Nonexperimental research

Question 1

what are the two types of nonexperiment research methods?

Answer 1

• descriptive research, e.g., naturalistic observation, case study, survey
• correlational research

Question 2

what is the focus of nonexperimental designs?

Answer 2

the ‘what?’
they describe what is happening and test predictions

Question 3

what is the focus of experimental designs?

Answer 3

the ‘why?’
they provide explanations for what is happening

Question 4

what are observations?

Answer 4

mainly categorisation with as little disturbance as possible, and the observer often stays in the background

Question 5

problems with observations

Answer 5

1. reliability of categorisations
2. reactivity (demand characteristics)

Question 6

solutions for observations

Answer 6

1. comparing notes of more than one observer (inter-observer reliability) to reduce potential bias
   2, participant observations (recruiting from the same group) reduce bias of reactivity and promotes ‘normal’ behaviour

Question 7

what are case studies?

Answer 7

observations of a single person, e.g., clinical (neurotic patient) or developmental (child with autism)

Question 8

problems with case studies

Answer 8

1. generalisability
2. reproducibility (questions scientific credibility)
3. cause-effect (confounding variables)

Question 9

what are surveys?

Answer 9

questionnaires, interviews, and diary studies

Question 10

problems with surveys

Answer 10

1. reactivity (social desirability as participants know their answers will be analysed)
2. questionnaire validity
3. comparing answers
4. memory of participants (reactivity)

Question 11

solutions for surveys

Answer 11

2. need a consistent scale and use a well-tested method

Question 12

what are structured interviews?

Answer 12

involve a fixed set of questions in a fixed order, which are often multiple choice or ratings (likert scale or semantic differentials)

Question 13

advantages of structured interviews

Answer 13

easily quantified, easy to compare, and can cover all topics

Question 14

disadvantages of structured interviews

Answer 14

have a rigid structure, not adaptable to the participant, and only provide surface level information

Question 15

what are unstructed interviews?

Answer 15

involve a number of topics without a fixed order or fixed questions

Question 16

advantages of unstructured interviews

Answer 16

provide more depth and explanation, and are relevant to specific participants

Question 17

disadvantages of unstructured interviews

Answer 17

generalisability is limited, and analysis can be time-consuming

Question 18

advantages of descriptive research

Answer 18

• sometimes the only practical and ethical way of study
• often inexpensive and flexible
• no variable manipulation through real life studies (ecologically valid)

Question 19

disadvantages of descriptive research

Answer 19

• researcher bias
• reactivity
• lack of cause and effect conclusions

Question 20

what is the purpose of correlational research?

Answer 20

to determine the relationship between two variables without any manipulation.

variables are taken as they are to be measured without interference

Question 21

what does correlational analysis allow?

Answer 21

the direction and strength of relationships to be quantifiably measured

Question 22

problems with correlational research

Answer 22

1. direction of relationship is often unclear (does not prove causality)
2. confounding variables (does not account for potential third variable or cause)

Question 23

what can correlational studies inform us on?

Answer 23

the degree of relationship, and they allow for the possibility of prediction

Question 24

what do correlational studies not prove?

Answer 24

causality