not this one allie Flashcards
What you need to know
Methods of Investigation
- The use of scientific methods and techniques which aim for objectivity.
- Formulation of testable hypotheses to promote enquiry.
- Procedures for the experimental method of investigation: independent and dependent variables.
- Advantages and disadvantages of this method of investigation (including ecological validity).
Methods of Control, Data Analysis and Data Presentation
- Experimental designs:
- independent groups, repeated measures, matched pairs.
- Advantages and disadvantages of each experimental design.
- Target populations, samples and sampling methods:
- random;
- opportunity;
- systematic;
- stratified.
- Advantages and limitations of each sampling method.
- The use of standardised procedures, identification and control of extraneous variables, instructions to participants.
- Random allocation, counterbalancing and randomisation.
- Calculations, including mean, mode, median, range and percentages. Anomalous results and their possible effects.
- Graphical representations, including bar charts.
- Research in natural and experimental settings, including advantages and limitations of each
Ethical Considerations
- Candidates should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- ethical issues in psychological research as outlined in the British Psychological Society guidelines
- ways of dealing with each of these issues.
methods of investigation
1.
What is the scientific / experimental method
YELLOW CARD
The use of scientific methods and techniques that aim for objectivity is called the scientific or experimental model.
Methods of investigation
2.
Define experiment
YELLOW CARD
An experiment is the manipulation of variables. The method of research in which all variables other than the independent variable (IV) and the dependent variable (DV) are controlled. This allows the researcher to identify a cause and effect relationship between the IV and DV.
Methods of investigation
3.
Procedures for the experimental method of investigation: the steps
Blue card
Most psychologists believe that studies of human behaviour should be carried out in scientific settings whenever possible. This means following procedures that have been used by all scientists. The most common is to conduct experiments by:
- Gathering information
- Studying it to identify patterns or relationships,
- Generating theories to explain these patterns or relationships
- and formulating a testable hypothesis
Methods of investigation
4. Procedures for the experimental method of investigation: ROVas
Blue card
In the experimental / scientific model the method employed to test the hypothesis should be [doggedly thorough:Rovas the dog]
- Replicable (it can be repeated)
- Objective (fact based)
- Value free (not biased by your opinions)
- Standardised (the same throughout)
Unlike some other methods that researchers use an experiment allows researchers to carefully change things and see what happens. They have greater control over what happens. The closest the researcher can get to achieving these is to use a laboratory experiment, because of the high level of control of the variables.
Methods of investigation
5. Laboratory studies as most scientific
BLUE CARD
The closest the researcher can get to ROVaS replicable, objective, value free standardised, and data is through a laboratory experiment.
This because the researcher can try to control all of the variables within the study and test for cause and effect e.g. in Milgram’s experiment (teachers and learners)
Methods of investigation
6.
An example of a study using scientific/ experimental method
Milgram
Green card
In Milgram’s famous experiment he was able to control the investigation:
- He fixed the roles of the teacher and the learner.
- He had a confederate playing the role of the learner.
- The responses that he pretended came from the learner were taped, so this was standardised.
- And the person playing the role of the experimenter/ scientist had a list of prods to use if the learner hesitated/ resisted.
Methods of investigation
7.
Examples of studies that use the scientific/ experimental model
Methods of investigation
8.
What is an Aim?
BLUE CARD
An aim identifies the purpose of the investigation. It is a straightforward expression of what the researcher is trying to find out from conducting an investigation. The aim typically involves the word “investigate” or “investigation”.
e.g. Milgram (1963) investigated how far people would go in obeying an instruction to harm another person.
Methods of investigation
9.
What are hyphotheses/
What is a hypothesis
BLUE CARD
The researcher, once they know their aim, will try to write a more precise statement which they will test to see if it holds true. It usually involves a prediction about how one variable will affect another variable. This is called a hypothesis.
When we write a hypothesis this usually involves proposing a possible relationship between two variables: the independent variable (what the researcher changes) and the dependant variable (what the research measures).
Methods of investigation
10.
Define Hypothesis
Definition …
Yellow card
A hypothesis is a precise and testable statement of what the researchers predict will be the outcome of the study. This is about the relationship between two variables (IV and DV)
When the method of investigation is an experiment this is called the experimental hypothesis
Methods of investigation
11.
Examples of Hyphotheses
Blue card
An example of an experimental hypothesis is:
Participants sitting alone will respond faster to a call for help than participants sitting with others.
Methods of investigation
12.
Independent and dependent variables
BLUE CARD
Experiments enable researchers to test cause and effect. The experimenter aims to keep all variables (things that vary) constant except the one that they are investigating. This is the independent variable. This is the variable that is manipulated ‘under the control’ of the researcher.
The researcher then measures what effect this has on another variable. This is called the dependent variable. The dependent variable is the measured outcome.
In order to write the experimental and null hypotheses for an investigation, you need to identify the key variables in the study. A variable is anything that can change or be changed, i.e. anything which can vary. Examples of variables are intelligence, gender, memory, ability, time etc.
