Week 14 Factorial Designs
For Week 14, I would like you to apply your knowledge of factorial experimental designs. Please follow the instructions below carefully and answer all parts of the instructions.
Discussion Post Instructions: In one post, include the following information:
1) Choose two independent variables with two levels/conditions and one dependent variable that you could use in a factorial design. Clearly label which two variables are the independent variables and which is the dependent variable. These can be variables you described in prior Discussion posts, but they must be psychological in nature.
For example, you may be interested in the effects of behavioral training (independent variables) on the frequency of students’ on-task behavior in the classroom (dependent variable). Let’s say that your first independent variable is type of reinforcement; that is, how students are rewarded for on-task behavior (Independent variable 1; Level 1: Student rewarded with 5 extra minutes of recess; or Level 2: Student rewarded with a piece of candy). Let’s say that your second independent variable is the schedule of reinforcement (Independent Variable 2; Level 1: Fixed Interval (reinforcement occurs at same scheduled time) or Level 2: Variable Interval (reinforcement occurs at random times)).
2) Imagine that there is an interaction between your two independent variables. Please state that there is an interaction and indicate the nature of the interaction.
For example, lets assume that there is an interaction between type of reinforcement and schedule of reinforcement. The interaction is such that the use of candy as a reinforcer increases students’ on-task behavior, but only if the reinforcement occurs at random times (variable interval).
3) Use a piece of scrap paper to plot your interaction by placing one of your independent variables on the x-axis, your dependent variable on the y-axis, and graph your second dependent variable using different colored lines on the line graph, as seen in Chapter 12 of your textbook (e.g., Figure 12.3, 12.4, 12.5). After completing the graph, take a picture of it and paste it into the discussion post or attach it to your post. Indicate whether your interaction is a crossover interaction or a spreading interaction.
