5.6 Understanding RQs and variables
Radziun et al. (2023) compared the mean accuracy with which blind and sighted individuals could count their heartbeats over varying time periods. For the study, sighted subjects were blindfolded (p. 3). The participants were instructed (p. 4):
Without manually checking, can you silently count each heartbeat you feel in your body from the time you hear 'start' to when you hear 'stop'? Do not take your pulse or feel on your chest with your hand. You are only allowed to feel the sensation of your heart beating.
The process was repeated using time intervals of \(25\), \(30\), \(35\), \(40\), \(45\), and \(50\) seconds. The time intervals were presented in random order to the subjects (\(34\) blind; \(36\) sighted), who received no information about the length of the time interval.
Each subject was assigned a single accuracy score (from \(0\) to \(1\) (perfect accuracy)) by combining their results across the various time intervals. The study, therefore, compared the average accuracy scores blind people to sighted people.
- What type of RQ is this?
- What type of study is this?
- What are the Outcome and the response variable in this study?
- What are the Comparison and the explanatory variable in this study?
- Is there an intervention? Explain.
- Describe the response variable (e.g., qualitative nominal; quantitative discrete).
- Describe the explanatory variable (e.g., qualitative nominal; quantitative discrete).
- What graph would be used to display the relationship?
- What are the units of analysis?
- How many units of analysis are there?
- How many units of observation are there for each unit of analysis?