1) Researchers would have more than two levels of the independent variable in an experiment because it would provide more information about the relationship between independent and dependent variables, such as a positive monotonic relationship. More than two levels of the independent variable would also detect a curvilinear relationship if one existed between the independent and dependent variables. Lastly, researchers use more than two levels of the independent variable because they are interested in studying more than two groups.
2) Factorial designs are more representative of real-world conditions because they are designs that take into account more than one independent variable. In real-world conditions, independent variables do not occur
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The participant variable (PV) would be the age groups, 10 and 20 years old. The dependent variable would be the attention span. The time spent reading depends on the age group of the participant.
4) In order to identify the number of conditions in a factorial design, one needs to know the number of independent variables as well as the number of levels within each independent variable. For example, an experiment consists of two independent variables with the first independent variable having two levels, and the second independent variable having three levels. It would result in a 2x3 factorial design. The levels are then multiplied to get the exact number of conditions in the factorial design. A 2x3 factorial design would have six conditions.
5) An example of a 2x2 factorial design would be the attractiveness of a person, attractive vs. unattractive, and the age of the interviewer, late 20's vs. late 40's. The dependent variable would be the likelihood of being hired. In a 3x3 factorial design both independent variables would have to have an extra level. The attractiveness of a person becomes three levels, attractive, average, and unattractive. The age of the interviewer also gets three levels, late 20's, late 30's, and late 40's. In the 2x2 factorial design there will be four conditions, and in the 3x3 there will be six