91Ó°ÊÓ

Tea and Divergent Creativity In a 2017 study published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, researchers investigated the effect of drinking tea on divergent creativity (Huang et al. 2017 ). Subjects were recruited from a campus Bulletin Board System and were paid a small stipend for their participation. Subjects were randomly assigned to be served either tea or water during the "greeting period" of the experiment. During the greeting period subjects filled out a background questionnaire so they were unaware that beverage was a key component in the study. Subjects were then told to build the most "attractive" building possible in a limited amount of time using a set of blocks. Independent observers then gave each building a creativity score. Read excerpts from the study results and answer the following questions. Results: A general linear model analysis showed that the creativity scores of the block buildings for the tea group (mean \(=6.54\), \(\mathrm{SD}=0.92\) ) were significantly higher than those for the water group (mean \(=6.03, \mathrm{SD}=0.94\) ) after controlling for gender and volume consumed \((p=0.023)\). a. Identify the treatment variable and the response variable. b. Was this a controlled experiment or an observational study? Explain. c. Can you conclude from that drinking tea leads to improved creativity? Why or why not?

Step by step solution

01

Identify the treatment variable and the response variable

The treatment variable is the type of beverage served during the 'greeting period' of the experiment i.e., tea or water. This is the independent variable that the researchers are changing to observe if it has an effect on the outcome. The response variable is the creativity score given to the block buildings constructed by the subjects. It is the dependent variable that the researchers are studying.

02

Determine if this is a controlled experiment or an observational study

This is a controlled experiment. The researchers actively manipulated the type of beverage given to the subjects and randomly assigned them to different groups. In an observational study, researchers would not intervene, but merely observe the subjects in their natural environment.

03

Determine if drinking tea leads to improved creativity based on the study

Given the results of this study, it can be said that drinking tea is correlated with improved creativity. However, it should be noted that correlation does not imply causation. The researchers have managed to control for some variables like gender and volume consumed, but other confounding variables maybe unaccounted for which may affect creativity. So, while it can be said that tea-drinking was associated with higher creativity scores in this study, further research would be necessary to conclusively say that drinking tea leads to improved creativity.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

• Full Textbook Solutions

  Get detailed explanations and key concepts

• Unlimited Al creation

  Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

• Ads-free access

  To over 500 millions flashcards

• Money-back guarantee

  We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!

Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Treatment Variable

In an experiment, the treatment variable is an essential component that researchers manipulate to determine its impact on another variable. It is sometimes referred to as the independent variable because it stands alone and is not influenced by the other variables the researcher is trying to measure. For instance, in the study regarding the effect of tea on creativity, the type of beverage (tea or water) is the treatment variable. Participants are given one or the other, and the researchers observe the outcome of this manipulation, measuring its influence on the subjects' creativity.

This concept is central to understanding experimental design, as it sets the stage for the cause-and-effect relationship being tested. Does tea intake actually enhance creativity, or is it merely associated with higher creativity scores? The treatment variable is the starting point for this investigation.

Response Variable

The counterpart to the treatment variable is the response variable, also known as the dependent variable. It is what the researchers measure and what may change in response to the treatment. In the given exercise, the creativity score is the response variable. After the subjects consume their assigned beverage, they construct block buildings, and the resulting creativity scores reflect how they were potentially influenced by the treatment variable.

Understanding the relationship between the treatment and response variables is key in determining the effectiveness of the intervention being studied. However, it is important to note that a change in the response variable does not necessarily mean it was caused by the treatment; other factors may be at play.

Correlation Versus Causation

One of the most important concepts in research and statistics is the distinction between correlation and causation. Correlation refers to a relationship or association between two variables, where changes in one variable correspond to changes in another. Causation, on the other hand, implies that one variable directly causes the change in the other.

In the context of the tea and creativity study, while there is a correlation between drinking tea and higher creativity scores, it cannot be definitively said that tea causes increased creativity without further investigation. Many students mix up these terms, leading to misguided interpretations of study results. Researchers must conduct careful and controlled experiments to prove causation, ruling out other potential explanations for the observed outcomes.

Experimental Design

The structure of a study and how it is carried out is referred to as its experimental design. A well-designed experiment contains elements that allow for the testing of hypotheses objectively. For example, in the tea and creativity study, the researchers used a control group (water) and a treatment group (tea) with random assignment. This randomization is a key aspect of experimental design because it helps to ensure that any observed effects on the outcome can be attributed to the treatment rather than other factors.

Other critical aspects of experimental design include control over confounding variables, ensuring reliable and valid measurements, and replicability. When students encounter experiments, appreciating the design can significantly help in understanding why results may or may not support a particular hypothesis.

Confounding Variables

A confounding variable is an external factor that can influence the outcome of an experiment without the researchers' knowledge. These variables can potentially distort the perceived relationship between the treatment and response variables. In the tea study, suppose that participants who chose to drink tea also happened to have had a better night's sleep the prior evening. If researchers did not control for sleep quality, it could be the actual cause of increased creativity, not the tea, making it a confounding variable.

Controlling for confounding variables requires careful experimental design, such as randomization and the use of control groups, to isolate the treatment's effect. When confounding variables are not controlled, they can undermine the validity of an experiment's conclusions. Understanding this concept helps differentiate between apparent correlations and genuine causation in experimental results.