7 - Research Methods

Question 1

What are the 7 stages of testing?

Answer 1

1) Observations
2) Writing a hypothesis
3) Designing a study to test the hypothesis
4) Collecting data
5) Analysing results
6) Questions the validity (accuracy) of the study
7) Drawing conclusions

Question 2

What does ‘control’ mean?

Answer 2

The extent to which any variable is held constant

Question 3

What does ‘mundane realism’ mean?

Answer 3

How real a study is in the real world

Question 4

What is an extraneous variable?

Give an example

Answer 4

A variable that affects the DV but isn’t the IV - refers to the participant
Memory, age, mood

Question 5

What is a confounding variable?

Give an example

Answer 5

A variable that affects the DV but isn’t the IV - refers to the study
Time of day, location, materials provided

Question 6

What does ‘internal validity’ mean?

Answer 6

Whether or not the results were due to IV manipulation or other factors (eg. extraneous variables or demand characteristics)

Question 7

What does ‘external validity’ mean?

Answer 7

How well the study can be replicated in another setting with other people

Question 8

What does ‘ecological valaidity’ mean?

Answer 8

How well the study can be replicated in another place

Question 9

What does ‘population validity’ mean?

Answer 9

How well the study can be replicated with other people

Question 10

What does ‘historical validty’ mean?

Answer 10

How well the study can be replicated outside of its historical context

Question 11

What does ‘temporal validity’ mean?

Answer 11

How well the results apply as time goes on

Question 12

Describe the ‘independent groups’ design

Answer 12

• Participants are placed in separate groups

- Each group does one level of the IV

Question 13

Describe the ‘matched pairs’ design

Answer 13

• Pairs of participant are matched on key variables (eg. IQ, age etc.)
• One member of each pair does one of the conditions and the other does the other condition

Question 14

Describe the ‘repeated measures’ design

Answer 14

Each participant takes part in each of the study’s conditions

Question 15

Describe a laboratory experiment

Answer 15

• An experiment that’s in a controlled

- The IV is manipulated by the researcher

Question 16

Describe a field experiment

Answer 16

• It’s in the “real world”

- The IV is manipulated by the researcher, DV isn’t controlled

Question 17

Describe a quasi experiment

Answer 17

• The IV isn’t controlled

- It varies among people

Question 18

Describe a natural experiment

Answer 18

It’s conducted when it’s NOT POSSIBLE to deliberately manipulate the IV

Question 19

What is a null hypothesis?

Answer 19

A hypothesis that suggests there is no difference between the variables being studied

Question 20

What is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 20

States what kind of relationship there is between 2 things

Eg. There will be an increase in the amount remembered in the morning

Question 21

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 21

States that there will be a difference between 2 things

Eg. There will be a difference in the amount remembered in the morning and evening

Question 22

What is a one-tailed hypothesis?

Answer 22

When you only have one outcome in mind

Question 23

What is a two-tailed hypothesis?

Answer 23

When you have 2 or more outcomes in mind

Question 24

What is deception?

Answer 24

When a participant is NOT told the true aims of the study

Question 25

What does 'right to withdraw' mean?

Answer 25

Participants can choose to stop taking part in the study if they feel uncomfortable

Question 26

What does 'protection from harm' mean?

Answer 26

Participants shouldn't feel experience physical or psychological harm during/from the experiment

Question 27

What does 'privacy' mean?

Answer 27

Control over the flow of a person's information

Question 28

What does 'confidentiality' mean?

Answer 28

The control of the communication of personal information from one person to another

Question 29

What is informed consent?

Answer 29

Participants must be given information about the study, so that they can decide whether they'll take part or not

Question 30

What is an aim?

Answer 30

A statement of what you intend to observe, investigate or discover

Question 31

What is a null hypothesis?

Answer 31

When you predict that there is no difference between what you already have and what you're investigating

Question 32

What is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 32

Predicting the kind of relationship between the variables being investigated

Question 33

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 33

Predicting that there will be a difference between the variables being investigated

Question 34

What is a one-tailed hypothesis?

Answer 34

When you have 1 outcome in mind

Question 35

What is a two-tailed hypothesis?

Answer 35

When you have 2+ outcomes in mind

Question 36

What is the repeated measures design?

Answer 36

Doing different tests that the same group of people take part in

Question 37

What is the independent groups design?

Answer 37

Different participants are used in each conditions of an experiment

Question 38

What is the matched pairs design?

Answer 38

- Pairs of participants are matched on a key, relevant variable (eg. age or IQ) - One member of the pair is placed in one group and the other in the other group

Question 39

What is volunteer sampling?

Answer 39

Volunteers make up the sample

Question 40

What is opportunity sampling?

Answer 40

Selecting people who are most easily available at the time of the study

Question 41

What is random sampling?

Answer 41

A sample of participants produced using a random technique

Question 42

What is a correlation?

Answer 42

The relationship between 2 co-variables

Question 43

What is a correlation co-efficient?

Answer 43

A number between -1 and +1 that tells us how closely co-variables are associated

Question 44

What is a positive correlation?

Answer 44

When two co-variables increase together

Question 45

What is a negative correlation?

Answer 45

When one co-variable increases, the other decreases

Question 46

What is zero correlation?

Answer 46

When there is no relationship between 2 co-variables

Question 47

What is a directional correlation?

Answer 47

Saying what type of correlation it is (eg. positive)

Question 48

What is a non-directional correlation?

Answer 48

Only saying that there is a correlation, not specifying what type of correlation

Question 49

What is a self-report technique?

Answer 49

Where participants provide information about themselves/experiences

Question 50

What is a questionnaire?

Answer 50

A self-report technique where the questions are written

Question 51

What is a structured interview?

Answer 51

- Has pre-determined questions | - Doesn't deviate from these questions

Question 52

What is an unstructured interview?

Answer 52

New questions are developed over the course of the interview

Question 53

What is naturalistic observation?

Answer 53

- When an observation is carried out in a natural environment - The investigator does not interfere with the setting, but only observes the behaviours

Question 54

What is controlled observation?

Answer 54

When behaviour is observed under controlled

Question 55

What is covert observation?

Answer 55

Observing people without their knowledge

Question 56

What is overt observation?

Answer 56

Participants are aware that they're being studied

Question 57

What is participant observation?

Answer 57

Observations made by someone who is participating in the study

Question 58

What is non-participant observation?

Answer 58

The observer is separate from the participants

Question 59

What is quantitative data?

Answer 59

- Numbers | - Data which can be measured

Question 60

What is qualitative data?

Answer 60

Data that is observed (not measured)

Question 61

What is primary data?

Answer 61

Data collected by you

Question 62

What is secondary data?

Answer 62

Data collected by someone else