Paper 2 - Experiments (research methods) Flashcards

1
Q

What is the ethical guide line: DECEPTION

A
  • 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
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2
Q

What is the ethical guide line: RIGHT TO WITHDRAW

A
  • 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
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3
Q

What is the ethical guide line: PRIVACY

A
  • 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
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4
Q

What is the ethical guide line: CONFIDENTIALITY

A
  • 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
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5
Q

What is the ethical guide line: PROTECTION FROM HARM

A
  • 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
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6
Q

What is the ethical guide line: INFORMED CONSENT

A
  • 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

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7
Q

What is an Independent variable:

A
  • The variable that the researcher manipulates that doesn’t affect the DV
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8
Q

What is a Dependent variable:

A
  • The variable that the researcher measures
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9
Q

What is an Extraneous variable:

A
  • Any variable other than the IV that might affect the DV (unwanted variable)
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10
Q

What are Situational variables:

A
  • Temperature, time of day, light (make sure the temperature is the same for both groups, the time of day is the same)
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11
Q

What is a Participant variable:

A
  • Variables connected with the research participants E.g. Age, intelligence, gender. They are controlled through experimental designs - matched pairs or random allocation
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12
Q

What are cofounding variables:

A
  • Has already affected the DV so then it becomes a cofounding variable
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13
Q

What are Aims/ What they look like:

A
  • Start with to investigate (general statement about what the researcher intends to investigate)
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14
Q

What is a hypothesis:

A

(Specific and testable) Variables need to be operationalsied

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15
Q

How is a Non-directional (2 tailed) Hypothesis written:

A
  • There will be a significant difference…
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16
Q

How is a directional (1 tailed) Hypothesis written:

A
  • Comparative language E.g. higher, lower, faster, slower

( if there is pervious research must write a directional hypothesis

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17
Q

What are Lab experiments:

A
  • Highly controlled conditions in which the researcher manipulates the IV and measures the DV.

(Ppts know they are taking part)

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18
Q

Strength of Lab experiments:

A

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.

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19
Q

Weakness of Lab experiments:

A

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.

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20
Q

What are field experiments:

A
  • 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)

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21
Q

Strength of a Field experiment:

A

High level of ecological validity meaning the results are more representative of behaviour witnessed in everyday life.

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22
Q

Weakness of Field experiment:

A

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.

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23
Q

What are natural experiments:

A
  • 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)

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24
Q

Strength of Natural experiments:

A

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.

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25
Q

Weakness of Natural experiments:

A

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.

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26
Q

What are Quasi experiments:

A
  • 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
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27
Q

Strength of Quasi experiments:

A

Allow researchers to compare different types of people to provide insight into similarities and differences between these groups that may not be ethically generated.

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28
Q

Weakness of Quasi experiments:

A

There is no control over EVs because the IV is naturally occurring making it difficult to be sure that factors such as age and gender have affected the DV.

29
Q

What are independent groups:

A
  • All participants take part in only ONE condition
30
Q

How do you conduct independent group design:

A
  • Split into equal sized groups
  • Different group is allocated each condition

(could experience individual differences)

31
Q

Example for independent groups design:

A
  • Could have individual differences
  • Cannot have order effects (only take part in one condition)
32
Q

Strength of independent group design:

A

No order effects as the ppts only go through one condition, as they are less likely to become bored or give up.

33
Q

Weakness of independent group design:

A

There is the need for more ppts as all the ppts take part in different conditions this can make the design more time consuming and expensive. Ppt variables may also have an effect.

34
Q

What is Repeated measures:

A
  • When ALL participants take part in ALL conditions
35
Q

How to conduct a repeated measures design:

A
  • Ppts do one condition
  • After one hour they will complete another condition
  • The task DV should be different
36
Q

Example for repeated measures design:

A
  • Can go through order effects
  • Could never be a Quasi method
37
Q

Strength of repeated measures design:

A

Fewer ppts are needed this makes the design less costly and time consuming, also by using the same ppts across the conditions reduces the risk on participant variables.

38
Q

Weakness of repeated measures design:

A

As the same ppts take part in both conditions it could lead to order effects as ppts who experience practice effects may perform in the second condition better as they know what is expected of them (or the ppts could perform worse in the second condition due to fatigue).

