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Based on this scenario, explain how the carryover effect functions as a confounding variable in this experiment and why this makes it difficult for the researcher to draw a clear conclusion about the effectiveness of Study Technique B.
Case context: A researcher conducts a within-subjects experiment to test the effects of two study techniques on reading comprehension. All participants first use Study Technique A (which involves active recall) and then immediately use Study Technique B (which involves passive reading). The researcher finds that reading comprehension scores are significantly higher under Study Technique B. However, the researcher realizes that the active recall strategies learned in the first condition might have carried over and been applied by the participants during the passive reading condition, even though this was not the intended focus of the study.
Question: Based on this scenario, explain how the carryover effect functions as a confounding variable in this experiment and why this makes it difficult for the researcher to draw a clear conclusion about the effectiveness of Study Technique B.
Sample answer: The carryover effect functions as a confounding variable because the active recall strategies from the first condition lingered and influenced performance in the second (passive reading) condition. This makes it difficult to draw a clear conclusion because the researcher cannot determine whether the higher reading comprehension scores under Technique B were actually caused by Technique B itself or by the lingering impact of having used Technique A first.
Key points:
- Identify the lingering influence of Technique A on Technique B as the carryover effect.
- Explain that the carryover effect acts as a confounding variable in this within-subjects design.
- Describe how this confound prevents separating the effect of the independent variable (Study Technique) from the order of testing.
- Conclude that the researcher cannot determine the true effectiveness of Technique B due to this confound.
Rubric: The response should explain that the carryover of active recall strategies from the first condition (Technique A) to the second (Technique B) represents a confounding variable. It must explicitly state that this makes it impossible to distinguish whether the improved scores are due to Technique B or the lingering influence of Technique A.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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