p80mcs1-Group Comparison Research.ppt

Group Comparison Research Causal-Comparative (Ex post facto) Research Purpose of causal comparative research Attempts to determine cause for Existing conditions Preexisting differences in groups Alleged cause and effect have already occurred Orientations Retrospective (basic): starts with an effect and seeks possible causes Prospective (variation): starts with a cause and investigates its effects on some variable Causal-comparative (ex post facto) research The independent variable (IV) is not manipulated; it has already occurred Independent variables sometimes called “attribute variables” Less costly and time-consuming to conduct Establishing cause-effect relationships is more difficult than in experiments Procedures in causal-comparative research Identify an existing condition or event (e.g., differences in socialization among 1st grade students) Look “backwards” to see what may have caused this difference/condition to occur (i.e., some attended preschool, some did not) Rule out other causal factors Sometimes confused with correlational research: Both lack manipulation of variables Both require caution in interpreting results Both can support subsequent experimental research Causal comparative vs. correlational research Causal comparative Attempts to identify cause-effect relationships At least one independent variable Two or more groups Involves a comparison Correlational No attempt to understand cause and effect Two or more variables Only one group Sometimes confused with experimental research: Both try to establish cause-effect relationships Both can test hypotheses concerning the relationship between an independent (X) and a dependent variable (Y) Both involve group comparisons Comparison to experiments Causal comparative Individuals already in groups before study begins Independent variable has already occurred Independent variable is not manipulated Cannot be Should not be Could be, but is not Experiment Individuals randomly assigned to groups (e.g., treatme