39
Q

What is matched pairs:

A
  • Where ppts are matched on important characteristics like AGE + IQ
40
Q

How to conduct a matched pairs design:

A
  • Ppts are matched on important characteristics in the study E.g. age + IQ
  • Ppts are pre-tested on this variable
  • Each member of the pair is then split up across each condition
41
Q

Example for matched pairs design:

A
  • Reduce impact of individual differences
  • Cannot go through order effects (only do one condition)
42
Q

Strength of matched pairs:

A

Avoids order effects and reduces ppt variables and demand characteristics making the results more valid.

43
Q

Weakness of matched pairs:

A

More ppts are required which could make the design more time consuming and costly as it is hard to find matching people unless you use identical twins.

44
Q

What are oder effects:

A
  • The order in which conditions occur could cause ppts to become bored or fatigued
45
Q

What are investigator effects:

A
  • When the researchers behaviour/characteristics either consciously or unconsciously influence the outcome of the research.
46
Q

3 ways investigator effects can be controlled:

A

1) Train experimenters to use a natural tone of voice

2) Ensure the researcher is the same gender as the ppt

3) Use standardized instructions for all ppts

47
Q

What can investigator effects lead to:

A
  • Demand characteristics
48
Q

What are demand characteristics:

A
  • Any clues given off within the research, this could lead to the ppts changing their natural behaviour choosing to either help or hinder the researcher, reducing the internal validity
49
Q

How can demand characteristics be controlled:

A
  • Getting another researcher who does not know the AIM of the research to carry out the experiment
50
Q

Bias in research - Use Randomisation

A
  • Where possible research should be random/by chance and not decided by the researcher to avoid bias
  • E.g. ppts learn a list of words that are randomly generated (by hat) so the position o words is not decided by the researcher avoiding bias
  • Also order of conditions should be allocated randomly
51
Q

To avoid bias - Use Random allocation

A
  • Ensures ppts have the same chance of being in one condition as any other
  • Could give each ppt a number then put in a hat and pull out the numbers
52
Q

To avoid order effects - Use Counterbalancing

A
  • ABBA method
  • Half the ppts complete condition A then condition B. The other half complete condition B then condition A
  • Order effects are ten balanced across both conditions

(doesn’t eliminate order effects only balances them)

53
Q

To avoid ppts have different instructions - Use standardisation

A
  • Ppts should experience the same environment, instructions to avoid EVs affecting measurements
  • Using all the same formalized instructions and procedures for all ppts

(everyone experience the same thing)

54
Q

What is Random sampling:

A
  • All members of the target population are identified, and a random sample is generated out of a hate/random number generator

(every member has an equal chance of being chosen)

55
Q

Strength of Random sampling:

A

Representative therefore the results can be generalised to the target population.

56
Q

Weakness of Random sampling:

A

Difficult and time consuming to get the full details of the target population and people that are selected may be unwilling to take part.

57
Q

What is Systematic sampling:

A
  • A predetermined system is used to select the ppts E.g. every 5th person is selected from a register
58
Q

Strength of systematic sampling:

A

Eliminates researcher bias as a numerical value is assigned to each person without any personal preference from the researcher.

59
Q

Weakness of systematic sampling:

A

Not truly unbiased as every Nth person selected may have similar traits therefore will not be representative of the wider population.

60
Q

What is stratified sampling:

A

A subgroup within the population is identified (age, gender). Ppts are obtained in proportion to their occurrence within the population

61
Q

Strength is stratified sampling:

A

Representative as each subsection of the TP is proportionally represented, so results can be generalised to the wider population.

62
Q

Weakness is stratified sampling:

A

Difficult and time consuming to identify the sb-groups and people that are selected may be unwilling to take part.

63
Q

What is opportunity sampling:

A
  • Selecting ppts who are available and willing to take part
64
Q

Strength of Opportunity sampling:

A

Quicker and easier to obtain, compared to other methods E.g., stratified.

65
Q

Weakness of Opportunity sampling:

A

High chance that sample will be biased E.g., often use university students available that are not representative of the TP.

66
Q

What is volunteer sampling:

A

Ppts self-select by responding to an advert. They offer to take part

67
Q

Strength of Volunteer sampling:

A

Quick and easy to obtain as researcher doesn’t have to look for ppts to take part.

68
Q

Weakness of volunteer sampling:

A

A particular type of person is likely to take part in researcher. Therefore, the sample is likely to be biased.

69
Q

What are Pilot studies: (Results not included in final results)

A
  • Carried out before the full research takes places to determine if there are any problems with the following:
  • Experimental design
  • Instructions for ppts
  • Measuring instruments