Operational Definition

Exemplar Study: Do Graphic Warnings Make Cigarettes Less Cool? (Mixed Design)

This study examined the effectiveness of graphic warnings (i.e., pictures) for reducing the appeal of tobacco products. In the study, researchers exposed smokers and nonsmokers to combinations of large versus small warning labels and the inclusion versus omission of graphic pictures on three types of tobacco products. For the within-subjects component, each participant saw advertisements […]

Exemplar Study: Do Graphic Warnings Make Cigarettes Less Cool? (Mixed Design) Read More »

Exemplar Study: Does Cuteness Make Us Careful? (Mixed Design)

This article examined how the perception of cuteness influences behavioral carefulness, enhancing people’s ability to care for infants. While researchers took physiological measures of heart activity and skin conductance, they exposed participants to a slide show of pictures of either infant animals (kittens and puppies) previously judged as very cute or adult animals (cats and

Exemplar Study: Does Cuteness Make Us Careful? (Mixed Design) Read More »

Exemplar Study: Can You Accurately Judge Romantic Interest? (Mixed Design)

This study sought to determine whether a third party could discern romantic interest between two strangers. To test this, male and female observers watched video clips of speed-dating situations to determine the individual speed dater’s level of romantic interest toward the speed-dating partner. Participants observed clips of different lengths (10 vs. 30 s), and from

Exemplar Study: Can You Accurately Judge Romantic Interest? (Mixed Design) Read More »

Exemplar Study: Texting to Ostracize (Factorial Design)

This study sought to determine if a woman’s appearance influences perceptions of her ability to perform a job. Undergraduates rated photographs of women as part of a 2 (Career: office assistant vs. CEO ) X 2 (Appearance: professional attire vs. sexual attire) design. Participants rated photos along several dimensions such as grade point average, organizational

Exemplar Study: Texting to Ostracize (Factorial Design) Read More »

Exemplar Study: How Does Attire Influence Perceptions of Women in the Workplace? (Factorial Design)

This study sought to determine if a woman’s appearance influences perceptions of her ability to perform a job. Undergraduates rated photographs of women as part of a 2 (Career: office assistant vs. CEO ) X 2 (Appearance: professional attire vs. sexual attire) design. Participants rated photos along several dimensions such as grade point average, organizational

Exemplar Study: How Does Attire Influence Perceptions of Women in the Workplace? (Factorial Design) Read More »

Exemplar Study: Can Using Obscenities Make You More Persuasive? (Multigroup Design)

This multigroup experiment examined the use of an obscenity on thepersuasiveness of a pro-attitudinal message and on perceptions of thecommunicator. Participants watched one of three versions of a video inwhich the speaker advocated lowering tuition at another university. In thefirst version, the speaker used the word “damn” at the beginning of themessage. In the second

Exemplar Study: Can Using Obscenities Make You More Persuasive? (Multigroup Design) Read More »

Exemplar Study: Social Exclusion and Prosocial Behavior (Multigroup Design)

This article indicated that being excluded from social groups leads todecreases in prosocial behavior. Participants received either no feedback on apersonality measure or one of three types of false feedback that indicated afuture full of rewarding relationships, loneliness, or unfortunate accidents.Participants receiving the social exclusion feedback were unwilling tovolunteer for further lab experiments and, after

Exemplar Study: Social Exclusion and Prosocial Behavior (Multigroup Design) Read More »

Exemplar Study: Tipping in Restaurants (Two-group Design/Simple Experiment)

To evaluate the effect that a helpful message from a server might have on restaurant tips, the server either wrote a message about an upcoming dinner special on the back of the dining check or left it blank. Dining parties who received a check with the helpful message tipped a higher percentage of the final

Exemplar Study: Tipping in Restaurants (Two-group Design/Simple Experiment) Read More »

Practice: Having Fun with Operational Definitions

One of the challenges instructors face when discussing conceptual and operational definitions of variables is helping students to understand that the operational definition of a variable involves measuring the variable in a concrete, quantitative manner. The practice activity asks students to identify the relevant variables of interest and then suggest ways that these variables can

Practice: Having Fun with Operational Definitions Read More »

Lecture Slides: Measuring Dependent Variables

This  lecture introduces students to several different ways of measuring   behavior as the dependent variable.  Several types of behavioral measures are shown, including: behavioral trace, behavioral observation, and behavioral choice. The goal of this lecture is to get students to see other types of measuring DVs, aside from self-report. This starts with a quick overview

Lecture Slides: Measuring Dependent Variables Read More »

Lecture Slides: Manipulating Independent Variables

This  lecture introduces students to several different ways of manipulating independent variables. Some techniques covered include: mock Facebook profiles, priming, having participants count money, and viewing cute pictures. The goal of this lecture is to get students to see a variety of ways that researchers can manipulate IVs. Each example provides the citation for the

Lecture Slides: Manipulating Independent Variables Read More »

Stats in Everyday Life: Z-scores and the Top 20 Athletes Ever

“Top” lists of anything are always popular because people want to see how the list compares to their own beliefs. Readers then get to debate the merits of who was included or excluded. When it comes to a diverse group such as athletes, it can be difficult to compare across sports. Please click here for

Stats in Everyday Life: Z-scores and the Top 20 Athletes Ever Read More »

Exemplar Study: Smells Like Clean Spirit (Two-group Design/Simple Experiment)

In three studies, the authors examined unconscious influence of smell on behavior. Study 3 used a two-group design to examine the direct effect of citrus scent (exposed vs. nonexposed) on cleaning-related behaviors. The judges recorded the frequency of participants’ crumb removal while eating. Holland, R. W., Hendriks, M., & Aarts, H. (2005). Smells like clean

Exemplar Study: Smells Like Clean Spirit (Two-group Design/Simple Experiment) Read More »