What Is an Experiment?

What is an Experiment?

Instructions: Answer the following questions.

In experiments, what is the name of the variable that when manipulated causes a change to the other variable?

In experiments, what is the name of the variable thought to be affected by the manipulation of the independent variable?

Why is it important for the experimental and control groups to be alike in every way except for the different treatment they receive?

What dilemma occurs for the researcher when an extraneous variable is confounded with an independent variable?

What is advantageous about using the same subjects for the experimental and control groups?

What does it mean for the subjects in the research to be a “representative sample” of the population?

Why are placebos used in research, particularly research done on the effectiveness of new medicines?

How does the phenomenon known social desirability bias influence the results of subjects who are providing self-report data?

How does the double-blind procedure minimize the problems associated with experimenter bias?

Instructions: Read the following examples and answer the questions:

Lawrence thinks that a special juice will increase the productivity of workers. He creates two groups of 50 workers each and assigns each group the same task (in this case, they're supposed to staple a set of papers). Group A is given the special juice to drink while they work. Group B is not given the special juice. After an hour, Lawrence counts how many stacks of papers each group has made. Group A made 1,587 stacks, Group B made 2,113 stacks.
Identify the
Control Group
Independent variable
Dependent variable
What should his conclusion be?

Keith believes that mice exposed to radio waves will become extra strong. He decides to perform this experiment by placing 10 mice near a radio for 5 hours. He compared these 10 mice to another 10 mice that had not been exposed. His test consisted of a heavy block of wood that blocked the mouse food. He found that 8 out of 10 of the radio waved mice were able to push the block away. 7 out of 10 of the other mice were able to do the same.
Identify the –
Control Group
Independent variable
Dependent variable
What should his conclusion be?
How could his experiment be improved?

Instructions: Choose TWO of the hypotheses given. Design an experiment for testing each one. Then answer the questions on a separate piece of paper.

If you are blonde you are less intelligent than brunettes or redheads.
If children watch violent movies, they will become violent.
Children who drink coffee will have their growth stunted.
If you wear tennis shoes your feet will stink.
Sleep deprivation negatively affects one’s performance.
If you are given fake medicine without the knowledge that it is fake, you will believe you feel better.
If given the choice between unhealthy and healthy food item, kids will choose unhealthy foods.
If you watch educational shows, you will be smarter.
If school started later (9:00), there would be significantly less tardies.
Eating breakfast will help you perform better in school.
Less TV you watch, the higher your IQ will be.
Listening to IPod in class would improve student’s work ethic.
If you live in a cabin, you are more likely to develop a psychological disorder.
If kids did not have recess, they would perform worse in school.
The more TV you watch the worse your eyesight will be.
Dark colors make you sadder than light colors.
If you read books, you will have a higher GPA.
If students had Mondays off, they would make better grades.
If you could make your own class schedule, you would be less likely to skip.
The nicer a girl dresses, the more guys will approach her.

Questions for the experiments: