Paper 2 - Experiments (research methods) Flashcards
What is the ethical guide line: DECEPTION
- When information is deliberately withheld from the ppts: to deal with this at the end of the research the researcher should do a debrief and give the ppts the right to withdraw
What is the ethical guide line: RIGHT TO WITHDRAW
- When the ppts have the right to remove themselves from the study at any stage this includes after the study has been conducted, researcher then must destroy any data or information collected: the ppts should be debriefed at the end of the study
What is the ethical guide line: PRIVACY
- The right of individuals to decide how information about them will be communicated to others: Ppts should provide full informed consent an with the right to withdraw at any stage. Researcher should also tell ppts how information will be protected and kept confidential
What is the ethical guide line: CONFIDENTIALITY
- Where ppts personal information is protected by law both during and after the experiment: ppts are provided with a fake name or number to assure anonymity
What is the ethical guide line: PROTECTION FROM HARM
- Researcher has the responsibility to protect the ppts from physical and psychological harm: Researchers should remind ppts the right to withdraw and the ppts should be debriefed at the end and some ppts may need counseling
What is the ethical guide line: INFORMED CONSENT
- Ppts consent must be fully informed so aims of the research must be made clear before they agree to participate
. Presumptive consent - A random sample of the population
. Prior general consent - Ppts giving consent for their participation after already taking part
. children as ppts - Involving gaining consent from a parent for children under the age of 16
What is an Independent variable:
- The variable that the researcher manipulates that doesn’t affect the DV
What is a Dependent variable:
- The variable that the researcher measures
What is an Extraneous variable:
- Any variable other than the IV that might affect the DV (unwanted variable)
What are Situational variables:
- Temperature, time of day, light (make sure the temperature is the same for both groups, the time of day is the same)
What is a Participant variable:
- Variables connected with the research participants E.g. Age, intelligence, gender. They are controlled through experimental designs - matched pairs or random allocation
What are cofounding variables:
- Has already affected the DV so then it becomes a cofounding variable
What are Aims/ What they look like:
- Start with to investigate (general statement about what the researcher intends to investigate)
What is a hypothesis:
(Specific and testable) Variables need to be operationalsied
How is a Non-directional (2 tailed) Hypothesis written:
- There will be a significant difference…
How is a directional (1 tailed) Hypothesis written:
- Comparative language E.g. higher, lower, faster, slower
( if there is pervious research must write a directional hypothesis
What are Lab experiments:
- Highly controlled conditions in which the researcher manipulates the IV and measures the DV.
(Ppts know they are taking part)
Strength of Lab experiments:
High control over EVs therefore, this provides a high degree of internal validity allowing for conclusions about cause and effect to be drawn between the IV and the DV.
Weakness of Lab experiments:
Lack of external validity as the artificial nature of the study can lack ecological validity therefore, the findings can’t be generalised beyond the lab setting as the task lack mundane realism.
What are field experiments:
- occur in a naturally occurring setting in which the researcher manipulates the IV and measure the DV.
(Ppts don’t typically know they are taking part)
Strength of a Field experiment:
High level of ecological validity meaning the results are more representative of behaviour witnessed in everyday life.
Weakness of Field experiment:
Low control over extraneous variables which can become cofounding variables so then cause and effect relationship cannot be drawn since other factors could have impacted the IV and DV.
What are natural experiments:
- Occur in naturally occurring setting in which the IV is naturally occurring and the researcher measure the DV.
(Ppts don’t typically know they are taking part)
Strength of Natural experiments:
High level of external validity given as the real-life issues that are being studied rather than manipulated artificially. Cause and effect relationship must be drawn with caution as a cofounding variable may have affected the results.
Weakness of Natural experiments:
Low control over extraneous variables which can become cofounding variables so then cause and effect relationship cannot be drawn since other factors could have impacted the IV and DV.
What are Quasi experiments:
- Can be conducted in a naturally occurring setting as well as a lab setting the IV is a pre-existing difference between people (age, gender) and the researcher measure the DV
Strength of Quasi experiments:
Allow researchers to compare different types of people to provide insight into similarities and differences between these groups that may not be ethically generated.