Case Study

Based on the provided case, explain how the researcher should construct their factorial design table. Detail what the columns, rows, and cells will represent, and specify the exact experimental conditions that will occupy the cells.

Case context: A researcher is designing a study to investigate the effects of cell phone use (using a cell phone vs. not using a cell phone) and time of day (day vs. night) on driving ability. To map out the experimental conditions, they decide to create a 2×22 \times 2 factorial design table.

Question: Based on the provided case, explain how the researcher should construct their factorial design table. Detail what the columns, rows, and cells will represent, and specify the exact experimental conditions that will occupy the cells.

Sample answer: To construct the factorial design table, the researcher should assign the levels of one independent variable to the columns and the levels of the other to the rows. For instance, the columns can represent cell phone use (using a cell phone vs. not using a cell phone) and the rows can represent the time of day (day vs. night). The intersection of these rows and columns forms four cells, which represent the four experimental conditions: (1) using a cell phone during the day, (2) not using a cell phone during the day, (3) using a cell phone at night, and (4) not using a cell phone at night. Each cell thus represents a unique combination of the levels of both independent variables.

Key points:

  • Designate columns for the levels of one variable (e.g., cell phone use) and rows for the levels of the other (e.g., time of day).
  • Understand that the cells represent the combinations of the independent variables' levels.
  • Identify the four specific conditions: cell phone/day, no cell phone/day, cell phone/night, and no cell phone/night.

Rubric: The response must explain how independent variable levels map to columns and rows, and describe how cells represent the intersection of these levels. It must also list all four specific experimental conditions: using a cell phone during the day, not using a cell phone during the day, using a cell phone at night, and not using a cell phone at night.

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Updated 2026-05-27

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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