1.3

Question 1

What are research aims?

Answer 1

The stated intentions of what questions are planned to be answered- what you are hoping to find out in your research

Question 2

What is an operational definition?

Answer 2

A description of a variable given in terms of how it is actually measured

Question 3

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 3

A statement which makes certain predictions about behaviour

Question 4

What is the null hypothesis?

Answer 4

The prediction that nothing will happen- there will be no change in behaviour

Question 5

What is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 5

The researcher makes it clear the sort of difference that is going to be anticipated between the 2 conditions

Question 6

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 6

States that there is a difference between conditions or groups of people but does not state the nature of the difference

Question 7

What is a one-tailed hypothesis?
And what is it the same as?

Answer 7

When hypotheses predict the direction of the results they will go in
Directional

Question 8

What is an extraneous variable?

Answer 8

Any variable other than the independent variable that may affect the dependent variable if it is not controlled

Question 9

What is a confounding variable?

Answer 9

Occurs if you fail to identify and control the extraneous variable and it affects the results

Question 10

What is an experimental design?

Answer 10

Refers to how participants are allocated to the different conditions in an experiment

Question 11

What is a significant extraneous variable?

Answer 11

Participant reactivity- participants are not passive within experiments

Question 12

What are investigator effects?

Answer 12

Any effect of the investigators behaviour on the research outcome

Question 13

What is randomisation?

Answer 13

The use of chance methods to control for the effects of unconscious bias when designing an investigation

Question 14

What is standardisation?

Answer 14

Using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for all participants

Question 15

What is experimental design?

Answer 15

How participants are allocated to the different conditions conditions

Question 16

What is independent groups?

Answer 16

Different people in each conditions e.g. one group have the experimental condition and the other has the control condition

Question 17

Strengths of independent groups?

Answer 17

Demand characteristics are less of a problem
Order effects are less of a problem

Question 18

Weaknesses of independent groups?

Answer 18

Participant variables can be a problem

Question 19

What is a repeated measure design?

Answer 19

All participants take part in all conditions of the experiment

Question 20

Strengths of repeated measures?

Answer 20

Participant variables are better controlled

Question 21

Weaknesses of repeated measures?

Answer 21

Demand characteristics may be a problem Order effects may be a problem (but can be controlled through counterbalancing)

Question 22

What is counterbalancing?

Answer 22

Trying to control for the effects of order in a repeated measures design.
Half the participants experience the conditions in one order and the other half in the opposite order

Question 23

What is matched pairs?

Answer 23

Pairs of participants have the same variables except for the dependent variable