An investigator was interested in studying the effect of taking a course in child development on attitudes toward childrearing. At the end of the semester, the researcher distributed a questionnaire to students who had taken the child development course. Questionnaires were also given to an equal number of students who had not taken the course. The students who had taken the child development course had different attitudes than the students who had not taken the course (e.g., they had more positive attitudes about having large families).
what is the independent and dependent variables?
what are the levels of independent variable?
identify one confounding variable?
3 answers
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1. Identify the independent variable(s)
- being in the child development course
2. Identify the dependent variable(s)
- the attitudes of the students
3. Identify the confounding variable(s)
- those who had taken the course (more positive attitudes)
- those who had not taken the course
- self-selection, no randomization
4. Propose a method to “unconfound” the experiment
- We should start the experiment by randomizing which students do and do not take the course. Then we should provide the questionnaire before the students have taken the child development class and then provide the same questionnaire again after they have taken the class and see if the student's attitudes have changed. Students may have certain beliefs that play a factor in their answers on the questionnaire.
- being in the child development course
2. Identify the dependent variable(s)
- the attitudes of the students
3. Identify the confounding variable(s)
- those who had taken the course (more positive attitudes)
- those who had not taken the course
- self-selection, no randomization
4. Propose a method to “unconfound” the experiment
- We should start the experiment by randomizing which students do and do not take the course. Then we should provide the questionnaire before the students have taken the child development class and then provide the same questionnaire again after they have taken the class and see if the student's attitudes have changed. Students may have certain beliefs that play a factor in their answers on the questionnaire.
Identify the independent variable(s).
Child development course
Identify the dependent variable(s).
Attitudes towards child rearing
Identify any confounding variable(s).
Possible confounding variables are each individual's experiences of family dynamic/structure that could be of influence.
Confounding can happen from those that hadn't taken the course, external life factors of influences and also those that took the child development course.
There methods for getting to the results, the questionnaire should be given to students before and after the course.
Also, what are the demographics other than both groups of students? This could be a 3rd variable that is influencing the results. By demographics meaning: race, gender, marital status, income, and employment.
Also maybe a bias of self selection .
Propose a method to "unconfound" the experiment.
I think there should be a question before the course to see what their attitudes really are, so the results can be as accurate as possible. How many attitudes changed solely from taking the course, maybe some of those people who took the course already had those positive attitudes.
Also, Since the investigator/ researcher is only surveying college students only two demographics are for sure the same, but maybe all other demographics don't need to be the same because he's not mentioning all other demographics, only narrowed down to college students.
Or instead of trying to make sure demographics are equal in both groups between the ones who took the course and one who did not. I think a type of randomized sampling would be best, and that would eliminate self selection bias.
Child development course
Identify the dependent variable(s).
Attitudes towards child rearing
Identify any confounding variable(s).
Possible confounding variables are each individual's experiences of family dynamic/structure that could be of influence.
Confounding can happen from those that hadn't taken the course, external life factors of influences and also those that took the child development course.
There methods for getting to the results, the questionnaire should be given to students before and after the course.
Also, what are the demographics other than both groups of students? This could be a 3rd variable that is influencing the results. By demographics meaning: race, gender, marital status, income, and employment.
Also maybe a bias of self selection .
Propose a method to "unconfound" the experiment.
I think there should be a question before the course to see what their attitudes really are, so the results can be as accurate as possible. How many attitudes changed solely from taking the course, maybe some of those people who took the course already had those positive attitudes.
Also, Since the investigator/ researcher is only surveying college students only two demographics are for sure the same, but maybe all other demographics don't need to be the same because he's not mentioning all other demographics, only narrowed down to college students.
Or instead of trying to make sure demographics are equal in both groups between the ones who took the course and one who did not. I think a type of randomized sampling would be best, and that would eliminate self selection bias.