Aims, Hypothesis and Sampling

Question 1

What research methods are Aims used for?

Answer 1

Observation and Self Report

Question 2

What research methods are Hypothesis used for?

Answer 2

Experiments and Correlation

Question 3

What is a One Tailed Hypothesis?

Answer 3

Where you predict the direction of the relationship between the two varibles

Question 4

What is a Two-Tailed Hypothesis?

Answer 4

Where you think there will be a relationship, but you don’t know the direction of the relationship.

Question 5

What is Sampling..

Answer 5

How you get people to take part in your study

Question 6

It takes too long to study everyone what can you do?

Answer 6

Use a sample to be a representative of the population which can then be generalised back

Question 7

What is the population?

Answer 7

The group of people from whom the sample is drawn. Can only be generalised back to the target population.

Question 8

What is Opportunity Sampling?

Answer 8

You take the sample from people who are available at the time of the study and fit the criteria you’re looking for

Question 9

Advantages of Opportunity Sampling?

Answer 9

• Easy to do
• Cheap
• Quick

Question 10

Disadvantages of Opportunity Sampling ?

Answer 10

Sample is not representative which reduces the generalisability of it as not everyone is there

Question 11

What is Random Sampling?

Answer 11

Involves identifying everyone in the target population and then selecting the number of participants you need in a way that gives everyone an equal chance of being picked.

Question 12

Advantages of Random Sampling

Answer 12

Representative (everyone has a chance increases Generalisability)

Question 13

Disadvantages of Random Sampling

Answer 13

• Time consuming to do
• Expensive
• People may not want to take part
• No control over who is selected (freak sample)

Question 14

What is Self-Selecting Sampling?

Answer 14

Participants become part of the study because they volunteered when asked or in response to an advert

Question 15

Advantages of Self-Selecting Sampling

Answer 15

• Less likely to drop out (given informed consent)
• Quicker
• Cheap
• Easy

Question 16

Disadvantages of Self-Selecting Sampling

Answer 16

Sample is less representative as you’ve only got people who volunteered (reduces generalisability)

Question 17

What is Snowball Sampling ?

Answer 17

For hard to reach groups. People ask other people to take part- people who know each other

Question 18

Advantages of Snowball Sampling

Answer 18

Helps gather hard to reach groups

Question 19

Disadvantages of Snowball Sampling

Answer 19

• Not representative ( as its people they know)
• Word might not get around
• Time consuming

Question 20

Formulating aims and hypotheses - Research aim and question

Answer 20

A general research area you want to investigate, can be investigating a difference or similarity.

If you are writing an aim in an exam, begin the sentence with “ To investigate…”

eg. to investigate the relationship between the height and length that people can jump in the long jump

Question 21

Formulating aims and hypotheses - Hypothesis

Answer 21

• A statement of what you think you will find in your study
• Needs to be clear, testable, precise and operationalised
• If doing experiment = Experimental Hypothesis
• If doing any other thing = Alternative Hypothesis
• Hypotheses will either look for a difference between variables or relationship

Question 22

Formulating aims and hypotheses - Null hypotheses

Answer 22

• The hypothesis that says there will be no difference between conditions
• Every piece of research has a null hypothesis
• Researchers should aim to support the null hypothesis to avoid researcher bias
• “There will be no significant difference in the [DV] of the participants [IV condition 1] compared to participants [IV condition 2]. Any difference will be due to chance”

Question 23

Formulating aims and hypotheses - Directional/One tailed Hypothesis

Answer 23

When you say what the direction of the effect will be.
“Participants who [IV Condition 1] will … significantly more/less [DV] than participants who [IV condition 2].
Eg, Men will throw MORE punches than women

Question 24

Formulating aims and hypotheses - Non-directional/ two-tailed Hypothesis

Answer 24

When you do not mention what direction the effect will be.
“There will be a significant difference in the [DV] if the participants [IV condition 1] compared to participants [IV condition 2]”
Eg there will be a difference in the number of punches men throw and women throw

Question 25

Target population

Answer 25

The whole group you want to study

Question 26

Representativeness

Answer 26

This is whether the sample reflects the target population

Question 27

Generalisability

Answer 27

Can the results from a study be applied to the target population?