psychology
In psychology, random assignment refers to the practice of allocating participants to different experimental groups in a study in a completely unbiased way, ensuring each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any group.| Simply Psychology
Demand characteristics refer to clues or signals in an experimental setting that hint to participants about the experimenter's expectations, leading them to behave in a certain way to match these expectations, potentially biasing the results.| Simply Psychology
A controlled experiment aims to demonstrate causation between variables by manipulating an independent variable while controlling all other factors that could influence the results. Its purpose is to show that changes in one variable (the independent variable) directly cause changes in another variable (the dependent variable).| Simply Psychology
In research, the control group is the one not exposed to the variable of interest (the independent variable) and provides a baseline for comparison. The experimental group, on the other hand, is exposed to the independent variable. Comparing results between these groups helps determine if the independent variable has a significant effect on the outcome (the dependent variable).| Simply Psychology
A confounding variable is an unmeasured third variable that influences, or “confounds,” the relationship between an independent and a dependent variable by suggesting the presence of a spurious correlation.| Simply Psychology
Extraneous variables are factors other than the independent and dependent variables that may unintentionally influence the results of an experiment. They need to be controlled, minimized, or accounted for through careful experimental design and statistical analysis to avoid confounding the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.| Simply Psychology
In psychology research, validity refers to the extent to which a test or measurement tool accurately measures what it's intended to measure. It ensures that the research findings are genuine and not due to extraneous factors. Validity can be categorized into different types, including construct validity (measuring the intended abstract trait), internal validity (ensuring causal conclusions), and external validity (generalizability of results to broader contexts).| Simply Psychology
The Milgram Shock Experiment, conducted by Stanley Milgram in the 1960s, tested obedience to authority. Participants were instructed to administer increasingly severe electric shocks to another person, who was actually an actor, as they answered questions incorrectly. Despite hearing the actor’s screams, most participants continued administering shocks, demonstrating the powerful influence of authority figures on behavior.| Simply Psychology