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A level psychology > Experiment > Flashcards

Experiment Flashcards

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1
Q

Research methods

A

Lab experiment
Observation
Case study
Correlation
Self report

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2
Q

What makes research considered an experiment

A

Measuring if one factor (IV) effects the DV (what we are measuring) via cause and effect

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3
Q

Independent variable meaning

A

One factor that is manipulated by the experimenter to see its impact on what the experimenter wants to investigate

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4
Q

Dependent variable

A

The factor that the independent variable is affected by that the experimenter wants to measure

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5
Q

Control variables

A

Factors that are kept constant/accounted for to ensure the IV is what affects the DV
And these other factors aren’t the cause

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6
Q

Extraneous variables

A

Factors that could affect the dependent variable which aren’t the IV

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7
Q

Experimental condition

A

What some participants experience which the experimenter has manipulated the IV

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8
Q

Control condition

A

Not been manipulated so provides us with a baseline result which the experimental condition can be compared against

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9
Q

The 3 types of experiment

A

Lab experiment
Field experiment
Quasi experiment

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10
Q

Lab experiment

A

IV is manipulated by researchers in a contrived setting (lab eg) away from participants normal in controlled conditions

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11
Q

Field experiment

A

Independent variable is still manipulated but occurs in participants normal setting
So some factors not necessarily controlled but attempts are made to keep as much constant

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12
Q

Quasi (or natural) experiments

A

IV of what we want to change is naturally occurring and cannot be manipulated eg weather, race or gender of participants
So occurs over a long period of time where is waited

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13
Q

Lab experiment advantages

A

Highly controlled to remove extraneous examples, therefore increases construct validity to ensure what we want to measure is measured
Furthermore increased reliability as participants have gone through a standardised procedure
Replicable

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14
Q

Lab experiment disadvantages

A

Decreased ecological validity as experiment not in natural environment
Being aware you are in an experiment may make behaviour artificial

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15
Q

Field experiments advantages

A

Behaviour is natural because not under pretence of a study happening (increased ecological validity)
Less chance of displaying demand characteristics to aid the researcher and can’t guess the aim

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16
Q

Field experiments disadvantages

A

Can be less validdue to extraneous variables not controlled for
Participants can’t give informed consent
Not standardised for all Ps so decerased reliability

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17
Q

Quasi experiments advantages

A

Naturally occurring so not possible for researcher to be unethical as they cannot change anything
Allows the study of variables psychologists can’t manipulate

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18
Q

Quasi experiment disadvantages

A

Can be time consuming to wait for IV condition to change
Can be difficult to replicate
Lacks control variables such as lifestyle/ social factors which affect the IV

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19
Q

3 experimental designs

A

Repeated measures design
Independent measures design
Matched participants design

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20
Q

What are experimental designs?

A

Ways of setting up an experiment to decide which participants goes into which condition
To control individual participant variables

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21
Q

Repeated measures design

A

Involves using the same people in each condition so affect of IV is measured against the same person

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22
Q

independent measures design

A

Involved using different people per condition
Each participant is tested in only 1 condition
Comparing different peoples results against each other

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23
Q

Matched participants design

A

Involves using different people in each condition however a pre test is done to control participant characteristics by pairing participants on this then putting each into condition to spread what they are matched on across conditions

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24
Q

Advantages of a repeated measures design

A

Individual differences are controlled because comparisons made for same person
Therefore DV is affected by IV and not individual differences
Requires fewer people than other designs

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25
Q

Disadvantages of repeated measures design

A

Affects of going through same condition: order effects of boredom, fatigue and practise
Being tested twice may mean they pick up the IV (what is being measured) and show demand characteristics

26
Q

Advantages of independent measures design

A

Participants complete it once so results wont be affected by improvement (order effects)
Participants less likely to dropout = not as much effort and less time consuming
Less likely for participants to work out aim of study and show demand characteristics

27
Q

Disadvantages of independent measures design

A

Does not control extraneous participant variables so individual differences between participants affect findings
Large samples needed to increase reliability

28
Q

Advantages of matched participants design

A

Controls participants variables between than independent measures
No affect or order effects so less likely to be effected by demand characteristics or boredom

29
Q

Disadvantages of matched participants design

A

More effort as could involve a pre test beforehand
Requires calculating and achieving a high inter-rater reliability
Impossible to match perfectly because observers may be subjective

30
Q

What are 2 types of extraneous examples?

