2.1.1 Research terminology

Question 1

what is a hypothesis?

Answer 1

a testable theory

Question 2

what is an aim?

Answer 2

the general investigative purpose of a study

Question 3

what is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 3

tells us exactly what the researcher predicts will be found - tells us what the effect will be

Question 4

what is a non directional hypothesis?

Answer 4

predicts some effect or difference is expected but doesn’t specify what the effect will be

Question 5

what is a null hypothesis?

Answer 5

says there is no significant relationship between the variables being studied

Question 6

” there is no difference in friendliness between northerners and southerners” - directional, non-directional or null?

Answer 6

null

Question 7

“northerners are friendlier than southerners” directional, non-directional or null?

Answer 7

directional

Question 8

what does an experimental method involve?

Answer 8

the researcher manipulating variables

Question 9

what is a variable?

Answer 9

something that changes

Question 10

what is an independent variable?

Answer 10

the thing changed/manipulated e.g temperature

Question 11

what is a dependant variable?

Answer 11

the variable that you measure e.g reaction time

Question 12

what does operationalize mean?

Answer 12

to make abstract concepts easier to measure e.g. measuring aggression by the number of punches thrown

Question 13

what is a non experimental method?

Answer 13

researcher collects data needed without making changes or introducing variables (e.g. questionnaires)

Question 14

what are uncontrollable variables called?

Answer 14

extraneous and confounding variables

Question 15

what are the 3 types of extraneous variables?

Answer 15

subject
experimental
situational

Question 16

what is a subject variable?

Answer 16

characteristics of the participant which may affect the outcome such as age or sex e.g. research involving video games, young people may perform better

Question 17

what is an experimental variable?

Answer 17

characteristics of the experimenter(s) which might affect how the experiment is conducted or how the participant responds e.g. age, sex, qualifications

Question 18

what are situational variables?

Answer 18

characteristics of the environment in which research is being carried out which may impact results e.g. noise levels, temperature

Question 19

what is a confounding variable?

Answer 19

a hidden variable that caused two variables to falsely appear in a relationship

Question 20

“there is a positive correlation between the amount of people drowning and the amount of ice cream being eaten” - what is the confounding variable?

Answer 20

hot weather - more people go swimming and buy ice cream

Question 21

what is a methodology?

Answer 21

how psychologists investigate their hypothesis

Question 22

what is the location of research?

Answer 22

where research is carried out.

Question 23

what is a primary source of data?

Answer 23

data gathered from research you gave carried out yourself

Question 24

what is secondary data?

Answer 24

research other people have carried out

Question 25

what is qualitative data?

Answer 25

in depth written data

Question 26

what is quantitative data?

Answer 26

numerical data that is quick and easy to analyse

Question 27

what is a laboratory environment?

Answer 27

controlled environment which you have chosen and set up arranged for people to come to

Question 28

what is a field environment?

Answer 28

research carried the real world

Question 29

what is an online environment?

Answer 29

research carried out on the internet

Question 30

What is a quasi experiment?

Answer 30

The IV is naturally occurring

Researcher measures the effect of the IV on the DV

Question 31

What are some strengths of quasi experiments?

Answer 31

IV is naturally occurring so research is high in ecological validity
Can investigate things you couldn’t manipulate due to practical or ethical issues

Question 32

What are issues of quasi experiments?

Answer 32

Lack of control
Impossible to replicate
No cause and effect

Question 33

What are some strengths of lab experiments?

Answer 33

High levels of control over EVs and CVs
Can establish cause and effect
High replicability - reliable

Question 34

What are some issues of lab experiments?

Answer 34

Control may lead to demand characteristics e.g. Hawthorne or screw you
Lack of ecological validity - artificial environments

Question 35

What are some strengths of field experiments?

Answer 35

High in ecological validity

Less chance of demand characteristics if people are unaware they are being watched

Question 36

What are some weaknesses of field experiments?

Answer 36

Observing people without consent - no right to withdraw
Lack of control
Not replicable
No cause and effect