6. Research Methods

Question 1

What is an aim?

Answer 1

The general statement of what a researcher intends to investigate, the purpose of the study

Question 2

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 2

A clear, precise, testable statement which states the relationship between the variables to be investigated

Question 3

What is operationalisation?

Answer 3

Clearly defining variables in terms of how they can be measured

Question 4

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 4

Any variable, other than the independent variable that may effect the dependent variable if not controlled

Question 5

What are confounding variables?

Answer 5

A variable that varies systematically with independent variable. Difficult to tell if change in dependent variable is due to IV or confounding variable

Question 6

What are demand characteristics?

Answer 6

Any clue from the researcher or research situation that may be interpreted by participants, revealing purpose of investigation

Question 7

What are investigator effects?

Answer 7

Any effect of the investigators behaviour (conscious or unconscious) on the research outcome

Question 8

What is standardisation?

Answer 8

Using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for all participants in a research study

Question 9

What are the 2 types of hypothesis?

Answer 9

• Directional: States the direction of the difference or relationship
• Non-directional: Does not state the direction of the difference or relationship

Question 10

What is an experimental method?

Answer 10

Involves the manipulation of the IV to measure the effects on the DV

Question 11

What is randomisation?

Answer 11

The use of chance methods to control the effects of bias when designing materials and deciding the order of experimental conditions

Question 12

What are the 3 experimental designs?

Answer 12

1. Independent groups: participants allocated to different groups where each group represents one experimental condition
2. Repeated measures: all participants take part in all conditions of experiment
3. Matched pairs: participants in different conditions are paired together on variables relevant to the experiment

Question 13

What is counterbalancing?

Answer 13

An attempt to control the effectsof order in a repeated measures design

Question 14

AO3 for independent groups

Answer 14

1. Less influence from order effects
2. Participant variables: variables differ between different groups, change in DV may be due to participants rather than effect of IV (confounding)
3. Less economical: twice as many participants needed to produce equivalent data to repeated measures, increased time/money on recruitment

Question 15

AO3 for repeated measures

Answer 15

1. Order effects: repeating two tasks could create boredom/fatigue, deterioration in performance in second task HOWEVER performance may improve due to effects of practice, better performance on second task (confounding)
2. Demand characteristics: participants figure out aim of study when experiencing conditions

Question 16

AO3 for matched pairs

Answer 16

1. Less influence from demand characteristics and order effects
2. Less economical: matching may be time-consuming and expensive

Question 17

What are the 4 types of experiment?

Answer 17

1. Laboratory experiment
2. Field experiment
3. Natural experiement
4. Quasi-experiement

Question 18

What is a laboratory experiment?

Answer 18

An experiment that occurs in a controlled environment within which the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV

Question 19

What is a field experiment?

Answer 19

An experiment that takes place in a natural setting within the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV

Question 20

What is a natural experiment?

Answer 20

An experiment which the change in IV is not brought about by the researcher but would have happened even if the researcher was not present

Question 21

What is a quasi-experiment?

Answer 21

A study where the IV has not been determined by anyone, the variables simply exist e.g age

Question 22

AO3 for laboratory experiment

Answer 22

• Highly controlled: lab experiments have high control over confounding and extraneous variables, certainty that effect on DV is a result of IV manipulation
• Easily replicable: result of high control, allows to check validity of results to ensure it is not one-off
• Lack generalisability: environment is artificial, does not reflect everyday life, low external validity

Question 23

AO3 for natural experiment

Question 24

AO3 for field experiment

Answer 24

- High mundane realism: more natural environment, produce valid and authentic behaviour as participants unaware they are being studied

- Loss of control over variables (confounding and extraneous): DV more difficult to establish, precise replication not possible
- Ethical issues: participants unaware they are being studied, cannot consent, lack of privacy

Question 25

AO3 for quasi-experiment