Methods (definitions) Flashcards
Correlation coefficient
A number between 1 and -1 which represents the strength and direction of a correlation
Content analysis
The indirect study of behaviour through the systematic summary and description of communications that people produce (e.g. emails, magazines, speech)
Coding
The stage of quantitative content analysis in which the communication is analysed by identifying each instance of the chosen categories (e.g. words, phrases)
Thematic content analysis
A qualitative approach to content analysis which involves identifying prominent, recurring themes, which are usually more descriptive and general than coding categories
Reliability
How consistent the findings from an investigation or measuring device are
Validity
The extent to which a test measures what it intended to measure (internal), and can be generalised beyond the research setting (external)
Face validity
Whether the test appears ‘on the face of it’ to measure what it intends to measure
Concurrent validity
Whether the results of the test match the results of a similar, established test
Interval data
Data based on established numerical scales that include units of equal, precisely defined size (e.g. time in seconds, length in mm)
Ordinal data
Data that has been ordered in some way, with unequal intervals between units (e.g. attractiveness out of 10, test score grade)
Nominal data
Discrete data represented as categories (e.g. favourite film genre, number of boys and girls)
Parametric test
The most powerful, sensitive statistical tests which should be used when possible (related t, unrelated t, pearson’s r)
Chi squared
Unrelated test of difference/correlation, nominal data
Mann Whitney
Unrelated test of difference, ordinal data
Wilcoxon
Related test of difference, ordinal data
Spearman’s Rho
Correlation, ordinal data
Sign test
Related test of difference, nominal data
Unrelated t-test
Unrelated test of difference, interval data
Related t-test
Related test of difference, interval data
Pearson’s r
Correlation, interval data
Alternative hypothesis
A hypothesis (directional or non directional) which states that the investigation will find a difference/change (H1)
Null hypothesis
A hypothesis which states that the investigation will not find a difference/change (H0)
Critical value
The numerical boundary between acceptance and rejection of the null hypothesis
Type I error
Accepting the alternative hypothesis and rejecting the null hypothesis when it should have been the other way round (false positive)
Type II error
Accepting the hull hypothesis and rejecting the alternative hypothesis when it should have been the other way round (false negative)
The rule of R
Statistical tests with an ‘r’ in the name require the calculated value to be equal to or more that the critical value
Degrees of freedom (chi-squared)
(Rows-1) x (columns-1)
Degrees of freedom (related t-test)
N - 1
Degrees of freedom (unrelated t-test)
N(condition 1) + N(condition 2) - 2
Abstract
A short summary of the aims, hypotheses, procedure, results, and conclusions of the investigation at the beginning of a journal article
Introduction
A review of the area of investigation, including theories, concepts and studies, beginning generally and narrowing in until the aims and hypotheses are presented
Method
Sufficient procedural detail so that the study can be replicated - design, sample (inc. method and target population), materials, procedure (inc. brief, instructions, debrief), ethics
Results
A summary of the findings: descriptive statistics, inferential statistics (statistical test, calculated and critical values, significance level), raw data, content analysis
Discussion
A prosaic summary of the findings with discussion including context, limitations, and wider implications
Referencing
Full details of any source material drawn upon or cited in the report, formally referenced
Paradigm
A shared and accepted set of assumptions and methods within a scientific discipline
Paradigm shift
A significant change in the dominant theory within a scientific discipline as a result of a scientific revolution
Objectivity
When all sources of person bias are minimised so as not to influence the research process, something to strive for in scientific work
The empirical method
Scientific approaches base on the gathering of evidence through direct observation and experience e.g. experiments, observations, interviews
Replicability
The extent to which scientific research and findings can be repeated by other researchers across different contexts
Falsifiability
The claim from Popper that a theory can only be considered scientific if there are means by which it would be proved wrong
Pre-science
A variety of theories existing to explain a phenomenon, but there is no generally accepted theory/paradigm. Kuhn claimed that Psychology is a pre-science.
Lie scale
A test incorporated in questionnaires to assess the consistency of the participant’s responses and to control for social desirability bias
