Evaluate Sebastian and Hernandez- Gil 2012 (8 marks)

Question 1

How does the study have High generalisability?

Answer 1

• Point: High generalisability
• Examples: Study had 570 participants → Spanish volunteers → 25 healthy patient and 25 with Alzheimer’s
• Explain: The sample is representative as a large was used which means the results are representative

Question 2

How does the study have low generalisability?

Answer 2

• Point: low generalisability
• Example: Sample of Spanish participants → they were volunteers
• Explain: ethnocentric → they were all sample participants so harder to generalise to other cultures. Volunteers → they could have been enthusiastic about the study

Question 3

How does the study have high Reliability?

Answer 3

• Point: Other research has shown cultural issues in digit span
• Evidence: This is also true for welsh speakers who have poorer digit span than English Speakers, due to the lost word length being longer in welsh → therefore longer to pronounce → supporting conclusions that language and the phonological loop are interrelated.
• Explain: The study conducted how in Spanish speakers the digit span is developed at the age of 17, where as in English Speakers it is 15.

Question 4

How does the study show Application to society?

Answer 4

• Point: The study can be applied to society but is not always useful due to this being a case study
• Example: This case study was tested on patients with Alzheimer’s and healthy patients
  -Evidence: As this this is a case study → harder to apply to society as dementia affects people differently → Other factors were not considered on the participants who were aged 5-17 such as any medical conditions

Question 5

How does the study have Low external validity?

Answer 5

• Point: Low External Validity
• Example : A list of digits were read allowed, one per second with each of the 3 lists. Starting with 3 digits
• Explain: This means the study was done in controlled conditions (lab experiment) so it does not mirror everyday situations → therefore is hard to apply to society

Question 6

How does the study have High External validity?

Answer 6

• Point: High external validity → controlled extraneous variables
• Example: No participants had repeated a school years or had learning difficulties such as in reading, writing or hearing → for example using screening
• Explain: This would have eliminated participants that would affect the results. This meant the participants were able to hear the digits being read out loud.

Question 7

How does the study show Ethics?

Answer 7

• Point: Some ethical guidelines were followed
• Example: → informed consent - there were 570 Spanish volunteers. → No right to withdraw given participants
• Explain: This meant participants had given consent to be part of the study. However most of the participants were children so therefore parents gave consent. The participants aged 5-17 may not have been aware about right to withdraw or may not have understood.