Questions to be answered:

1. What were the variables in this research? Draw a box-and-arrow diagram to represent the researchers' framework, and make sure to identify the role of each variable (e.g., independent, dependent, mediating, moderating).

2. What was the research design used? Explain the rationale for your choice.

3. Is selection effect, experimenter effect, or subject effect a threat to the internal validity of this study? Why or why not?

4. What are the levels of measurement for each of the variables in this study? Explain your reasoning.

5. Is inter-rater reliability an issue in this research? Why or why not?

6. Which statistical analysis technique should have been used to test the relation between the independent and dependent variables? Explain the reasoning for your choice.

7. Do you have any ethical concerns about this research? Why or why not?

Article: Casual Attire at Work

Does wearing casual clothing to work encourage more physical activity in the workplace? Researchers recruited 106 individuals, including men and women, who worked in a variety of fields, some of whom wore formal business attire at work and others who dressed casually. The participants volunteered to wear a pedometer (a device that counts the number of steps a person takes based on their movements) and their steps were totalled at the end of each day. Participants also volunteered to send a picture of their work attire so that researchers could assess if they dressed casually or formally. At the end of two weeks- Physical activity in the workplace was higher for workers who wore casual clothing than for those who dressed formally. There was an 8% increase in physical activity for those who were dressed casually.

Interestingly, researchers found men and women had the same number of extra steps if they wore causal clothes as compared to if they dressed formally. The researchers urged employers to loosen up their dress code to help employees be more active.