Methodological issues Flashcards
Validity
The idea of ensuring research measures what it aims to measure, the study is ACCURATE
Making sure it measures how the IV affects the DV
Validity can fall under what categories?
Internal
External
Internal validity
Whether the test itself accurately measures what it intends to
Construct validity
Ensuring the study measures the concept that the researcher aims to measure and not measuring an extraneous variables’ affect (environmental or participant variables)
Face validity
How accurately the research looks to be testing what it’s meant to test at face value
Criterion validity
How accurately the results of a test can PREDICT the score achieved on similar tests about the same subject
Concurrent validity
When a test/research gives the same results as another study/ measuring device which is measuring same behaviour or concept
External validity
Whether findings in research can be accurately generalised to different people or situations
Generalisability
The extent to which research can be applied to different situations and populations of people beyond the study
External validity has what types of validity fall under it?
Population validity
Ecological validity
Ecological validity
Considers whether the experiment resembles real life
So participants show naturalistic/accurate behaviour to how someone would act outside of the study
So if research can be accurately generalised to real life situations
Population validity
Considers whether the sample is representative of the target population - it is diverse enough and not biased
So we have an accurate measure of target population’s behaviour
So research can be generalised to the target population beyond the study
Social desirability bias
When participants behave in a way which is based on society’s norms to appear as a better person
Demand characteristics
Bias in research caused by participants guessing the aim of the study and increase pd behaviour accordingly to aid the researcher
Reliability
Refers to consistency of research and findings: if the measurements show a consistent effect
Internal reliability
How standardised a study is because controls were imposed so all participants had the same experience = all data will prove the same consistent conclusion
And so the study is replicable, repeated the exact same way to consistently prove this conclusion
External reliability
Whether sample size is large enough to establish a consistent effect of the IV on the DV
So anomalies wont ruin conclusion drawn
Observer bias
When observers can project their own interpretations when observing behaviour so it is measured subjectively than objectively
Inter rater reliability
Checking the agreement between raters and observers to see if ratings/observations are consistent with each other
How can we make sure a study is ecologically valid?
Conduct experiment in the field (real life setting)
Complete task usually done in real life
Split half reliability
(Survey) Compare the results of questions of one half of the study to results of questions of other half of study
To ensure that they are consistent in their results: answers are the same
Test-retest reliability
When we repeat the study on the same participants later on to ensure we obtain consistent results from last time
Methods of Increasing ecological validity
Conduct research in participants real life situation eg field experiment
Have participants complete task usually done in their real life
If a controlled environment, try design it to reflect real life
Increasing population validity by obtaining a diverse sample
Use random sampling so everyone in target population is given equal chance of selection
= does not select for specific traits
= representative of target population
