2. Research Methods Flashcards
Aim
a statement outlining the purpose of the study
Allocation
the process of assigning participants to conditions in the experiment for the research
Beneficience
the commitment to maximising benefits
and minimising the risks and harms involved in taking a
particular position or course of action
Case study
an in-depth study of an individual or a group of individuals
Conclusion
a statement regarding the results of an investigation as to whether the hypothesis was supported or not
Confidentiality
the right of the participant for their personal details to remain private
Confounding variables
variables other than the independent variable that have directly and systematically had an effect on the dependent variable
Control group
a group that is used as a basis for comparison; participants are not exposed to the experimental conditions (the IV)
Controlled variable
variables other than the IV that a researcher holds constant (controls) in an investigation, to ensure that changes in the DV are solely due to changes in the IV
Convenience sampling
when a sample is selected using the quickest and easiest means possible, selecting people who are readily available from the population
Correlational study
a type of non-experimental study in which researchers observe and measure the relationship between two or more variables without any active control or manipulation of them
Counterbalancing
an allocation method used in within-subjects experimental designs to reduce order effects
Debriefing
occurs at the conclusion of an experiment and involves the researcher outlining the nature of the experiment to participants and includes ensuring that participants do not leave the experiment with lasting harm
Deception
when the participant is unaware of the true nature of the experiment
Dependent variable (DV)
the variable that is being measured in an experiment for changes it experiences due to the independent variable
Descriptive statistics
statistics that are used to organise and summarise data
Demand characteristics
cues in an experiment that may signal to a participant the intention of the study and influence their behaviour
Double-blind procedure
a procedure in which both the participants and the person conducting the experiment are unaware of which condition participants have been allocated to, in order to reduce experimenter bias
Ethics committee
a group of people who review research proposals, consider the potential risks, benefits and implications in order to either approve or disapprove them for research
Controlled experiment
a type of investigation in which the causal relationship between two variables is tested in a controlled environment; more specifically, the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable while aiming to control all other variables
Experimental group
the group within an experiment that are exposed to experimental conditions (the IV)
Experimenter effects
occur when an experimenter’s expectations about the study influence the results
Extraneous variables
variables other than the independent variable that may produce unwanted results in an experiment
Generalisability
the extent to which the results of an investigation can be applied to the wider research population
Hypothesis
a testable prediction about the outcome of an experiment; it is written in the form of a statement and includes the variables that will be tested
Between subjects design
(also known as independent design) an experimental design in which participants are split into two or more groups; typically a control group and an experimental groups
Independent variable (IV)
the variable that the experimenter manipulates in order to observe the effect it causes on the dependent variable
Informed consent
ensuring participants have a thorough understanding of the procedures involved in the research they are partaking in, including potential harm or risks, and still willingly agree to participate
Mixed Design
an experimental design which combines elements of within-subjects and between-subjects designs
Non-maleficence
(also known as the no-harm principle) the principle of avoiding causing harm
Non-standardised testing procedures
when instructions and procedures in an experiment are not consistent for all participants, therefore affecting the results obtained
Objective data
data that can be observed or measured by multiple people and obtain the same results
Observational study
a type of study in which data is collected through careful monitoring of participants
Operationalisation
the process of defining variables in terms of how they will be either manipulated or measured in the experiment
Order effects
(also known as practice effects) a source of error in repeated-measures designs due to the order the participants participate in the experimental and control conditions
Participant-related variables
(also known as individual participant differences) individual participant differences that can affect the results
Placebo
a procedure or substance with no active treatment
Placebo effect
changes to an individual?s mental or physical state as a result of a false belief in the effects of a placebo substance or procedure
Population
(also known as research population) the group of people of interest to an experiment
Qualitative data
data that describes the characteristics of something; data of concepts that can be measured non-numerically
Quantitative data
data concerning numerical amounts; expressed numerically
Questionnaire
(also known as surveys) a list of questions that participants can respond to in a variety of formats
Random allocation
when every member of the sample has an equal chance of being assigned to each condition in an experiment
Random sampling
when every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample
Within subjects design
(also known as repeated measures design) an experimental design in which the same participants are in every condition of the experiment
Sample
a subset of the population, commonly referred to as the research participants
Sampling
the process through which the participants for a study are selected from the population of interest
Sampling procedures
the method of choosing an appropriate sampling procedure to reduce possible extraneous and confounding variables
Single-blind procedure
a procedure in which participants are unaware of which condition they have been allocated to, in order to reduce participant expectations
Situational variables
any environmental factor that may affect the dependent variable
Standardised instructions and procedures
the consistent use of instructions and procedures for all participants
Stratified sampling
when the population is divided into groups based upon relevant characteristics, and participants are selected from each group in proportion to how they appear in the population
Subjective data
data that relies on personal opinion or self-report
Variable
a factor or element of an experiment that may be manipulated or measured
Voluntary participation
the right of the participant to freely choose to willingly participate
Withdrawal rights
the right of the participant to leave the study at any point, without fear of consequence
