Biological Practical Flashcards
describe the aim
The aim is to research whether age influences people’s attitudes towards recreational drug use in
society today.
describe the alternative crrelational hypothesis
There will be a negative correlation between a participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and
attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10)
describe the null correlational hypothesis
There will be no correlation between the participants’ age in years (18 plus) and attitude towards
downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10).
describe the method and design
A correlational design was used to test the relationship between the two variables of participants age in years (18 plus) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10). One advantage of the correlational method is that it is a good way of finding relationships between variables such as age and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use that have never been tested before in contemporary society before doing larger experimental research to find a cause and effect, if there is a correlational relationship evident. This is practically a cheaper way to establish a link before paying for large scale research such as a laboratory experiment to measure the attitudes to drug use. The correlation will gather the data through a self-report, structured questionnaire (closed ended questions only) because we need to gather directly information concerning the age in years (18 plus) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10)– this will allow us to gather quantitative and reliable data for analysis of patterns and trends to either support or reject our hypothesis.
describe sampling
An opportunity sample will be used because it is quick and convenient, involving those who are available
when the research on the age in years (18 plus) and an attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use
(measured on a scale of 1 to 10) is being done. It will also mean people’s daily lives will not be interrupted
as they will complete the structured questionnaire on conservative attitude to drug use in their spare time -
work and daily lives are not affected.
10 participants aged 18 years plus, mixed gender, race all from the local area will be used, this will make us
a representation of the target population to answer the attitudes on recreational drug use.
We have selected participants over the age of 18 as asking about attitude towards downgrading recreational
drug use is not ethically acceptable to ask of those under 18 years and practically, they may have limited
experience or knowledge of recreational drugs.
describe the variables (operationalised)
· the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards)
· attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10).
describe the apparatus
Correlational questionnaire on self-reported participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude
towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10).
describe the procedure
- Experimenters designed a correlational structured questionnaire focusing on participants’ age (in years
from 18 onwards) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10).
- Experimenters carried out a pilot to eliminate design flaws and make sure the questions on attitudes to
recreational drugs covered the aim clearly on ……………………
- Trained confederates approached those available when the research was being done to complete the
correlational structured questionnaire.
- The trained confederates read the brief to participants about asking for their age and attitude towards
downgrading recreational drug use
- Correlational structured questionnaires were distributed to those over the age of 18 years and asked to
complete.
- Participants filled in correlational structured questionnaire and were placed in the envelope provided and
returned to the main experimenter.
- A debrief was read to all participants about the aim of the experiment on finding a correlation between age
and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use.
- Results were collated.
describe the standardised controls
Participants will be given the same standardised instructions on the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and a attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10), (brief and debrief) for their biological practical so to avoid experimenter bias of some participants getting more help than others. The correlational structured questionnaire on the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10) will consist of only closed ended questions so that the data is easy to analyse and collate, looking for a relationship between age and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use. The correlational structured questionnaire will be one side of A4, typed in simple language in order for any member of the population over the age of 18 to fully read and understand it, therefore eliminating differences in linguistic abilities preventing someone from completing the questionnaire on the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10).
describe the ethical issues
Participants were debriefed at end on what the questionnaire was about to ensure that they fully understood
the aim of finding a link between the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude towards
downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10).
Informed Consent was gained by asking participants to take part in a self-report questionnaire the
participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug us
(measured on a scale of 1 to 10). Asking about attitudes to recreational drug encourage them to answer
truthfully and not commit demand characteristics. By gaining informed consents participants will be clear on
what the questionnaire is about and if they so wish to continue.
The right to withdraw was provided before and after the experiment via the brief and debrief, therefore
participants felt comfortable completing the correlational structured questionnaire, allowing the researcher to
use the results.
Confidentiality was maintained as no names were collected from participants, therefore protecting the
identity of the participants and their results on the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude
towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10).
There was no deception, participants were not be misled and told that the experiment was about something
it was not, they will be informed that the questionnaire will gathered data on the participants’ age (in years
from 18 onwards) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10).
Competence - only participants over the age of 18 were used as it was agreed that the topic might be
distressing for those children under the age of 18 years.
ETHICS
Risk management
Risk to the participants – as this is a correlational structured questionnaire there is no apparatus
that causes risk and the setting was chosen by the researcher. The participants can say that they do
not want to take part, thus avoiding risk.
However the study does ask about recreational drugs and to avoid any issues we are looking at their
opinion on people’s attitudes to downgrading recreational drug use so they will be more comfortable
completing the data.
Risk to the researcher(s) – this risk was minimised by getting trained confederates to approach
participants that they know over the age of 18 to fill in their questionnaire. It is less likely that they
will be upset by the questionnaire as they are known to the confederates. In addition, the contact
detailed of the head experimenter will be offered to all participants for further clarification if needed.
Risk to others is not involved in the setting so there should be no risk to others as participants will
be alone when completing the questionnaire is a quiet room of their choice.
strengths for validity
Answering a correlational structured questionnaire on the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and
attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10) is a valid measure as
most of the participants at some time in their lives will have filled one out a questionnaire so is a realistic way to gather the quantitative data. The participants were able to carry out the correlation structured questionnaire on participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitudes towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10) in a room of their own choice adds validity as they are in their own environment and will be relaxed and more likely to give valid answers.
weaknesses for validity
The correlation structured questionnaires may not be a realistic way of measuring a relationship between the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10) as participants may not tell the truth on the questionnaire as they may be embarrassed or want to look good for the experimenter leading to invalid results. The correlation structured questionnaire only provided quantitative data which may not fully provide realistic and valid answers of why people have different attitudes based on the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10).
how to improve validity in our study
To overcome this in a second method could be selected, ie from the original sample some of the participants could be interviewed to find why the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10) did correlate – this would provide additional qualitative and valid data to support our correlational hypothesis being accepted. Participants on the correlational structured questionnaire could have been asked an open question about why they responded in the way they did on the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10) – providing qualitative data and a valid reason for their decision.
describe strengths for reliability
Standardised instructions via a brief and debrief sheet about the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10) were given to all participants to ensure that no experimenter bias crept into the procedures so improving the reliability of the results. All the participants completed the same correlational structured questionnaire between the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitude towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10) therefore comparison was easy, and replication could be possible in the future – ensuring reliability.
describe the weaknesses for reliability
Correlational studies do not provide cause and effect which means we are not sure if the participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitudes towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10) could have been linked to other factors such as personality ie, authoritarian. Correlations measure a relationship between two variables but because of their low control other extraneous variables such as genetics may have contributed to people’s responses on participants’ age (in years from 18 onwards) and attitudes towards downgrading recreational drug use (measured on a scale of 1 to 10).
