booklet 1 pt1 Flashcards
What is an aim?
The purpose of a piece of research.
What is a hypothesis?
The prediction of what the results will be.
What are the 3 types of hypothesis? Give examples with each.
-Directional - young people will do better in a memory test than older people.
-Non-directional - there will be a difference between young and older people’s performance on a memory test.
-Null - there will be no difference between young and older people’s performance on a memory test.
When do we use directional hypothesis?
When the findings of previous research suggest a certain outcome.
When do we use the non-directional hypothesis?
When there’s no pre-existing research, or the pre-existing research CONTRADICTS each other.
What is the difference between the IV and DV?
IV - variable the researcher will manipulate
DV - variable the researcher will measure
What are extraneous variables (EV)?
Variables which may have an affect on the DV, if not controlled for (other than the IV).
What is standardisation?
Process of keeping extraneous variables the same across experimental conditions.
What are cofounding variables (CV)?
Variables that do not have an effect on the DV (other than the IV).
What is the goal of any experiment? This cannot be shown unless…
To show cause and effect, cannot show this unless we keep everything else constant.
What is operationalisation?
Clearly definining variables so they can be measured.
Example of a directional vs operationalised hypothesis?
Directional-athletes who drink lucozade before their race will run faster than athletes who drink water
Operationalise-Athletes who drink ONE BOTTLE of lucozade before their race will run 5 SECONDS faster than athletes who drink ONE BOTTLE of water.
What are the 2 types of conditions and what is the difference?
Give an example of the difference between the 2.
Experimental condition=manipulated
Control condition=starting point
e.g. children who PLAY VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES (experimental) will be more aggressive than children who DO NOT (control) play violent video games.
aka the beginning condition=experimental
What is randomisation?
Using CHANCE in order to control for the effects of bias when designing materials or deciding the order of conditions.
What are the 3 stages on how to randomise conditions?
Stage 1-All ppts name into a container.
Stage 2-Draw out one name who will be ppt in condition A, then draw out one name of who will be in condition B.
Stage 3-Continue until all ppts are assigned to a condition.
What are the 3 experimental designs?
Define them (ppts take part in…)
Matched pairs=matched in key variables e.g. IQ
Repeated measures=all conditions
Independent measures=different conditions
What are the 5 evaluations for experimental designs?
-Order effects
-Participant variables
-Demand characteristics
-Counterbalancing
-Practice effects
What are order effects? E.g?
POSITIONING of tasks influencing outcome e.g. practice or boredom effect on a second task.
What are participant variables?
Ppts background that could affect study’s results, though its not the focus of experiment.
What are demand characteristics?
Individuals know they’re being observed>change their behaviour.
What is counterbalancing?
What does it combat?
-Half ppts experience conditions in one order, other half experience them in the opposite order?
-Combats order effects
What are practice effects?
What is it a type of?
-Ppts know what’s EXPECTED of them>perform better in the second condition
-A type of order effects
What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative data?
Qualitative=data expressed in words
Quantitative=data that’s counted, usually numbers.
What is the difference between primary and secondary data? examples!
-Primary=data collected first hand by the researcher for the purpose of the project.
e.g. data gathered whilst conducting an observation of infants
-Secondary data=data collected by someone else>PREDATES the research.
e.g. statistics collected by the gov.
Strengths and weaknesses of qualitative and quantitative data. (vice versa VV)
Qualitative:
S=rich in detail, properly reflects the human experiences and behaviours
W=harder to analyse
Strengths and weaknesses of primary and secondary research. (vice versa VV)
Primary:
S=perfectly fits the study, researcher has control
W=more time and effort
What does meta-analysis refer to? Example?
Combining the results from a number of studies, on a particular topic, to provide an overall view.
e.g. collecting all the data from drug trials on SSRIs to treat OCD to see the overall picture of its effectiveness.
Strengths and weaknesses of the experimental designs.
-Independant:
S= Low order effects and demand characteristics.
W= Time consuming, ppt variables.
-Repeated:
S= Quicker, low ppt varibles
W= Order effects, demand characteristics.
-Matched pairs:
S= Low order effects and ppt variables.
W= Time consuming.
(Repeatedand Independant vv)
