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BTM8106-8-1 Jackson (2012) Even-Numbered Chapter Exercises

A structured set of exercises on business research methods.

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    BTM8106 - 8 - 1 1 BTM8106 - 8 - 1 JACKSON (2012) EVEN - NUMBERED CHAPTER EXERCISES (P. 244). 2. What possible confounds can you identify in this study ? A confound is defined as “an uncontrolled extraneous variable or flaw in an experiment” (Jackson, 2012, p. 229). In this particular study, 21 participants withdrew from the study, and 85% of the remaining 29 participants reported improvements. Although “improved” is implied to mean less depressed, the influence of the therapy cannot be directly detected. The confounding variable in this study aims to link the independent variable (therapy) with the independent variable (improvements). 4. What are internal validity and external validity, and why are they so important to researchers? Internal validity is defined as the accuracy of conclusions about cause and effect (Cozby & Bates, 2012). Studies with high internal validity indicate a change in one variable has an effect on another. E xternal validity , as noted by Trochim and Donnelly ( 2008), external validity “is the degree to which the conclusions in your study would hold for other persons in other places and at other times ” ( p.34) . Some suggest that findings obtained in laboratory tests may not work in practice (Guthrie, 2010). Based on that assumption, Cozby and Bates (2012) question whether the results of a study can be duplicated with other operation al definitions of the variables; definitions of a variable that are difficult to manifest in the “real” world (Leedy & Ormrod, 2013). Additionally, res earchers must question whether the same results would be produced with different participants and in different settings. 6. What are the similarities and differences between within - subjects and matched - subjects designs?

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    BTM8106 - 8 - 1 2 W ithin - subjects participants are exposed to all experimental conditions and act as their own control, being tested under each experimental condition. Essentially, the conditi on scores are correlational; that is, scores from one condition are related to scores of another. Since the same participant is present under each condition, their response under one condition may explain how they respond to another. I f differences between the conditions are noted , it may be a result of confounding effects of a particul ar condition upon other conditions , not necessarily the manipulation of an independent variable. Therefore, these sequencing effects must be controlled. M atched - subjects participants require researchers to capitalize on ind ependent variable manipulations, especially when manipulations cause sequencing effects. Participants should be matched on relevant variables. A variable is relevant if it a ffects the dependent variable. That is, important variables on which to match are variables that are strongly related to performance on the dependent measures. Both designs have a sensitivity to small differences between conditions because the groups are equal , and the samples are smaller. Matched - subject designs do not suffer from carry - over effects (something that subjects carry from one condition to another; such as drug effects). Finding an individual who equally matches someone else on a specific variable can be problematic. The Logic of Experimental Design 1. What is the purpose of conducting an experiment? How does an experimental design accomplish its purpose ? This approach requires a researcher to manipulate an independent variable while observing the effect it has on a dependent variable. Guthrie (2010) states experimental designs use samples to identify cause - and - effect while Leedy and Ormrod (2013) contend that certain

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