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Psychology SL IB 2020-22 > 1b. Quantitative research methods > Flashcards

1b. Quantitative research methods Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the goal of an experiment?

A

To determine a cause and effect relationship between two variables

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2
Q

Confounding/extraneous variables

A

They contribute to bias as they could potentially influence relationship.

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3
Q

How do you control confounding variables?

A

They are eliminated or kept constant

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4
Q

Lab/True experiment

A

When independent variable is manipulated to study effect on dependent variable

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5
Q

Characteristics of lab experiments

A
  • High degree of control/standardized
  • Cause-and-effect is established
  • Random allocation to remove demand characteristics
  • Quantitative data is collected
  • May not be realistic if there is too many confounding variables
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6
Q

Field experiment

A

Studies that occur outside lab conditions

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7
Q

Characteristics of field experiments

A
  • Cannot control confounding variables
  • Cannot be easily replicated
  • High ecological validity
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8
Q

Quasi experiment

A

IV is not manipulated. They are naturally pre-existing differences like age, gender, ethnicity

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9
Q

Characteristics of quasi experiments

A
  • No cause and effect established
  • Participants are not randomly allocated
  • Setting can be lab or field
  • Implies casual relationship
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10
Q

Natural experiment

A

Behavior is measured before and after a variable is introduced eg. behavior of smokers after cigarettes were banned

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11
Q

Characteristics of natural experiments

A
  • No cause and effect established
  • Participants are not randomly allocated
  • Setting can be lab or field
  • Implies casual relationship
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12
Q

Hypothesis

A

Prediction of how IV will affect DV

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13
Q

Null hypothesis

A

States there is no significant difference i.e. no relationship between IV and DV

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14
Q

Experimental hypothesis + types

A

Predicts a relationship between IV and DV

  • One tailed: Direction of relationship is specified
  • Two tailed: No direction specified
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15
Q

Difference between aim and hypothesis

A
  • Aim is just IV, DV and target population

- Hypotheses includes operationalized IV and DV

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16
Q

What are limitations of experiments

A
  • Artificial set-up
  • May not reflect real life
  • May lack ecological validity
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17
Q

What are the 3 sources of bias or error?

A
  1. Participant
  2. Researcher
  3. Sampling
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18
Q

Demand characteristics

A

Occur when participants act differently because they know they’re in a study

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19
Q

Expectancy effect

A

Participants attempt to guess researcher’s hypothesis with the aim of helping the researcher. (They might act a certain way or try to give right answers)

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20
Q

Screw you effect

A

Participants attempt to guess the researcher’s hypothesis but only in order to destroy credibility of study

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21
Q

Social desirability effect

A

Participants answer in a way that makes them look good to the researchers. Done to avoid embarrassment or judgement

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22
Q

How can you avoid demand characteristics?

A

Single blind studies. Experiment where researchers know which participants are receiving which treatment but participants don’t know which condition they are in

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23
Q

Participant variability and how to control

A

Characteristics of sample affect DV and can only be controlled by randomly allocating people to groups

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24
Q

When might sampling bias occur and what will it result in?

A
  • When psychologists use non-probability sampling technique (everything except random sampling), there may be bias
  • May cause some members to be less likely to be included than others
  • Participant variables may not be representative and hence influence outcome
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25
Q

Researcher bias

A

When experimenters see what they are looking for

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26
Q

Types of researcher bias

A
  1. Confirmation bias: Paying attention to info that agrees and discount information that contradicts it
  2. Publication bias: Researchers may manipulate data for quicker publications as it is expected of them to publish for credit
27
Q

How to control for researcher bias

A

Double blind control. Both participants and researcher do not know who is receiving which treatment

28
Q

Research designs

A

Overall strategy that a researcher uses to investigate the research problem

29
Q

Research designs: Repeated measures

A

One sample of participants receive all conditions of an experiment

30
Q

Research designs: Strengths of repeated measures

A
  • Individual is only compared to themselves so participant variable is controlled
  • Requires lesser number of participants
31
Q

