Hypotheses, variables and sampling

Question 1

What is a variable?

Answer 1

Anything that varies

Question 2

What does a psychology experiment test? and what the use of experiments is.

Answer 2

The effect of one variable on another, is a test of difference. Allows researchers to establish cause and effect links

Question 3

What does a correlational study test?

Answer 3

How strongly two variables are associated- describe the relationship between 2 variables

Question 4

What is the IV and DV ?

Answer 4

IV- Variable manipulated by experimenter
DV- Outcome measured by experimenter

Question 5

What is an experimental/alternate hypothesis and give an example?

Answer 5

For an experiment, the IV is predicted to affect the DV. EG There will be a significant number of words recalled from a list of 20 between ppts given 10 minutes to learn the list and those given 3 minutes to learn the list

Question 6

What are co-variables and why are they used?

Answer 6

For a correlation, they are two variables that carry with each other and both are measured, neither one is set or controlled by the researcher- used when it’s hard/unethical to manipulate IV
V1&2- measured by researcher

Question 7

What is an alternate hypothesis (Ha) for a correlation?

Answer 7

Where V1 is predicted to have an association with V2 EG There will be a significant negative correlation between a person’s age in years and the hours per week they use the internet

Question 8

Tip for operationalising hypotheses?

Answer 8

How we will manipulate IV, and how we will measure DV (In a quantifiable way)

Question 9

What is an extraneous variable?

Answer 9

Any variables that MIGHT affect the DV apart from the IV

Question 10

What is a confounding variable?

Answer 10

Uncontrolled extraneous variables that have affected results

Question 11

What are situational variables and how can we control them?

Answer 11

Variables in the research situation itself can affect the DV.
Can be controlled via pilot studies or standardisation

Question 12

What are participant variables and how can we control them?

Answer 12

Variables from individual ppts and impact their performance
Controlled by randomisation to assume differences between ptts are balanced out across the conditions

Question 13

What are order effects and how can we control them?

Answer 13

The order in which ppts carry out a task- occurs in research where a group of ppts are asked to carry out a task twice
Controlled with counterbalancing eg half the ppts complete the task in one and order and half complete the task in another order

Question 14

What are demand characteristics and how do we control them?

Answer 14

Cues ppts might get that indicate purpose of research
Controlled by low levels of deception

Question 15

What are researcher effects and how do we control them?

Answer 15

If a researcher knows the aims of the study and an expected outcome they many struggle to remain objective and reflect expectations
Controlled by standardised procedures

Question 16

Give an example of a one-tailed hypothesis.

Answer 16

There will be a significant positive correlation between the attractiveness ratings of males and females in married couples

Question 17

Give an example of a two-tailed hypothesis.

Answer 17

There will be a significant difference in memory recall between ppts who drink alcohol and ppts who don’t drink alcohol
or there will be a sig correlation..

Question 18

Give an example of a null hypothesis (Ho) for an experiment and correlation

Answer 18

Exp- the consumption of alcohol will not significantly affect memory capacity
Correlation- There will be no significant correlation between the attractiveness ratings of females and males in married couples

Question 19

Why is it important to have a representative sample?

Answer 19

It allows us to generalise our results to our target population as a representative sample is a group of ppts drawn from target population that is typical of that target population

Question 20

What is sampling bias?

Answer 20

The sample becomes weighted due to an overrepresentation of one group- may come from volunteers

Question 21

What is random sampling?

Answer 21

Sample , in which every member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected

Question 22

Name one advantage and one disadvantage of random sampling

Answer 22

One advantage is that larger samples provide the best chance of an unbiased and presentation sample. This is because everyone has an opportunity to be chosen.

One disadvantage is that in psych the larger the target population the more difficult it is to sample randomly since compiling the original selection becomes impractical. Furthermore, gathering names can be difficult due to legal restrictions. For example, the Data Protection Act (1998) may limit the collection of a true random sample.

Question 23

What is opportunity sampling?

Answer 23

Selecting ppts that are available at the time

Question 24

Name one advantage and disadvantage of opportunity sampling.

Answer 24

One advantage is that the opportunity sample is quick, convenient and efficient. It is also ethical as the researcher can judge whether a ppt will likely be upset by the study.

One DA is that it may be unrepresentative as it’s biased. This is because it is only drawn from a small sector of the target pop the researcher can access and the researcher may only choose ppts who seem friendly and likely to help and ppts are only those who are willing to take part making them particularly helpful

Question 25

What is volunteer sampling?

Answer 25

When volunteers consciously decided to become part of the study eg seeing an advert in a newspaper

Question 26

One advantage and disadvantage of volunteer sampling

Answer 26

If ppts have volunteered after being fully informed of the nature of the research then this is very ethical as ppts decided themselves to be involved in the study. Volunteer samples allow access to a variety of pts and easy

However, if an ad is used then the sample will be biased by the fact not everyone in the target population will see the ad and not everyone who sees it will respond. AND USING VOLUNTEERS MAY BE SEEN AS BIAS AS RESEARCH SHOWS VOLUNTeers have different personality traits might be because they’re more motivated

Question 27

What is stratified sampling?

Answer 27

Diving the target pop into important sub-categories to allow certain groups to be represented

Question 28

One advantage and one disadvantage of stratified sampling

Answer 28

As a deliberate effort is made to identify and select the most important characteristics of the target sample will be representative which means credible conclusions can be drawn

However, identification of these sub-categories can be a source of sampling bias as the researcher may have preconceived ideas on relevant characteristics this means important subcategories will be excluded and it becomes less representative