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Define a carryover effect and explain why it can pose a problem as a confounding variable in psychological research when it is not the primary focus of a study.
Question: Define a carryover effect and explain why it can pose a problem as a confounding variable in psychological research when it is not the primary focus of a study.
Sample answer: A carryover effect is a type of order effect that occurs when a participant's behavior or response in one experimental condition is directly influenced by having been tested in a prior condition. When not the focus of research, carryover effects are problematic because they act as confounding variables, making it difficult to determine whether changes in the dependent variable are due to the independent variable or the lingering impact of previous conditions.
Key points:
- Define carryover effect as behavior in one condition influenced by a prior condition.
- Identify it as a type of order effect.
- Explain that it can act as a confounding variable.
- Describe the threat to internal validity (making it difficult to isolate the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable).
Rubric: Students should receive full credit if they define a carryover effect as behavior in one condition being influenced by a prior condition, and explain that it acts as a confounding variable which makes it difficult to determine if changes in the dependent variable are due to the independent variable or the lingering impact of previous conditions.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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