Faced with Data That Do Not Support an Assumption of Independence

question 17

Multiple Choice

Faced with data that do not support an assumption of independence between two variables in a population, a researcher should:

• A)immediately reject the assumption of independence.
• B)attribute this discrepancy to an unrepresentative sample or reject the assumption of independence.
• C)retest the data in order to confirm these initial findings.
• D)immediately assume that the sample was unrepresentative of the population.
• E)ignore the findings as incorrect and start again.

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Definitions:

Quasi-Experiment

An empirical study used to estimate the causal impact of an intervention without random assignment of participants to conditions or orders of conditions.

Self-Image

An individual's conception of themselves, often encompassing physical appearance, abilities, and personality traits.

True Experiment

A research design that includes random assignment of participants and manipulation of an independent variable to examine its effect on a dependent variable.

Confounding Variable

A variable outside of the researcher's control that might affect or provide an alternative explanation for the results in a scientific study.