Concepts in Practice #1: Confounds, Third Variables, and Mediators PSYC 217 (1) Soares, J. S., & Storm, B. C. (2020). Putting a negative spin on it: Using a fidget spinner can impair memory for a video lecture. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 34(1), 277-284. In Experiment 1, the researchers examined the impact of using a fidget spinner on learning and attention during a video lecture. Here is an excerpt from the Methods section: The No Spinner group was run with all participants belonging to the No Spinner condition. The Spinner and Spinner Present conditions were run together, and participants in sessions involving fidget spinners were randomly assigned to the Spinner or Spinner Present condition after all participants arrived. First, participants were seated around a conference table in front of a large television. Participants were seated such that they all had a clear view of the television as well as one another. If they belonged to the No Spinner condition, they watched the lecture as a group once all scheduled participants had arrived. Fidget spinners were not mentioned. Participants in a group with fidget spinners present were given face-down playing cards, which randomly assigned them to the Spinner and Spinner Present conditions. Once all participants arrived, they returned their playing cards and were then either provided a fidget spinner or not according to the card they received thus making it clear that whether they received a fidget spinner was determined randomly. Once fidget spinners were dispensed, participants were shown how they are typically used (by holding between the thumb and index finger of one hand and spinning with the other) but told that they could use their spinner however they liked as long as they kept it in their hands while watching the lecture, which according to the subjective observations of the experimenter they had no trouble doing. Participants were instructed to watch the lecture as they would in one of their classes and were warned beforehand that they would be tested on the lectured content. After watching the lecture, participants in the Spinner condition turned in their fidget spinners, and then all participants completed the attentional-lapses survey. When a participant completed the survey, they were given the memory test, which they were given up to 5 min to complete. Once finished, participants were given a demographic survey, debriefed, and dismissed. There were many differences "spinner" and "no spinner" conditions that could have affected the results. Identify two differences and explain whether they represent confounds, mediators, or third variables. Hint: think about why the researchers included a "spinner present" condition. TRUONG - Fall 2020
PSYC 217 (2) Buckels, E. E., Trapnell, P. D., Andjelovic, T., & Paulhus, D. L. (2019). Internet trolling and everyday sadism: Parallel effects on pain perception and moral judgment. Journal of personality, 87(2), 328- 340. In their study, the researchers studied the relationship between internet trolling and pain perception. Here is an excerpt from the Methods section: As part of the online questionnaire, participants were presented with six photographs