Research Design & Methodology Flashcards

A researcher combines results from 40 independent studies on the same topic to estimate an overall effect size. This is:

Answer: Meta-analysis

Meta-analysis statistically combines effect sizes from multiple independent studies to produce a pooled estimate.

Regression to the mean is most likely to threaten internal validity when:

Answer: Participants are selected because of extreme scores

When participants are chosen for extreme scores, their follow-up scores naturally tend toward the average, mimicking a treatment effect.

Which ethical principle requires that participation in research be voluntary and based on full disclosure of risks?

Answer: Informed consent

Informed consent ensures participants voluntarily agree to participate after receiving adequate information about the study's risks and benefits.

A quasi-experimental design differs from a true experiment primarily because it:

Answer: Lacks random assignment of participants to conditions

Quasi-experiments lack random assignment, making it harder to rule out selection bias as an alternative explanation.

Face validity refers to:

Answer: The degree to which an instrument appears to measure what it is intended to measure

Face validity is the subjective judgment that a measure looks relevant and appropriate on its surface.

In stratified random sampling, strata are formed based on:

Answer: Key characteristics expected to relate to the outcome

Strata are created using characteristics (e.g., age, gender) that may influence the variable being studied to ensure proportional representation.

The concept of 'ecological validity' refers to the extent to which research findings:

Answer: Generalize to real-world settings beyond the study

Ecological validity concerns whether study conditions and findings reflect and transfer to everyday, real-world environments.