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A Level Psychology > [🧠] Methodology > Flashcards

[🧠] Methodology Flashcards

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1
Q

Co-variables

definition

A

Two or more measured variables in a correlation

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2
Q

Laboratory experiment

definition

A

Laboratory experiments: A research method in which
there is an IV, DV, and strict controls. This looks for a
causal relationship and is conducted in a setting which
is not the usual environment for the participant with
regard to the behaviour they are performing.

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3
Q

Field experiment

definition

A

Field experiments: This is conducted in a setting which
is the normal environment for the participant with
regard to the behaviour they are performing. The
researcher has control over a few variables, but it
difficult to control all variables.

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4
Q

Natural experiment

definition

A

An investigation looking for a causal relationship in which the IV cannot be directly manipulated
* effect of an existing difference or change is investigated

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5
Q

Define

Standardisation

Research methods

A

The practice of keeping the procedure for each participant in a study exactly the same, to ensure that measured differences in the DV are likely to be due to the IV

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6
Q

Define

Controls

Research methods

A

Ways to keep potential confounding variables constant, to ensure measured differences in the DV are likely to be due to the IV

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7
Q

Define

Replication

Research methods

A

Keeping the procedure and materials exactly the same between studies

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8
Q

Define

Operationalisation

Research methods

A

The practice of clearly describing a variable such that it can be measured/quantified and accurately manipulated so that the study can be replicated.

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9
Q

Ecological validity

Research methods

A

How generalisable the study’s findings are to other situations or settings.

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10
Q

Population validity

Research methods

A

How well a study’s sample represents other populations or groups.

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11
Q

Explain what is meant by

debriefing

Ethics: Human Participants

A
  • participants are reminded of their ethical rights
  • cover stories must be uncovered
  • participants must be thanked and given contact details for future concerns
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12
Q

Explain what is meant by

right to withdraw

Ethics: Human Participants

A

participants can leave the research experiment before it starts, during the process or after the process has ended

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13
Q

Explain what is meant by

privacy

Ethics: Human Participants

A

participants privacy must not be invaded and they have control over what information is published

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14
Q

Explain what is meant by

confidentiality

Ethics: Human Participants

A

participants’ identities must not be revealed to the public

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15
Q

minimising harm and maximising benefits

definition

A

ensuring that participants are not physically or psychologically harmed by the research process

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16
Q

Explain what is meant by

valid consent including informed consent

Ethics: Human Participants

A

participants are made aware of the benefits and risks of the research, and give unambiguous consent

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17
Q

Explain what is meant by

lack of deception

Ethics: Human Participants

A

participants should be aware of all the details of the experiment; if deception is necessary, they must be debriefed afterwards

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18
Q

species and strain

definition

A

species must be least likely to become distressed;
whilst being able to fulfill the requirements of the study; endangered species must not be used

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19
Q

Explain what is meant by

numbers

Ethics: Non-human participants

A

The smallest number of animals possible should be used while being enough to achieve reliable results

Numbers

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20
Q

Explain what is meant by

anaesthesia, analgesia, euthanasia

Ethics: Non-human participants

A
  • Procedures that are likely to cause pain and discomfort should be performed only on animals that have been adequately anaesthetised
  • Analgesics should be used before and after such procedures to minimise pain and distress
  • Animals suffering lasting pain must be euthanised

Anaesthesia, analgesia, euthanasia

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21
Q

deprivation and aversive stimuli

definition

A
  • Deprivation is doing without something
  • Aversive stimuli is something present that the animal doesn’t like, is afraid of or hurt by
  • Researchers must ensure there is no alternative way of motivating the animal that is consistent with the aims of the experiment
  • Levels of deprivation should be no greater than needed to achieve the experiment’s goals
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22
Q

pain and distress

definition

A

Any physical/psychological pain and distress must be avoided.
Any adverse effects on animals must be recognised and assessed, with immediate action taken wherever necessary

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23
Q

replacement

definition

A

Researchers should consider replacing animal experiments with videos or computer simulations

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24
Q

housing

definition

A
  • Isolation and overcrowding should be avoided
  • Caging should take into consideration the aspects of the animal’s natural environment that are important to its welfare and the social behaviour of the species
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25
Q

reward

definition

A

The researcher should consider the animal’s usual eating and drinking habits and metabolic requirements

Reward

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26
Q

Strengths of

laboratory experiments

A
  1. High reliability - high levels of standardization
  2. High internal validity - high levels of control in the environment
27
Q

Weaknesses of

laboratory experiments

A
  1. Low ecological validity - artificial environment
  2. Participants may show demand characteristics
28
Q

Strengths of

field experiments

A
  1. High ecological validity - realistic setting
  2. Limited demand characteristics from participants
29
Q

Weaknesses of

field experiments

A
  1. Low internal validity - situational variables are difficult to control
  2. Deception - participants do not know that they’re taking part in a study
  3. Low reliability - setting is not controlled
30
Q

Strengths of

natural experiments

A
  1. High ecological validity because the IV is naturally occurring
  2. Valid representation of a person’s behaviour
31
Q

Weakness of

natural experiments

A
  • Difficult to know whether the IV caused an effect on the DV
  • Low reliability - the event investigated is naturally occurring
32
Q

experimental condition

definition

A

one or more of the situations in an experiment which represent the different levels of the IV
* compared with one another or with the control condition

33
Q

2 types of self-reports

A

questionnaires
and interviews

34
Q

Define

questionnaire

A

Questionnaires are a research method that involves
asking questions, mainly written, to gain information from
the participants.

