CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH
PPA 696--RESEARCH METHODS
BINGHAM & FELBINGER CH. 3
  1. BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
    1. Author: R. E. Lana & D. J. King
    1. Title: Learning Factors as Determinants of Pre-test Sensitization
    1. Source: Journal of Applied Psychology, 44(3), 1960:189-91.

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  1. SUMMARY OF THE RESEARCH
    1. PROBLEM STATEMENT:
How much does a pre-test influence scores on the post-test?
    1. BACKGROUND:
If a pre-test involves learning, it will act to sensitize the subject to the treatment and produce different outcomes on the dependent variable than for those not pre-tested.
    1. HYPOTHESIS:
Students taking a pre-test will score higher on recall than students not taking a pre-test.
    1. MEASUREMENT OF VARIABLES
      1. Dependent variable: score on recall
      1. Independent variable(s): seeing a film
      1. Control variable(s): administration of a pre-test
    1. RESEARCH DESIGN:
A true experimental design using Solomon Four-Group Design
Group Hear story T1 Recall Film T2 Recall
G-1 yes O1  X O2
G-2 yes X O2
G-3 yes O1 O2
G-4 yes  O2
 
    1. SAMPLING:
70 male students from introductory psychology courses
    1. INSTRUMENTATION:
Counts of the number of "idea units" present in each recall
    1. DATA COLLECTION/ETHICS:
Students write summaries of the story on paper
    1. DATA ANALYSIS:
Analysis of variance found that only the effect for the pre-test was significantly related to final differences between the groups
    1. CONCLUSIONS:
A pre-test that involves learning sensitizes subjects to the treatment and affects their score on the post-test. This may be applicable for training courses in public administration.
  1. CRITIQUE
    1. Possible Threats to Internal Validity
      1. History:
controlled by multiple control groups
      1. Maturation:
not enough time elapsed; not a concern
      1. Testing:
the purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of administering a pre-test; the pre-test did influence the scores on the post-test;
      1. Instrumentation:
no change in instrumentation; may be some subjective elements in identifying "idea units"
      1. Regression Artifact:
no differences between groups on the pre-test; no extreme scores; not a concern
      1. Selection bias:
biases controlled by random selection and assignment to groups.
      1. Experimental Mortality:
No drop-outs were reported; short time period of study;
      1. Design contamination:
Possibility of interaction among the students during the 12-day interval between the pre-test and the post-test;
    1. Possible Threats to External Validity
      1. unique program features:
none
      1. experimental arrangements:
arrangements were part of normal course work
      1. other threats:
Only male students were selected; only college-age psychology students; may have limited applicability to other groups.