In The Article On Cigarette Smoking On College Campuses ✓ Solved

In The Article On Cigarette Smoking On College Campuses By Lee Ra

Identify the explanatory and criterion variables in the article by Lee, Ranney, and Goldstein (2013) that discusses cigarette butts near building entrances and the impact of smoke-free college campus policies.

Additionally, for each of the three experiments provided, determine:

• a) The independent variable
• b) The dependent variable
• c) The extraneous variable
• d) How the experimenter might control for each extraneous variable

Sample Paper For Above instruction

In the study conducted by Lee, Ranney, and Goldstein (2013), the primary focus was on understanding the impact of smoke-free policies on cigarette butt litter near college campus entrances. The explanatory variable in this research was the implementation of smoke-free campus policies, as it was manipulated or categorized to assess its influence. The criterion variable was the amount or presence of cigarette butts near building entrances, serving as an indicator of smoking behavior or littering patterns. This design aimed to evaluate whether smoke-free policies effectively reduce visible cigarette waste, reflecting broader behavioral changes among students and staff.

Turning to the experiments, each involves different variables and potential extraneous influences. In Experiment #1, a developmental psychologist investigates whether exposure to public television enhances children's reading skills. The independent variable here is the exposure to public television—whether children watch educational programs or not. The dependent variable is the children's reading skills, measured through standardized reading tests or assessments. An extraneous variable could be the children's baseline reading abilities; some children may already have advanced reading skills before the experiment. To control for this, the researcher could match participants based on their initial reading levels or randomly assign children to groups to balance these differences.

In Experiment #2, a forensic psychologist examines whether exposure to TV crime dramas influences individuals' attitudes about DNA evidence. The independent variable is the type of exposure, i.e., whether participants watch a CSI-style clip or not. The dependent variable is the attitudes towards DNA evidence, which might be assessed through questionnaires. An extraneous variable includes prior familiarity with crime dramas; some participants may frequently watch CSI and others may never have seen it. Controlling for this could involve screening participants for prior exposure and randomly assigning them to groups to minimize pre-existing attitude differences.

In Experiment #3, a clinical psychologist tests if a new antidepressant reduces suicidal thoughts better than current medications. The independent variable is the type of drug administered—new antidepressant versus existing drugs. The dependent variable is the level of suicidal thoughts, measured through clinical scales or interviews. An extraneous variable is the presence of substance abuse, such as methamphetamine use, which correlates with higher suicidal thoughts. To control for this, researchers could screen participants for substance abuse history and exclude users or match participants based on their substance use history to eliminate confounding effects.

In conclusion, understanding the variables involved in behavioral experiments is crucial for accurate interpretation. Proper identification of independent, dependent, and extraneous variables enables researchers to design studies that effectively isolate causal relationships and minimize confounding influences, thereby enhancing the validity of their findings.

References

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