A2 research methods Flashcards
what is content analysis
- method used to analyse qualitative data
- allowed researcher to transform it to quantitative data
what does the researcher conducting a content analysis use
coding units
what are coding units
categories that a researcher looks for to tally
what is the procedure for content analysis
- data is collected
- researcher reads through or examines data
- researcher identifies coding units
- data is analyses by applying coding units
- tally is made of the number of times that a coding unit appears
what is thematic analysis
- method for analysing qualitative data
- involves identifying and reporting patterns within the material
how does thematic analysis work (method)
- make transcription of the interview
- use coding units to initially analyse the transcript
- review the coding units to look for themes
what are the strengths of content analysis
+reliable way to analyse qualitative data as the coding units are not open to interpretation and so are applied in the same way over time and with different researchers
+it is an easy technique to use and is not too time consuming
+it allows a statistical analysis to be conducted if required as there is usually quantitative data as a result of the procedure
what are the weakness of content analysis
- causality cannot be established as it merely describes the data
- as it only describes the data, it cannot extract any deeper meaning or explanation for the data patterns arising
what are case studies
the detailed investigation of a single individual or group or institution
what experiment methods provide qualitative data
interviews, observations
what experiment methods provide quantitative data
questionnaires, experiments
what are longitudinal case studies
studies that last a long period of time.
psychologists are able to observe changes over time
what are the strengths of case studies
+case studies create opportunities for a rich yield of data, depth of analysis can bring high levels of validity
+studying abnormal psychology gives insight into how something works when it is functioning correctly, such as brain damage on memory
+detail collected on a single case may lead to interesting findings that conflict with current theories, and stimulate new paths for research
what are the limitations of case studies
- little control over a number of variables, is difficult to establish any relationships between variables
- case studies are unusual, has poor reliability as being able to replicate them exactly will be unlikely
- due to the small sample size, is unlikely that it can be generalised
what is reliability
the consistency of a research study or a measuring test
if repeated, it shows same results
what is internal reliability
the extent to which a measure is consistent within itself
eg whether all questions are measuring the same behaviour
which method assesses the internal reliability of a test
split half method
how does the split half method work (method)
- measures extent to which all parts of the test contribute equally to what is being measured
- compares the results of one half of a test with the results from the other
- if results are similar, it has internal reliability
what is external reliability
the extent to which a measure varies from one use to another
what is the test retest method
—give participants the same test on two separate occasions
-if same results are obtained then external reliability is established
how is the degree of reliability determined
- compare the correlation of a spearman’s rho test or pearson’s r’s test to a statistical table
- 0.8 and above correlation is a strong correlation
what is inter rater reliability
- when different researchers observe the same behaviour independently and compare their data
- if correlation is over 0.8, there is external reliability
what is intra observer reliability
when an an observation is video recorded so that it can be watched several times
what is validity
refers to whether a measure is actually measuring what it claims to be measuring
what is face validity
when behaviour appears at first sight to represent what is being measured
what is internal validity
when the effects observed in a study are due to manipulation of the IV
how can internal validity be improved
- controlling EVs
- using standardised instructions
- counterbalancing
- eliminating demand characteristics/investigator effects
what is concurrent validity
way of establishing the internal validity of a new test
-if positive correlation coefficient is 0.8 or greater, then it has internal validity
what is external validity
refers to the extent to which the results of a study can be generalised to
- other settings
- other people
- over time
how can external validity be improved
- set experiments in a more natural setting
- use random sampling to select pps
what is ecological validity
when a measure of behaviour accurately reflects the way in which behaviour would occur in normal circumstances
what is population validity
the extent to which the sample can be generalised to the wider population
what is temporal validity
when findings can accurately reflect the way behaviour would occur in a different point of time
