Sample interview questions: How do you choose appropriate variables and control conditions when designing experiments in social psychology?
Sample answer:
Appropriate Variable Selection:
- Operationalize concepts: Define abstract concepts into observable and measurable variables.
- Consider the research question: Variables should address the specific hypotheses being tested.
- Ensure variability: Choose variables that exhibit sufficient variance to detect significant effects.
- Avoid confounds: Identify potential confounding variables that could influence the dependent variable and control for their effects.
Control Conditions:
- Random assignment: Participants are randomly assigned to different experimental conditions, minimizing bias and ensuring group equivalence.
- Placebo condition: A condition that provides a control treatment that resembles the experimental condition but lacks the key active ingredient.
- No-treatment control: A condition where par… Read full answer
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