Advanced Topics in Research Methods

William Ashton, Ph.D. York College, CUNY

An example
A

study was conducted to investigate the hypothesis that watching televised violence increases aggression in children. Fifty 4-year olds were randomly assigned to watch either a violent or a non-violent television program in a classroom in their daycare center

the children who watched violent cartoons did the experiment in the morning and the children who watched non-violent cartoons did the experiment in the afternoon.

After

watching the program the children were observed while they engaged in 30 minutes of free play. An observer watched for aggressive acts and recorded all such acts that occurred.

Issues
What

do they mean by violent/nonviolent? What do they mean by aggressive act? What allows them to test their hypothesis?

Operational Definitions
An

operational definition is a clearly defined set of procedures for measuring (usually a DV) or manipulating (usually an IV) the construct of interest. To be a good operational definition:

it must specify the procedure precisely enough to allow replication the relationship of the OD to the construct must make sense

Operational Definitions in the experiment

Violent

cartoon Non-violent cartoon Aggressive acts

Violent Cartoon OD
Dragonball

Z season 7 episode 195. 5 minute clip (3:45 8:50) training for a battle Dragonball Z season 7 episode 199 5 minute clip (1:00-6:05) involving Goku & Paiku-hans battle

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhMF

t10JYKo

Aggressive Behaviors OD
Any

forceful physical contact

Poking Grabbing Hitting Kicking Pushing Shoving

Identifying Constants & Variables

Constants

Variables

Classroom Length of video Type of video School yard Length of observation Type of kids
Content of video (violent/non-violent) Number of aggressive acts Time of day

Identifying IVs
Independent

Variable

the variable assumed to take the causal role; this variable is manipulated by the researcher Groups either-or, conditions, treatments

Identifying DVs
Dependent

Variable the variable assumed to be influenced; this variable is observed measured, observed, scale

Identifying EVs
Extraneous

Variable

outside
nuisance

factor which is uncontrolled Controlled - held constant (including random assignment) Any variable which is not an IV or DV

CVs
Confound

Variable an extraneous variable which covaries with the levels of the IV Covary one level of the IV = one level of the EV

Experimental
Violent

Confounds are bad

Afternoon 30

Control
Cartoons

Cartoons Morning 30 mins Aggressive acts

Non-violent

mins Aggressive acts

Kids sleepy not that active = less aggressive Researcher is alert = accurately count acts

Kids hyper = more aggressive Researcher is sleepy = count fewer acts

Experimental
Violent

Confounds are bad

Afternoon 30

Control
Cartoons

Cartoons (IV) Morning (EV) 30 mins (Controlled) Aggressive acts (DV)

Non-violent

mins Aggressive acts

Kids sleepy not that active = less aggressive Researcher is alert = accurately count acts

Kids hyper = more aggressive Researcher is sleepy = count fewer acts

Violent level of IV = morning level of EV Non-violent level of IV = afternoon level of EV

Hypothesis
Prediction

based on theory Directional who is doing better Specific to experiment refer to IV (groups) and DV Participants in the violent cartoon condition will act more aggressively during free play than participants in the non-violent cartoon condition will act.

Graphs
DV

is on Y-axis Rating of Strength of Factor First IV is on X-axis participants: jewish/german Second IVs levels are listed in legend external/internal
Bar graph if IV on x-axis is non-continuous Line graph if Iv on x-axis is continuous (time

day: 6pm/8pm/9pm)

of

Replications & Extensions

Exact

(direct) replication the experiment is exactly recreated. Extension or conceptual replication most of the study is replicated but one element might be changed or another element added.

Population American Japanese Converging operations changing the way one variable is operationally defined Adding a new (theoretically interesting) variable

Valid IVs & DVs

Whether

the operational definition of your IV and DV will actually work as you expect Use something which has worked before in a past study.

Help
These

slides are on Bb My youtube channel

drwilliamashton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7JoG hAhtBA&list=TL2tFrmvO3Q_4