Definitions Flashcards
What is an independent variable (IV)?
The variable that the researcher changes
State all the ethics
- consent
- debrief
- deception
- right to withdraw
- right to privacy
- confidentiality
- do not harm participants
What is the dependant variable (DV)?
The variable that the researcher measures
What does operationalise mean?
It is when you state how you will measure the IV and DV
What is an alternate hypothesis?
Opposite to a null hypothesis, states an outcome
What is a null hypothesis?
An hypothesis where there is no direction
What is a one-tailed hypothesis?
A hypothesis that states a direction positive or negative
What is a two-tailed hypothesis?
An hypothesis that could go either way
Eg. There will be a relationship between 1 and 2
What is the independent measures design?
Different participants are used in each conditions
What is the repeated measures design?
The same participants are used in every condition
What is matched pairs design?
The participants are matched on certain things
Eg. Over 50’s in condition 1
What are order effects?
The order in which conditions take place may effect the validity
What is counterbalancing?
When the sample is split in 2 and do the conditions in different orders
What is a laboratory experiment?
An experiment that takes place in controlled conditions in a lab
What is a field experiment?
An experiment done in a public place
What is a quasi experiment?
An experiment where the IV is naturally manipulated
Eg. 2 conditions of people with a disability and without
What are demand characteristics?
A change in the participants behaviour that makes them act how they believe the researcher wants them to act
What is a correlation?
The relationship between two variables
What is a positive correlation?
As one variable increases so does the other one
What is a negative correlation?
When one variable increases the other decreases
What is an observation?
When the researcher watches the participants
What is a covert observation?
When the researcher watches the participants without them knowing
What is an overt observation?
Participants know they’re being watched by the researchers
What is inter-rater reliability?
All researchers use the same rating scale in order to compare them
What is a pilot study?
A study that is done to test if the actual study would work and to address any issues
What is time sampling?
An observation done over a certain decided period of time
What is event sampling?
When the researcher observes a certain behaviour which is noted every time it occurs
What is a self-report?
Surveys, questionnaires, interviews etc
What are open questions?
Questions that require more detailed answers
What are rating scales?
Using numbers to gage interest
Eg. on a scale of 1-10
What are closed questions?
Questions that require yes or no answers
What is researcher bias?
The researcher influences the results/ answers made by the participants
What is meant by target population?
The desired population for the experiment
What is opportunity sampling?
Taking people who are around at that time and having them take part in your experiment
What is meant by random sample?
Picking people at random out of a hat
What is a self-selected sample?
When the participants are volunteers
What is a snowball sample?
The participants that have been used are used to help gain the other participants
What are confounding variables?
Variables that can’t be controlled but could effect the results
What are extraneous variable?
Variables that can’t be controlled but could effect the results
What is ecological validity?
A natural environment increases how natural it is.
A lab experiment decreases how natural it is.
What is internal validity?
To see if the IV really has an effect on the DV
What is external validity?
Refers to whether the findings of a study really can be generalised
What is mundane realism?
The extent to which an activity is similar to activities in day to day life
What is reliability?
How consistent the measure is
What is quantitative research?
Explaining a phenomena by collecting numerical data calculated with maths
What are descriptive statistics/ central measures of tendency?
Mean, mode, median
What is generalisability?
Tells us if the research shows a likeliness to the wider population
What is meant by the term representative?
Whether the study shows a likeliness to the wider population
What is social desirability?
Acting/ answering questions in a way to make yourself seem acceptable
What is construct validity?
Whether the underlying theory that informs your research is correct
Eg. Freud’s theory
What is content validity?
When you measure the content you wish to measure.
What is face validity?
Whether it look like it’s doing what it’s supposed to do
What is test validity?
Whether it is testing what it aims to test
What is an average?
A number expressing a control or typical value of a set of scores
What is nominal data?
Categories (big/small)
What is ordinal data?
Rank (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
What is interval data?
Cm’s, •C
What is ratio?
Cm, absolute zero
