Learn Before
Explain why Dr. Aris's question qualifies as a single-variable research question rather than a multi-variable one, and justify how his literature review findings support using this question as a foundation for a new empirical study.
Case context: Dr. Aris is interested in studying a psychological phenomenon known as 'phantom phone vibrations' (the sensation that one's phone is vibrating when it is not). He formulates the research question: 'How many times per day do individuals experience phantom phone vibrations?' He conducts a thorough literature review and finds that although some studies discuss phone addiction generally, no scientific research has evaluated this specific frequency inquiry.
Question: Explain why Dr. Aris's question qualifies as a single-variable research question rather than a multi-variable one, and justify how his literature review findings support using this question as a foundation for a new empirical study.
Sample answer: Dr. Aris's question qualifies as a single-variable research question because it focuses entirely on the frequency of a single measurable behavior (phantom phone vibrations) without comparing groups or examining relationships between multiple variables. His literature review supports the viability of this question because it shows that this specific single-variable inquiry has not yet been scientifically evaluated, thereby offering a strong foundation for a new empirical study to establish a baseline.
Key points:
- The question measures the frequency of a single characteristic/behavior (phantom phone vibrations).
- It does not examine relationships between multiple variables or compare different groups.
- The literature review indicates the question has not yet been scientifically evaluated.
- The lack of prior scientific evaluation makes it a strong and justifiable foundation for a new empirical study.
Rubric: A successful response must explain that the question focuses on the frequency of a single measurable variable rather than relationships between variables, and state that the lack of prior scientific evaluation in the literature makes it a strong foundation for a new empirical study.
0
1
Tags
KPU
Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
Related
A researcher asks, 'What proportion of adults in the population seeks professional treatment for depression?' What type of research question is this an example of?
A researcher wants to know, on average, how many hours per week college students spend on social media. Because this question focuses on measuring the frequency of a single behavior without comparing groups or examining relationships between variables, it qualifies as a single-variable research question.
A researcher is developing single-variable research questions for a new psychology project. Match each measurement goal with the specific question that correctly applies a single-variable focus to that goal.
A researcher is studying 'memory for traumatic events.' Analyze the following research questions and arrange them in order, starting with the most isolated single-variable inquiry and ending with the most complex multi-variable relationship.
When a researcher conceptualizes a psychological characteristic as a single measurable variable, what two dimensions of that variable does a single-variable research question focus on measuring?
A psychologist notices that while many studies examine how stress affects the accuracy of traumatic memories, no scientific research has established a basic descriptive baseline of how accurate these memories are in general. Why would the researcher choose to first conduct a study focused on this single-variable question?
A researcher argues that 'How accurate are individuals' memories of traumatic events?' qualifies as a single-variable research question because it focuses entirely on the _____ of one measurable characteristic, rather than examining how that characteristic relates to other variables.
A clinical psychologist reviews the literature and finds no scientific evaluations of the percentage of adults who seek professional therapy for nightmares. If the psychologist designs a study to measure only this specific percentage, they have formulated a single-variable research question focused on frequency that can serve as a foundation for a new empirical study.
Match each of the following single-variable research questions with the specific dimension (frequency or intensity/degree of a psychological characteristic or behavior) it analyzes.
A researcher wishes to evaluate whether their proposed question, 'How many times per day do individuals experience phantom phone vibrations?', provides a strong foundation for a new study. To determine if this isolated, single-variable inquiry has not yet been scientifically evaluated, the researcher must conduct a comprehensive _____.
According to the provided text, when a researcher conceptualizes a specific behavior or psychological characteristic as a single measurable variable, what dimensions of this variable do they focus on? Additionally, list the three concrete examples of single-variable research questions mentioned in the text.
Explain why Dr. Aris's question qualifies as a single-variable research question rather than a multi-variable one, and justify how his literature review findings support using this question as a foundation for a new empirical study.
A researcher wants to study the psychological characteristic of academic procrastination. Apply the concepts of single-variable research questions to formulate one original research question focusing on procrastination, and explicitly state whether your question measures its frequency or its intensity.