The current set of three studies further evaluates the validity and application of the Psychological Research Inventory of Concepts (PRIC). In Study 1, we administered the PRIC to a sample of introductory psychology students and online (Mechanical Turk) participants along with measures assessing theoretically related concepts. We found evidence of…

"Mythbusters" uses multiple research methods to test interesting topics, offering research methods students an entertaining review of course material. To test the effectiveness of "Mythbusters" clips in a psychology research methods course, we systematically selected and showed 4 clips. Students answered questions about the clips, offered their…

In a well-designed experiment, random assignment of participants to treatments makes causal inference straightforward. However, if participants are not randomized (as in observational study, quasi-experiment, or nonequivalent control-group designs), group comparisons may be biased by confounders that influence both the outcome and the alleged…

The purpose of the experiment was to ascertain whether the duration of the spiral illusion could be extended by a 'learning procedure' which would distinguish a longer-term learning effect from short-term adaptive changes due to inhibition. (Author)

The concept of control is fundamental to comparative research. In research designs where randomization of observational units is not possible, control has been exercised statistically from a single covariate by a process of residualization. The alternative, known as subclassification on the propensity score, was developed primarily for…

The Pearson product moment (P.M.) correlation ("r") and four of its most widely used variations--the phi, the rho, the biserial, and the point-biserial coefficients--are reviewed. Using small data sets between one and nine, the conditions under which the various forms are restricted in power and robustness are explored. Seven sample data…

Hypothesizes that psychologists would give higher IQ estimates (1) to black and to Mexican-American children than to white children; (2) to lower-class than to middle-class children; and (3) to profiles with much scatter than to profiles with limited scatter. (Author/RK)

Validation issues that arise with measures of constructs and behavior are addressed with reference to general reasons for using assessment procedures in clinical psychology. A distinction is made between the representational phase of validity assessment and the elaborative validity phase in which the meaning and utility of scores are examined.…