methods in social pschology Flashcards
what is quantitative research?
Studies numerical relationships between variables using statistical analysis.
what is a quantitive researcher classed as?
Nomothetic (seeks general laws).
what is qualitative research?
Focuses on interpreting non-numerical data.
what is a qualitative researcher called?
Idiographic (focuses on individuals).
what is correlational research?
Measures associations between variables not manipulated by the researcher.
helps form new predictions
advantage of correlational research
Allows study of natural, hard-to-manipulate or unethical variables.
Correlation example study
Study: Carroll, Davey Smith & Bennett (1994)- Association between socio-economic status and health
Method: for health, look at life spans of around 800 people as noted on their graves. Social status- measured height of gravestones.
Conclusion: Positive correlation between status and longevity.
is correlation causation?
no
Example: Violent games ↔ aggression.
A causes B
B causes A
Third variable (e.g., family issues) causes both
Key Point: Correlation doesn’t prove cause.
what is experimental research
Researcher controls events + randomly assigns participants.
Research that can demonstrate causal relationships because (i) the experimenter has control over the events that occur and (ii) participants are randomly assigned to conditions
what is the advantage of experimental research
Can determine cause and effect (IV → DV).
lab experiment of experimental research
🧪 Lab Experiment Example
Study: Fein, Goethals & Kugler (2007)
Context: Reagan vs. Mondale debate
Findings: Audience reactions (social influence) affected participant ratings more than content.
Example of a field experiment
🌍 Field Experiment Example
Study: Ruback & Juieng (1997)
Topic: Territorial behaviour in car parks
Method: Manipulated intrusion level to test reactance theory.
what is survey research?
Definition: Asks questions about attitudes, beliefs, behaviours.
Methods: Questionnaires/interviews (in-person, phone, mail, online).
Use: Good for large populations, unethical/impossible to observe some topics directly.
what is random sampling?
Definition: Everyone in population
has an equal chance of being chosen.
Advantage: More representative.
What is convenience sampling
Definition: Uses most easily available participants.
Problem: Not representative — biased.
Can produce proportions that are severely skewed away from the actual proportions in the population as a whole
Example: 1936 U.S. Presidential Election Literary Digest poll
what is marginal error?
Definition: Indicates sampling error in survey results.
Rule: Larger sample = smaller margin
.
Example: 3% margin on 55% = true value between 52–58%.
3% margin of error means that a survey’s result could be 3% lower or 3% higher than the average response – the larger the sample is, the smaller the margin of error is
55% think marijuana should be legal
44% think marijuana should be illegal
1% undecided
convenience sampling- survey research
Media Polls: Often biased (e.g., Glamour, Cosmopolitan)
Why ignore them? Non-random, self-selecting participants = skewed results.
Real Example:
Study: Nisbett & Cohen (1996)
Finding: Southerners more likely to approve of violence — but national data found no regional differences.
qualitative research approaches
Data collection methods
Interviews (unstructured); Focus groups; Participant observation; Naturally occurring conversation; Text (newspapers, diaries, transcripts); Internet (support groups, dating sites, etc.)
Data analysis techniques
Grounded Theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967)
Discourse Analysis (Potter & Wetherell, 1987)
Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, Flowers & Larkin, 2009)
What are the limitations of correlation research studies within social psychology?
No Causal Inference
“Correlation is not causation” — just because two variables are related doesn’t mean one causes the other.
Can’t tell which direction the relationship goes (if any).
third variable problem - A third, unmeasured variable could be influencing both variables.
what is the third variable problem in correlational research?
An unmeasured variable influences both variables in a correlation, creating a misleading association.
(Mauro, 1990)
Example: Ice cream sales and drowning incidents are correlated, but the underlying factor is hot weather, which increases both ice cream consumption and swimming activities.
Why is low ecological validity a possibility and an issue in laboratory-based research?
refers to the extent to which study findings can be generalized to real-world settings.
Artificial Environment: Labs are controlled settings designed to isolate variables, which can create scenarios that differ significantly from everyday life.
Controlled Tasks: Participants may engage in tasks that are simplified or structured in ways that don’t reflect typical real-world activities.
Limited Generalizability: Findings from lab studies may not apply to real-life situations, reducing their practical relevance.
Participant Behavior: The unnatural setting might influence how participants behave, potentially leading to results that don’t accurately represent behavior outside the lab.
In survey research, why is random sampling important for investigating accurately the attitudes and behaviour of people of particular populations?
Unbiased Representation: Random sampling ensures that every individual in the population has an equal chance of being selected, minimizing selection bias and leading to a sample that accurately reflects the population’s diversity.
Generalizability of Results: By obtaining a representative sample through random selection, researchers can confidently generalize their findings to the broader population, enhancing the external validity of the study.
Statistical Validity: Random sampling supports the application of statistical tests and the estimation of sampling errors, providing a solid foundation for making inferences about the population.
How do quantitative and qualitative approaches to social psychological research differ?
Data Type:
Quantitative Research: Involves numerical data, focusing on measuring variables and analyzing statistical relationships.
Qualitative Research: Involves non-numerical data, such as words or images, aiming to understand meanings, experiences, and concepts.
Objective:
Quantitative Research: Seeks to test hypotheses and establish generalizable facts by identifying patterns and predicting outcomes.
Qualitative Research: Aims to explore ideas and gain in-depth insights into specific cases or phenomena.
Methods:
Quantitative Research: Utilizes structured tools like surveys with closed-ended questions, experiments, and statistical analyses.
Qualitative Research: Employs methods such as interviews with open-ended questions, focus groups, and observations.
Outcome:
Quantitative Research: Produces results that can be quantified and are often presented in graphs or tables.
Qualitative Research: Generates detailed descriptions and themes, providing a narrative form of findings.