Research designs: Limitations of repeated measures

A
  • Order effects: Differences in participant responses result from order in which they participate in conditions
  • Demand characteristics are not controlled
32
Q

Research designs: 3 types of order effects

A
  1. Fatigue effect: Decrease in performance in later conditions is because they are tired or bored
  2. Interference effect: When first condition may influence the outcome of the second
  3. Practice effect: Improvement in performance as they have developed the skill
33
Q

Counterbalancing

A

Technique used to deal with order effects. eg. Sample is divided in half and both groups attempt both conditions but in different orders

34
Q

Research designs: Independent measures

A

Random allocation of participants

35
Q

Research designs: Pros and cons of independent measure

A 
Pros:
- Less chance of order effects 
- Less chance of demand characteristics as participants cannot guess (only exposed to one condition) 
Cons:
- Affected by participant variables 
- Requires a lot more participants
36
Q

Research designs: Matched pair design

A

Matches participants who have equal characteristics and then divides according. Usually depends on DV (eg. level of memory)

37
Q

What is not matched pair design?

A

Matching to ensure there are no extraneous variables like age, gender and race

38
Q

When is matched pair design used?

A

When there is small groups as random allocation will not be sufficient for group equivalence

39
Q

Cross sectional study

A

Researcher compares two or more groups on a specific variable at a specific time i.e. short-term

40
Q

Longitudinal study

A

Where a researcher measures change in an individual over time

41
Q

Retrospective study

A

Participant is asked about past behaviour

42
Q

Limitations of retrospective study

A
  • Relying on someone’s memory
  • Not possible to verify information
  • Social desirability effect
  • No cause and effect
43
Q

Prospective study

A

Measures a variable at beginning and then watches effect overtime

44
Q

Limitations of prospective study

A
  • Takes much longer to carry out

- Participants may get tired, bored or drop out

45
Q

Reliability

A

Consistency of a measure. Degree to which a study is free of random error.

46
Q

Test-retest reliability

A

Obtaining the same results across time with the same population

47
Q

Validity

A

Degree to which a test measures what is claims to measure

48
Q

Internal validity

A

When experiment is controlled to ensure only IV is affecting DV. Higher degree of control= higher internal validity

49
Q

Where can high internal validity be observed?

A

Lab experiments

50
Q

External validity and the types

A

Extent to which results can be generalized beyond sample tested

  1. Population validity
  2. Ecological validity
51
Q

Population validity

A

Describes how well sample can be generalized to target population. High when sample is
representative

52
Q

Ecological validity

A

Looks at experimental environment and determines how much it influences behaviour. Are they representative of conditions in the wider world?

53
Q

Where can high ecological validity be observed?

A

In field experiments

54
Q

Construct validity

A

Characterizes quality of operationalization.

55
Q

Name some threats to internal validity

A
  1. Selection: Groups are not equivalent
  2. History: Outside events can affect behaviour especially in long studies
  3. Demand characteristics
  4. Instrumentation: eg. Natural human errors like when observing
  5. Testing effect
  6. Experimental mortality
56
Q

Correlation

A

Measure of linear relationship between 2 variables

57
Q

Positive correlation

A

Increase or decrease in BOTH variables at the same time

58
Q

Negative correlation

A

One increases while the other decreases (inverse tendency)

59
Q

What is the term for no relationship between variables?

A

Zero correlation

60
Q

Correlation coefficient

A

Number used to denote correlation between two variables. Ranges from -1 to 1 where the extremes are perfect correlations

61
Q

Interpretation if correlation coefficient is between 0.30-0.49

A

Probably medium relationship

62
Q

Interpretation if correlation coefficient is between <0.1

A

Negligible

63
Q

Curvilinear relationships

A

When 2 variables increase or decrease but only up to a certain point. After that, there will be change in the relationship

Psychology SL IB 2020-22 (10 decks)

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