non-experimental methods Flashcards
types of NON-EXPERIMENTAL METHODS
- Observations
- Content Analysis
- Interviews/ questionnaires
- Case studies
- Longitudinal studies
- Cross-Sectional studies
-Self-reports
types of OBSERVATIONS
- Participant Observation
- Non-participant Observations
- Content analysis
PARTICIPANT OBSERVATIONS
RESEARCHER takes part in the research -does not reveal who they are
STRENGTHS of PARTICIPANT OBSERVATIONS
(+) LESS chance of DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS
(+) ENABLES research of people who would OFTEN BE HARD TO OBSERVE
WEAKNESSES of PARTICIPANT OBSERVATIONS
(-) OBSERVER BIAS may occur
(-) UNRELIABLE FINDINGS- data relies on memory
NON-PARTICIPANT OBSERVATIONS
the OBSERVER does NOT take part in the action, but INSTEAD watches and makes notes from a distance
WEAKNESSES of NON-PARTICIPANT OBSERVATIONS:
(-) UNETHICAL - PPs do not always know they are being observed
(-) HAWTHORNE EFFECT- PPs may change their behaviour because they know they are being observed
STRENGTHS of NON-PARTICIPANT OBSERVATIONS:
(+) LESS chance of OBSERVATION BIAS
(+) PRODUCES MORE VALID + RELIABLE FINDINGS
CONTENT ANALYSIS
- WRITTEN/ VERBAL MATERIAL like MAGAZINES, TELEVISION PROGRAMMES are analysed
- researcher CREATES a coding system: BREAKS DOWN the INFO
STRENGTHS of CONTENT ANALYSIS
(+) LESS chance of DEMAND CHARCTERISTICS
(+) CAN be REPLICATED by others if the ARTEFACTS are AVAILABLE to others
WEAKNESSES of CONTENT ANALYSIS
(-) OBSERVER BIAS can affect VAILDITY of FINDINGS; different observers may interpret meanings of the categories differently
(-) CANNOT draw CAUSE+EFFECT R’SHIPS
STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS/ QUESTIONNAIRES
interviewer has a PREPARED set of QUESTIONS that are ASKED in a FIXED ORDER, with no deviation from original questions, like a QUESTIONNAIRE
STRENGTHS of STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS/ QUESTIONNAIRES
(+) results are EASY to ANALYSE
(+) REPLICABLE, so more reliable
WEAKNESSES of STRUCTURED INTERVIES / QUESTIONNAIRES
(-) there is NO guarantee that PPs are being honest
(-) can be RESTRICTIVE as there is NO CHANCE to ask FURTHER QUESTIONS
SEMI-STRUCUTURED INTERVIEWS
START with some PREDETERMINED QUESTIONS, but FURTHER QUESTIONS are developed as a RESPONSE TO ANSWERS
STRENGTHS of SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
(+) MORE QUALITATIVE DATA can be gathered as the QUESTIONS TAILOR TO PPs RESPONSES
(+) HIGH VALIDITY- PPs have the OPPORTUNITY to EXPRESS THEIR TRUE FEELINGS
WEAKNESSES of SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
(-) RESULTS are DIFFICULT to ANALYSE, DIFFICULT to IDENTIFY PATTERNS +TRENDS
(-) NOT REPLICABLE as DIFFERENT QUESTIONS are asked each time thus UNRELIABLE
CORRELATIONAL STUDY
ANALYSES the relationship BETWEEN TWO CONTINUOUS VARIABLES (CO-VARIABLES)
STRENGTHS of CORRELATIONAL STUDIES
(+) shows both the DIRECTION + STRENGTH of a r’ship, CAN BE used to make PREDICTIONS about BEHAVIOUR
(+) CAN BE used when EXPERIMENTS are INAPPROPRIATE
WEAKNESSES of CORRELATIONAL STUDIES
(-) ONLY shows whether there IS A RELATIONSHIP, NOT HOW or WHY CO-VARIABLES ARE RELATED
(-) DIFFICULT to ESTABLISH CAUSE+EFFECT using a CORRELATION
CASE STUDIES
IN-DEPTH study of a UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL, SMALL GROUP or EVENT
STRENGTHS of CASE STUDIES
(+) HIGH ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY, as it IS a STUDY of REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS
(+) ALLOWS researchers to study cases they COULD NOT PRACTICALLY or ETHICALLY MANIPULATE in an EXPERIMENT.
WEAKNESSES of CASE STUDIES
(-) RESEARCHER BIAS, researchers can become TOO INVOLVED and LOSE their OBJECTIVITY
(-) LOW POPULATION VALIDITY
LONGITUDINAL STUDY
a STUDY CONDUCTED OVER a LONG PERIOD of TIME
STRENGTHS of a LONGITUDINAL STUDY
(+) the SAME PERSON is TESTED NUMEROUS TIMES so PPs VARIABLES are CONTROLLED
(+) DEVELOPMENTAL TRENDS can be spotted, as tests are repeated at regular intervals
WEAKNESSES of a LONGITUDINAL STUDY
(-) HIGHT ATTRITION RATE, as research takes SO LONG
(-) PPs are MORE LIKELY to be AWARE of the AIMS, may show DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS
CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
ONE group of PPs REPRESENTING ONE SECTION OF SOCIETY( eg. young ppl) are COMPARED with PPs from ANOTHER group (eg. old ppl)
STRENGTHS of CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDIES
(+) RELATIVELY QUICK + CHEAP as PPs only need to be tested ONCE for COMPARISON
(+) PPs are EASIER to OBTAIN as there is LESS PRESSURE for them to TAKE PART
WEAKNESSES of CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDIES
(-) DIFFICULT to DETERMINE why there are DIFFERENCES between TWO CO-HORTS as PPs CANNOT ALWAYS be asked about the DIFFERENCES
(-) DATA collected is from a SNAPSHOT in time, its HARDER to IDENTIFY+ANALYSE DEVELOPMENTAL TRENDS in these studies.
