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