35
Q

4 types of questionnaires

A
  1. Likert scales: questions asking whether the participant likes or dislikes something.
  2. Rating scales: questions that require the participant to represent their answer on the numerical scale provided to them.
  3. Open questions: questions which allow the participant to give detailed answers without any restrictions.
  4. Closed questions: questions which allow the participant to respond using a few, stated responses without the opportunity to expand on their answers.
36
Q

Define

interviews

A

Interviews are a research method using verbal questions
asked directly to the participants.

37
Q

3 types of interviews

A
  1. Structured: an interview with questions in a fixed order which may be scripted. Consistency might also be required in the interviewer’s posture, voice, etc., and hence these are highly standardized.
  2. Semi-structured: an interview with a fixed list of questions, however, the interviewer could add more questions if required to clarify or get details on any previous answers.
  3. Unstructured: an interview in which most questions depend on the respondent’s answers. A list of topics may be provided that need to be covered for the interview.
38
Q

Strengths of

questionnaires

A
  1. Participants are more likely to give truthful answers as it does not involve talking to someone face to face
  2. A large sample can answer the questionnaire in a short time span which should increase the representativeness and generalizability of the findings
39
Q

What are the features of an

independent measures design?

A
  • Two participant groups
  • One group performs the control condition
  • The other performs the experimental condition of the IV
40
Q

What are the features of a

repeated measures design?

A
  • One participant group
  • Participant group carries out both the control and the experimental condition
41
Q

Advantages of

independent measures design

A
  • less order effects
  • less demand characteristics
42
Q

Disadvantages of

independent measures design

A
  • more participant variables
  • more participants needed, more time-consuming
43
Q

Advantages of

repeated measures design

A
  • less participant variables
  • less participants needed, less time-consuming
44
Q

Disadvantages for

repeated measures design

A
  • more order effects
  • more demand characteristics
45
Q

covert observation

definition

A

participants are unaware that they are being observed

46
Q

Weaknesses of

questionnaires

A
  1. Too many closed questions may force an answer that does not reflect the participant’s opinion
  2. Participants may give socially desirable answers
47
Q

Strength of

interviews

A

Lots of open questions will make participants reveal reasons as to why they behave in a particular way or have a particular opinion

48
Q

Weakness of

interview

A

Participants may be less likely to give truthful answers as they are face to face with the interviewer or because of social desirability

49
Q

Define

case study

A

A detailed investigation of a single instance, usually a
person, family or institute, that produced in-depth data
specific to that instance.

50
Q

Strengths of

case studies

A
  1. High ecological validity as participants are studied in their everyday lives
  2. As researchers are focused on one individual, they can collect rich, in-depth data which adds validity to the findings
51
Q

Weaknesses of

case studies

A
  1. Attachments may be formed between researcher and participant which may reduce objectivity of data collected and analysis of it. This could reduce the validity of the findings.
  2. As the research is focused on one person, the case is unique which makes generalisations difficult
52
Q

Define

observation

A

A research method that involves watching human or
animal behaviour.

An observer can be overt/covert or participant/non-participant

53
Q

Correlation co-efficient

A

A number between -1 and +1 that shows the strength of the relationship between two variables with
* a co-efficient of -1 meaning there is a perfect negative correlation
* a co-efficient of +1 meaning there is a perfect positive correlation

54
Q

Experiment

A

An experiment is an investigation looking for a causal
relationship in which an independent variable (IV) is
manipulated and is expected to be responsible for
changes in the dependent variable (DV).

55
Q

Correlation

A

A research method that looks for a relationship between two measured variables, where a change in one variable is related to a change in the other.

56
Q

Causal relationship

A

A link between two variables such that a change in one variable is responsible for the change in the other variable.

57
Q

control condition

definition

A

a situation in which the IV is absent. This is compared to the experimental condition(s)

58
Q

mundane realism

definition

A

the extent to which a task represents the real-world situation

59
Q

face validity

definition

A

a measure of validity indicating whether a measure appears to test what it claims to

60
Q

concurrent validity

definition

A

when a test correlates well with a measure that has previously been validated

61
Q

objectivity

definition

A

an unbiased viewpoint that is not affected by an individual’s feelings, beliefs or experiences, so should be consistent between different researchers

62
Q

subjectivity

definition

A

a personal viewpoint which may be biased by one’s feelings, beliefs or experiences and may differ between researchers

63
Q

inter-rater reliability

definition

A

the extent to which two researchers interpreting qualitative responses will produce the same records from the same raw data

64
Q

methods of testing reliability

A
  1. test-retest method: do the task twice and then comparing the results of each time to check their similarity
  2. split-half method: the questions are the same in
    both halves of the task but presented in different a manner; the results of the first half must be the same as the results of second half

A Level Psychology (31 decks)

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