Describe the differences between a correlational study and differential research
What will be an ideal response?
Although both a correlational study and differential research examine the relationship between variables, they differ in how they accomplish that. The difference between these two research strategies is that a correlational study looks directly at the two variables to determine whether they are related whereas a differential design establishes the existence of a relationship by demonstrating a difference between groups. Specifically, a differential design uses one of the two variables to create groups of participants and then measures the second variable to obtain scores within each group. If there is a consistent difference between groups, the researcher has evidence for a relationship between the two variables. A correlational study examining the same relationship would first measure the two variables for each participant, and then looks for a pattern within the set of scores. Note that the correlational study involves one group of participants with two scores for each individual. The primary focus of the correlational study is on the relationship between the two variables. The differential study involves two groups with one score for each participant. The primary focus of the differential study is on the difference between groups. However, both designs are asking the same basic question: Is there a relationship between self-esteem and academic performance?
You might also like to view...
The key difference between Gammon and others' (1982) obedience studies and Milgram's studies from the 1960s was that
a. people conform less in the 1980s than the 1960s. b. people conform more in the 1980s than the 1960s. c. Milgram's participants were alone but Gammon's were in a group. d. Milgram's participants were in a group but Gammon's were alone.
The sexual dysfunction that occurs when sexual relations are impaired because a man consistently reaches orgasm too quickly is
a. erectile difficulty. c. orgasmic difficulty. b. premature ejaculation. d. male orgasmic disorder.
The notion that sleep has survival value says sleep:
a. is an adaptive reaction to light-dark cycles b. functions to repair and restore the brain and body c. serves to consolidate memories d. need not involve dreaming
An eating disorder that is sometimes referred to as "starvation sickness" is:
A) anorexia nervosa. B) diabetes. C) binge eating disorder. D) bulimia.