Key Evaluation Terms

Question 1

Reliability

Answer 1

If a procedure is well planned and controlled it can be repeated to see if the results are reliable.
Good- when a study is controlled and standardised as then the study’s findings can be verified

Question 2

Control

Answer 2

High control-
If a procedure is well planned and controlled it can find a clear cause and effect (valid findings)
Good- When study is controlled and standardised, means the results are accurate

Question 3

Sample Size

Answer 3

Sample Size-
The number of participants in a study
Good- If the sample is large, you are more likely to get a variety of people with means good generalisability to the wider population

Question 4

Demand Characteristic

Answer 4

Demand Characteristics-
A subtle cue that makes participants aware of what experimenter expects to find or how participants are expected to behave
Bad- Can change the outcome of an experiment because participants will often alter their behaviour to conform to the experimenter expectations- result will be less valid

Question 5

Ecological Validity

Answer 5

Ecological Validity-
This type of validity refers to how well a tidy can be related to or reflects everyday, real life. (External Validity)
Good- Studies with high ecological validity can be generalised beyond the setting they were carried out in, whereas studies low in ecological validity can’t

Question 6

Mundane Realism

Answer 6

Mundane Realism-
The extent to which the experimental situation/task is something that participants might do in real life
Good- Memory task in which we remember a list of words is rather artificial and not something people tend to do in their daily lives. Whereas reading a newspaper and remember aspects of it is more common, and thus higher in mundane realism

Question 7

Andocentric

Answer 7

Andocentric-
Andocentric theories/findings are those which are based on research of males and then applied to all human behaviour and therefore likely to be biased
Bad- Can’t generalise findings if they only apply to one gender

Question 8

Ethnocentric

Answer 8

Ethnocentric-
Tendency to perceive the world from your own cultural group, such as your ethnic group,national group etc. A consequence= there can so be a tendency to view your own group as superior to other groups
Bad- as you ignore the cultural norms of the group and assume their findings are wrong compared to your own cultural norms

Question 9

Objective/Subjective

Answer 9

Objective- based on factual data, such as numbers
Subjective- Based on interpretation of data, usually written word
Bad(subjective)- can create bias in results