A

Participant variables
Situational variables

31
Q

Extraneous participant variables

A

Characteristics of the individual participant that may influence results based on how they respond/ behave other than the IV

32
Q

Extraneous situational variables

A

Any feature of the research situation which might influence participants behaviour and affect the result

33
Q

Examples of participant extraneous variables

A

Age, intelligence, skill, experience, gender of participant, past experiences

34
Q

How to control participant extraneous variables?

A

Same people in each condition = repeated measures design
Or similar people = matched participants design
If using independent measures design randomly allocate each P to the conditions = evenly distributed

35
Q

Examples of situational extraneous variables

A

Order effects
Environmental factors
Demand characteristics

36
Q

Order effects extraneous variables meaning

A

if doing same activity twice participants may improve the second time so not affected by IV
Or even get worse due to boredom of repeating it
In independent measures design

37
Q

How to control extraneous situational variables = order effects

A

Have different people per condition (matched participant or independent)
If repeated measures design then split where group 1 does condition a first then b and group 2 does vice versa

38
Q

Environmental extraneous variables

A

Factors including time of day, temperature and noise may change participant behaviour

39
Q

How to control environmental situational extraneous variables?

A

Impose variables such as same time of day, same light levels, same temp, same room etc

40
Q

Demand characteristics = situational extraneous variables

A

Cues in an experiment which communicate to participants what is expected of them thus unconsciously affect behaviour of participants

41
Q

How to avoid demand characteristics?

A

Don’t tell participants aim of the experiment in a single blind experiment

42
Q

Single bind experiment

A

Where participants don’t know the aim of the study but the researchers do

43
Q

Double blind experiment

A

When neither researchers or participants know the aim of the study

44
Q

Why would a double blind experiment take place?

A

To avoid researcher effects
To avoid researcher bias

45
Q

What are researcher effects?

A

How research could be affected by a researchers behaviour
Like being more encouraging in experimental condition to prove their hypothesis

46
Q

What are research bias?

A

When the researcher expects the data to look a certain way so influences what data

47
Q

Hypotheses

A

An intelligent guess as to what the experiment will show based on previous research

48
Q

2 forms of hypothesis

A

An alternative hypothesis
A null hypothesis

49
Q

What is the alternative hypothesis?

A

Predicts how likely the IV will affect the DV
By stating there will be a SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE caused by the IV

50
Q

2 types of alternative hypothesis

A

Two tailed
One tailed

51
Q

Two tailed hypothesis

A

Predicts the IV will cause a significant difference on the DV but does not say which way eg whether it increases or decreases the DV

52
Q

One tailed hypothesis

A

Predicts the IV will have a significant effect in the DV and also the direction this effect goes in
Due to using previous research to predict this

53
Q

When should you use a two tailed or one tailed alt hypothesis?

A

One tailed = if previous research exists on the effect of the IV so can predict the direction
Two tailed = if previous research does not exist

54
Q

Null hypothesis

A

Predicts the IV will not have an effect on the DV and predicts ‘any difference is due to chance’

55
Q

What to remember when writing a null hypothesis?

A

There won’t be a SIGNIFICANT difference in __(DV)__ when the experiment takes place in condition 1 or condition 2 (IV, state what it is). ANY DIFFERENCE WILL BE DUE TO CHANCE

56
Q

What to remember when writing an alt one tail hypothesis?

A

There will be a significant increase/decrease in the DV when the experiment takes place in condition 1 rather than condition 2 (IV, state it)

57
Q

What to remember when writing alt two tail hypothesis?

A

There will be a significant DIFFERENCE in the DV when the experiment takes place in condition 1 rather than condition 2

58
Q

What must be done to the DV and IV when writing a hypothesis?

A

Operationalise it

59
Q

Operationalisation

A

The process of making abstract variables such as personality traits measurable (if as a DV) or testable (if as a IV)

60
Q

Example of operationalising an IV in terms of sportiness

A

For example if the sportiness of participants was the IV of the experiment
Sporty people = completes exercise 3 times a week
Non sporty people = less than 3 times

61
Q

Example of operationalising a DV in terms of sportiness

A

The experiment will measure the sportiness of the participant
So measure whether they can complete a lap around a pitch within under a certain time frame

A level psychology (54 decks)

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