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Psychology Unit 2 > Methodologies > Flashcards

Methodologies Flashcards

1
Q

In What Conditions are Lab Experiments Carried Out In

A
  • Carefully Controlled
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2
Q

What is an Experimental Group?

A
  • Group in which independent variable appears
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3
Q

What is a Control Group?

A
  • Compared to the experimental group to see if the IV has an affect
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4
Q

What are the Strengths of Lab Experiments?

A
  • High Internal Validity - provides psychologist with highest control over confounding variables - allows researcher to establish cause + effect relationships
  • Allows for replication - research will have more credibility if it’s replicated
  • Forcing pace of research - psychologist decides when to start/stop
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5
Q

What are the Limitations of Lab Experiements?

A
  • Low ecological validity - more control of behavior = less natural
  • Demand characteristics - participants try to make sense of situation + act accordingly - can seriously affect validity of research
  • Ethical issues - Deception?
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6
Q

Why Can Cause + Effect Relationships Be Formed in Lab Experiments?

A
  • Possible to state the independent variable caused the change in the dependent variable because everything else is controlled
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7
Q

What Does Replication Mean?

A
  • Allows other researcher to repeat the experiment + achieve the same results
  • More credibility
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8
Q

What Does Forcing the Pace of Research Mean?

A
  • Researcher can decide when to start/stop experiment

- Allows researcher to select when/where undertake experiment

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9
Q

What is Meant by the Term Low Ecological Validity?

A
  • More control of behavior = less natural

- Due to experiment’s high degree of control it’s been argued that they engage artificial behaviors (not like real life)

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10
Q

What are Demand Characteristics?

A
  • Participants try to workout purpose of experiment + act accordingly
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11
Q

Describe One Ethical Issue Within Lab Experiemnts

A
  • Deception - participants may be lied to/decievd about true nature of experiment
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12
Q

What is a Field Experiment?

A
  • An experiment that takes place in a natural setting

- It involves direct control of the IV by the experiment

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13
Q

How are Field Experiments Different to Lab Experiments?

A
  • Doesn’t take place in a completely controlled setting

- Confounding variables cannot be controlled so behavior is more natural

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14
Q

What are the Advantages of Field Experiments?

A
  • Improved ecological validity - possible to generlise findings to real life situations
  • Reduction of demand characteristics - participants are unaware they’re taking part so behavior is artificial
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15
Q

What are the Disadvantages of Field Experiments?

A
  • Low internal validity - difficult to control variables
  • Ethical issues - participants are unaware that they’re taking part
  • Time + cost - may take longer to complete
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16
Q

What is a Quasi Experiment?

A
  • Not a true experiment
  • Research cannot manipulate the IV
  • Type of natural experiment
17
Q

What is a Natural Experiment?

A
  • Conducted when it is not possible for ethical/practical reasons to deliberately manipulated an IV
  • Researcher take advantages of things that would normally be practically/ethically difficult to control
18
Q

What are the Strengths of Natural Experiments?

A
  • High in ecological validity
  • Allows researcher to study real life behavior + problems
  • Reduced demand characteristics - Participants unaware they’re taking part
  • Investigates effects of IV that would be unethical/unpractical to manipulate
19
Q

What are the Weaknesses of Natural Experiments?

A
  • Possibility for confounding variables are endless - lack of control of IV means no cause + effect relationship can be established
  • Ethical issues - if participants are unaware they’re taking part there cannot be informed consent
  • Situation researchers are studying may not occur
20
Q

What are the Observational Techniques?

A
  1. Controlled Observation

2. Naturalistic Observation

21
Q

What are Controlled Observations?

A
  • Involve researchers having control over environments where observation is being conducted
22
Q

What are Naturalistic Observations?

A
  • Involves looking at behavior without interfering

- No deliberate manipulation on IV

23
Q

What are the Examples of Naturalistic Observations?

A
  1. Driver behavior
  2. Behavior of Children
  3. Studies in workplace
  4. Studies with drugs/alcohol
24
Q

What is Participant Observation?

A
  • Observer joins the group of people being observed
25
Q

What is Non-Participant Observation?

A
  • Observer remains external from those being observed
26
Q

What is Undisclosed/Covert Observation?

A
  • Observed remain unaware of research
27
Q

What is Disclosed/Overt Observation?

A
  • Participants are aware of research
28
Q

What is Behavioral Categories?

A
  • Reduces the variety of behavior

- Splits behavior into manageable amounts

29
Q

What are the Advantages of Naturalistic Observations?

A
  • High ecological validity
  • Avoidance of demand characteristics
  • Very ethical (e.g. when studying aggression)
  • Useful for studying children/animals
30
Q

What are the Disadvantages of Naturalistic Observations?

A
  • Demand Characteristics - Participants may be aware that they’re being observed
  • Ethical issues - Deception
  • Observer bias
  • Missing behavior (minimized with use of video/sound)
  • Difficulty of Replication
31
Q

What is Content Anaysis?

A
  • Analysis of the content of something
  • Observational technique - used for written/pictorial information
  • Indirect Observation
32
Q

What is Quantitative Data?

A
  • Numerical Information
33
Q

What is Qualitative Data?

A
  • Words
34
Q

What are the Strengths of Content Analysis?

A
  • Unobtrusive + doesn’t need consent
  • Useful for analyzing historical data
  • Establishing reliability is easy
  • Straightforward comparison methods
35
Q

What is the Weakness of Content Analysis?

A
  • Time consuming

Psychology Unit 2 (3 decks)

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