Methods of investigation
13.
Define Independent and dependent Variables
Yellow card
Independent variable
The variable that the experimenter/ researcher manipulates or alters to look for an effect on another variable. This variable produces the two conditions of the study
Dependent variable
The variable that the researcher measures to see if the IV has affected it.
Methods of investigation
14.
How to work out the IV and DV
Blue card
You can find the IV and DV by asking yourself to complete the following:
This experiment/ study/ investigation is looking at the effect of —————— (the IV) on ———— (the DV)
The first gap in the sentence is filled in with the IV or two conditions of the experiment that are being altered or manipulated by the experimenter. The second gap will be filled with the DV or performance of the participants that the experimenter plans to measure.
E.g. in the idea of studying the question about students who listen to music. This is experiment/ study/ investigation is looking at the effect of the presence or absence of music (the IV) on the score in a learning test (the DV). Then it’s easy to write the hypothesis: E.g. the presence or absence of music has an effect on the score in a learning test.
Methods of investigation
15.
The null hypothesis and the alternative hypothesis
BLUE CARD
[Extra knowledge]
In research, usually the hypothesis is written in two forms, the null hypothesis, and the alternative hypothesis. The null hypothesis states that there is no relationship between the two variables being studied (one variable does not affect the other). It states that results are due to chance and are not significant in terms of supporting the idea being investigated. It’s the opposite of the experimental hypothesis in that it states that there will be no change in behaviour. — -the alternative hypothesis states that there is a relationship between the two variables being studied (one variable has an effect on the other). It states that the results are not due to chance and that they are significant in terms of supporting the theory being investigated.———————————————————Because we can never 100% prove the alternative hypothesis. What we do instead is see if we can disprove, or reject, the null hypothesis. If we can’t reject the null hypothesis, this doesn’t really mean that our alternative hypothesis is correct – but it does provide support for the alternative / experimental hypothesis.
Methods of investigation
16.
Example of using hypotheses and variables
School concentration – late nights
Blue card
Let’s consider we’re testing if students remember better when they go to bed early than when they go to bed late. (IV=Time to bed, DV=ability to remember). Now, if we decide to study this by giving one half a test after a bed time after 10 and one half a test with a bed time before ten and then measuring their immediate recall of material covered in each session. The experimental hypothesis states that students will recall significantly more information after an early night. Note that the null hypothesis states that these will be no significant difference in the amount recalled after a late night than an early night. Any difference will be due to chance or confounding factors.
Methods of investigation
17.
Example of using hypotheses and variables
School concentration – Monday or Friday
Blue card
Let’s consider a hypothesis that many teachers might subscribe to: that students work better on Monday morning than they do on a Friday afternoon (IV=Day, DV=Standard of work). Now, if we decide to study this by giving the same group of students a lesson on a Monday morning and on a Friday afternoon and then measuring their immediate recall on the material covered in each session we would end up with the following:
The experimental hypothesis states that students will recall significantly more information on a Monday morning than on a Friday afternoon.
The null hypothesis states that these will be no significant difference in the amount recalled on a Monday morning compared to a Friday afternoon. Any difference will be due to chance or confounding factors.
Methods of investigation
18.
Yellow card
What are 3 Different types of experimental investigations?
When psychologists plan research they choose the method that is most appropriate to what they are investigation:
- Laboratory
- Field
- Natural
Methods of investigation
19.
Laboratory experiments
Blue Card
In a laboratory experiment there is a high degree of control because researchers can isolate cause and effect by controlling other variables They psychologist decides where the experiment will take place, at what time, with which participants, in what circumstances and using a standardised procedure. (E.g. Milgram)
Methods of investigation
20.
Disadvantages of Laboratory experiments
Disadvantages of laboratory experiments
- It’s an artificial setting and can intimidate participants or make them more obedient. This may bring about unnatural behaviour which doesn’t generalise to real life
- Being in a strange, formal setting; being treated impersonally by researchers reminding people that something artificial is going on. This can affect participants. These affects are called. Demand characteristics. Any features of the research that may affect participants’ behaviour making them act unnaturally or look for cues to tell them what the research is about and behave accordingly.
- Settings and tasks can be very unrealistic. This raises the question of ecological validity. Because results are generated from a situation that is unlike everyday life, to what extend can the conclusions be generalised to everyday life?
Methods of investigation
21.
Advantages of Laboratory experiments
Blue card
Advantages of laboratory experiments
- It’s easy to replicate (repeat using the same procedures) because the experimenter has control over the variables.
- Experiments are objective because the procedures are set up without biases from the researcher
- An experiment can gather quantitative date which can be easily analysed
Methods of investigation
22.
Define Demand Characteristics
Yellow card
Demand characteristics. Any features of the research that may affect participants’ behaviour, making them act unnaturally or look for cues to tell them what the research is about and behave accordingly.
Methods of investigation
23.
Define Ecological validity
Yellow card
The degree to which the findings/ conclusions from a study can be generalised to everyday life beyond the research setting?