Biological Practical

Question 1

What was the aim of the biological practical?

Answer 1

To conduct a correlation to the relationship between testosterone (shown by 2D:4D ratio) and aggression (shown via aggression questionnaire).

Question 2

Which research method did we use to collect our results?

Answer 2

Correlation.

Question 3

What is the alternative hypothesis for your biological practical?

Answer 3

There will be a positive relationship between 2D:4D ratio, and score on an aggression questionnaire.

Question 4

What is the null hypothesis for your biological practical?

Answer 4

There will be no relationship between 2D:4D ratio and score on an aggression questionnaire.

Question 5

What are your two co-variables in the biological practical?

Answer 5

2D:4D ratio and scores on an aggression questionnaire / 15.

Question 6

What type of sampling did you use in your biological practical?

Answer 6

Opportunity sampling.

Question 7

What was the sample of your biological practical?

Answer 7

__ people from college in the North East of England, aged between 16 and 20.

Question 8

What questionnaire did your sample complete in the biological practical?

Answer 8

30 questions about their aggressiveness and measured on a 5 point scale giving them a total for aggression.

Question 9

How did you measure the participants level of testosterone exposure in the biological practical?

Answer 9

Measuring the length of their ring finger and index finger and measuring the ratio between the two (2D:4D ratio).

Question 10

What graph could you use to plot the results of the biological practical?

Answer 10

Scatter graph.

Question 11

Why was the sample of your biological project neither androcentric or gynocentric?

Answer 11

Both males and females in the finger ratio measures/aggression questionnaire making it more generalisable. This means the results would be more representative about the correlation between finger ratio and aggression in a wider population.

Question 12

How was your biological practical reliable?

Answer 12

The questionnaire about aggression and the finger measures are standardised which means it can be easily repeated. This is good because the procedure can be repeated to see if the results about the correlation with finger ratio and aggression would be the same.

Question 13

What is the strength of you collecting quantitative data in your biological practical in terms of mean aggression scores / 15 and 2D:4D ratio?

Answer 13

A strength is it used quantitative data from the aggression questionnaires which allows for statistical testing/analysis. This is good because we can see if the results about aggression and finger ratio are due to chance.

Question 14

How is your biological practical ethical?

Answer 14

The study is ethical as participants knew we were measuring their aggression levels and their finger ratio as a proxy for testosterone when they consented. This means we have consent for the research as participants were fully aware of the purpose and that we would discuss their aggression.

Question 15

How is your sample NOT representative in your biological practical and why is this a problem?

Answer 15

It has a small opportunity sample from the same sixth form college in the North East completing the aggression questionnaire so not generalisable because they might share characteristics.

This is a problem because the results about the relationship between aggression and finger ratio might not be applicable to non-teenagers.

Question 16

Why might there be issues with social desireability in your biological practical and how do these affect the validity of your results?

Answer 16

When people are answering the questionnaire on their aggression levels they may change their answers to appear either more or less aggressive which makes the findings less valid.

Question 17

What is an issue with using a 5 point scale on your aggression questionnaire and how does this affect validity?

Answer 17

5 point scales used on the aggression questionnaire can be subjective in interpretation e.g. ‘4’ might mean different things to different people. This is an issue because the results about the correlation between finger ratio and aggression might be less valid if people interpret the aggression scores differently.

Question 18

Can we establish cause and effect between the 2D:4D and aggression scores/15?

How does this affect validity?

Answer 18

No.

We can only see a relationship between 2D:4D and aggression scores/15 and this reduces validity.

Question 19

What may be an ethical issue with your biological practical?

Answer 19

Taking part in your study might have been upsetting for some participants to answer questions about their own temper/aggression. This means the study has breached the ethical guideline of protection from harm because of the psychological harm linked to understanding their aggression.

Question 20

What were the results of your biological practical?

Answer 20

There is a … (can make up the number for your correlation coefficient but it needs to be between -1 and 1) correlation between the 2D:4D ratio and aggression score on a questionnaire / 15 (rs = -0.79, CV = 0.464).