Meta-analysis

Question 1

What is a meta-analysis?

Answer 1

Compilation of multiple secondary sources of previous resources to establish a new, combined conclusion

Question 2

Aim of meta-analysis

Answer 2

To find patterns in studies that are comparable for similar methods to guide the field of research

Question 3

When are meta-analyses often conducted?

Answer 3

When there is a large pool of research to draw one conclusion from
When research may be inconsistent due to being from different cultures, time periods or locations

Question 4

What do they focus on that is different to other psychological research?

Answer 4

The direction and size of the effects across studies, not the statistical difference

Question 5

What is a requirement of a meta-analysis?

Answer 5

Should only contain studies that have sound methodology so that the best evidence is pulled together into an overall analysis, called the “best evidence synthesis”

Question 6

List 2 examples of what meta-analysis has given useful insight into

Answer 6

1) The effectiveness of interventions, such as interventions for criminals
2) The impact of independent variables, such as which factors of JDM are most influential

Question 7

Identify the main idea why meta-analyses are used in criminal psychology

Answer 7

To assess the success rates of treatments for offenders

Question 8

Generalisability

Answer 8

HIGH - Gather a large sample of many studies of differing cultures, time periods and locations = representative

Question 9

Reliability

Answer 9

HIGH - Involve study of quantitative date such as crime stats eg. recidivism when looking at treatments = objective, increasing consistency
LOW - Parts of procedures of each study that will differ from the rest of the sample = direct comparisons can’t be made as easily

Question 10

Applications

Answer 10

YES - Often used to look at success rates of treatments and highlights issues with JDM = research can be used to help show the effectiveness and possibly lead to improvements

Question 11

Validity

Answer 11

LOW - Involves looking at secondary data - may be elements of subjectivity = unscientific and may be influenced by researcher bias
LOW - Only uses published data and ignored unpublished data so researchers may be selective in which data they choose = publication bias which could distort findings

Question 12

Ethics

Answer 12

SOUND - Pre-published research so doesn’t directly involve use of participants = ethical guidelines don’t need to be considered to avoid harm of participants or their informed consent which may have caused other problems in research