BIOLOGICAL - PRACTICAL INVESTIGATION

Question 1

AO1:

Answer 1

AIM: to see if there’s a negative correlation between hours of sleep and aggression
IV: hours of sleep
DV: aggression score
SAMPLE: 20 ppts, 4 male, 16 female; all psych students from KEDST; aged 16-17

Question 2

AO1: hypotheses

Answer 2

directional: there will be a negative correlation between the hours of sleep and the aggression score (as sleep decreases, aggression increases)

non-directional: there will be a significant difference in aggression scores depending on hours of sleep had

null: there will be no difference in aggression scores depending on the hours of sleep had. Any differences will be due to chance

Question 3

AO1: procedure

Answer 3

1) ppts measured the mean hours of sleep they got over 3 nights
2) ppts then took the BPAQ to measure their attitudes on aggression

Question 4

AO1: findings & conclusion

Answer 4

FINDINGS:
->avg hours of sleep = 7.5
->avg aggression score on the BPAQ = 57

CONCLUSION:
->there is no significant difference in aggression scores depending on average hours of sleep

Question 5

AO3: evaluation

Answer 5

G->(weakness) low generalisability
–>small sample size of 20 ppts, 4 males, 16 females, all aged 16-17, and all students at KEDST
–>the sample is ethnocentric and gynocentric, meaning it is not representative due to the age and gender bias of the sample, therefore the findings are not generalisable to the wider population

R->(strength) highly reliable
–>has a standardised procedure and universal questionnaire (BPAQ), and each ppt took a mean number of hours sleep over 3 nights
–>therefore, the study is easy to replicate

A->(strength) findings can be applied IRL in court: sleep deprivation does not cause aggression
–>the findings show that lack of sleep does not cause aggressive behaviour (no correlation was found between the co-variables “hours of sleep” and “avg aggression score”)
–>therefore, sleep deprivation as an excuse for aggression would not be upheld in court

V->(weakness) low internal validity due to low control of EVs
–>ppts measured their sleep over different days (eg. the amount of sleep gathered over weekdays vs weekends is likely to be different) also ppts may lie on the questionnaire due to social desirability bias
–>therefore, conclusions drawn from results won’t be valid

E->(unethical) unethical
–>the top being studies may be considered socially sensitive research as an “aggressive” student may be isolated as a result
–>this goes against the social responsibility of ethical research and may create a risk for ppts as stereotyping may occur