/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 57 Use the following information to... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91影视

91影视

Log out

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 1: Problem 57

Use the following information to answer. The paper "Turning to Learn: Screen Orientation and Reasoning from Small Devices" (Computers in Human Behavior [2011]: \(793-797\) ) describes a study that investigated whether cell phones with small screens are useful for gathering information. The researchers wondered if the ability to reason using information read on a small screen was affected by the screen orientation. The researchers assigned 33 undergraduate students who were enrolled in a psychology course at a large public university to one of two groups at random. One group read material that was displayed on a small screen in portrait orientation, and the other group read material on the same size screen but turned to display the information in landscape orientation (see the following figure). Did the study use random selection from some population?

Short Answer

Expert verified
No, the study did not use random selection from some population. The researchers selected students from a psychology course, not from the larger population of all students or individuals. However, within this specific group, they used random assignment to their two study groups.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the scenario

Here, the researchers assigned 33 undergraduate students who were enrolled in a psychology course at a large public university to one of two groups at random.
02

Define random selection

Random selection refers to a process where subjects are selected randomly from a larger population, giving each individual an equal chance of being selected.
03

Analyze the method of selection in the study

The description explains that students from a psychology course were selected for the study and randomly assigned to groups. This indicates that while assignment to groups was random, the selection of students from a larger population (i.e., all students, not just those in a psychology course) was not random.

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 91影视!

Key Concepts

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

Random Assignment
Random assignment is a critical concept in experimental design. In this process, participants are distributed into different groups purely by chance. This method ensures that each participant has an equal opportunity to be placed in any group, helping eliminate selection bias. In our study's context, 33 students were split into two groups randomly. This ensured that each group could be compared fairly, as any differences in performance would more likely be attributed to the experimental conditions rather than existing differences between participants. By utilizing random assignment, the researchers strengthened the internal validity of their study, allowing for more reliable conclusions about the effect of screen orientation on reasoning.
Screen Orientation
Screen orientation refers to the way screen content is displayed, either vertically (portrait) or horizontally (landscape). This study explored whether these orientations affect cognitive abilities, such as reasoning from information read on small screens. By comparing groups that read in different orientations, researchers could observe any impact this variable had on the participants' performance.
Understanding screen orientation is important in design because it can influence user interaction and perception. For small device screens, this might affect readability, comprehension, and potentially, decision-making. By focusing on how different orientations impact reasoning, the study aimed to illuminate the best practices for content presentation on small screens.
Experimental Design
Experimental design is the blueprint for conducting a study to test hypotheses. It involves planning how to assign subjects, control variables, and measure outcomes. A well-designed experiment is crucial for establishing cause-and-effect relationships.
In the described study, an experimental design was implemented to investigate the influence of screen orientation on reasoning. The experiment involved clearly defining independent variables (screen orientation - portrait versus landscape) and dependent variables (reasoning performance).
By using controlled variables in a structured environment, the researchers could isolate the effect of screen orientation. Thus, the experimental design provided an organized method to assess the impact of the screen orientation on the participants' ability to process information, while minimizing confounding variables.

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

In 2000 , the chairman of a California ballot initiative campaign to add "none of the above" to the list of ballot options in all candidate races was quite critical of a Field poll that showed his measure trailing by 10 percentage points. The poll was based on a random sample of 1,000 registered voters in California. He is quoted by the Associated Press (January 30,2000 ) as saying, "Field's sample in that poll equates to one out of 17,505 voters." This was so dishonest, he added, that Field should get out of the polling business! If you worked on the Field poll, how would you respond to this criticism?

The article "Super Bowls: Serving Bowl Size and Food Consumption" (Journal of the American Medical Association [2005]: 1727-1728) describes an experiment investigating how the size of serving bowls influences the amount a person eats. In this experiment, graduate students at a university were recruited to attend a Super Bowl party. The paper states that as the students arrived, they were "led in an alternating order to one of two identical buffet tables on opposite sides of an adjoining room. The tables had identical amounts of snacks, such as nuts, pretzels, and chips. All of the snacks contained approximately the same number of calories per gram. On one of the tables the snacks were set out in large serving bowls and on the second table the snacks were set out in smaller serving bowls. The students were given a plate and invited to serve themselves before going to another room to watch the game. When they arrived at the game room, their plates were weighed and the number of calories in the food on the plate was estimated." The researchers concluded that serving bowl size does make a difference, with those using large serving bowls tending to take more food. a. Do you think that the alternate assignment to the experimental groups (large serving bowls, small serving bowls) based on arrival time is "close enough" to random assignment? That is, do you think it would tend to create comparable experimental groups? b. In this study, the research assistant who weighed the plates and estimated the calorie content of the food on the plate was blinded as to which experimental group the plate belonged to and was also blinded as to the purpose of the experiment. Why do you think the researchers chose to incorporate this type of blinding?

The authors of the paper "Fudging the Numbers: Distributing Chocolate Influences Student Evaluations of an Undergraduate Course" (Teaching in Psychology [2007]: \(245-247\) ) carried out a study to see if events unrelated to an undergraduate course could affect student evaluations. Students enrolled in statistics courses taught by the same instructor participated in the study. All students attended the same lectures and one of six discussion sections that met once a week. At the end of the course, the researchers chose three of the discussion sections to be the "chocolate group." Students in these three sections were offered chocolate prior to having them fill out course evaluations. Students in the other three sections were not offered chocolate. The researchers concluded that "Overall, students offered chocolate gave more positive evaluations than students not offered chocolate." Indicate whether the study is an observational study or an experiment. Give a brief explanation for your choice.

The article "l'd Like to Buy a Vowel, Drivers Say" (USA Today, August 7,2001 ) speculates that young people prefer automobile names that consist of just numbers and letters and that do not form a word (such as Hyundai's \(\mathrm{XG} 300\), Mazda's \(626,\) and BMW's \(325 \mathrm{i}\) ). The article goes on to state that Hyundai had planned to identify the car that was eventually marketed as the XG300 with the name Concerto, until they determined that consumers hated it and thought that XG300 sounded more "technical" and deserving of a higher price. Do the students at your school feel the same way? Suppose that a list of all the students at your school is available. Describe how you would use the list to select a simple random sample of 150 students. (Hint: see discussion on page 14 on selecting a random sample)

The article "Display of Health Risk Behaviors on MySpace by Adolescents" (Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine [2009]: \(27-34\) ) described a study in which researchers looked at a random sample of 500 publicly accessible MySpace web profiles posted by 18-year-olds. The content of each profile was analyzed. One of the conclusions reported was that displaying sport or hobby involvement was associated with decreased references to risky behavior (sexual references or references to substance abuse or violence). a. Is it reasonable to generalize the stated conclusion to all 18-year-olds with a publicly accessible MySpace web profile? What aspect of the study supports your answer? b. Not all MySpace users have a publicly accessible profile. Is it reasonable to generalize the stated conclusion to all 18-year-old MySpace users? Explain. c. Is it reasonable to generalize the stated conclusion to all MySpace users with a publicly accessible profile? Explain.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Math Textbooks

Decision Maths

Read Explanation

Geometry

Read Explanation

Probability and Statistics

Read Explanation

Mechanics Maths

Read Explanation

Pure Maths

Read Explanation

Discrete Mathematics

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.