Paper 2 - Research Methods

Question 1

Aims definition?

Answer 1

A statement of what the researcher intends to find out in a research study.

Question 2

Debriefing definition?

Answer 2

A post-research interview designed to inform participants if the true nature of the study and to restore them to the state they were in at the start of the study. It is also used to gain useful feedback about the procedures of the study.

especially required if the participants were mislead

Question 3

Independent variable definition?

Answer 3

Something that is directly manipulated by the experimenter in order to tests its affect on another variable.

Question 4

Dependent variable definition?

Answer 4

It is what you measure in the experiment is the variable that is changed and affected by the IV.

Question 5

Operationalise definition?

Answer 5

Ensuring that the variables are in a form that can be easily tested.

Question 6

Extraneous variables definition?

Answer 6

Things that could affect the DV other than the controlled IV. This can affect the accuracy of the results.

Question 7

Give some examples of extraneous variables

Answer 7

Time of day The original mood of the participant The weather

Question 8

standardised procedures definition?

Answer 8

A set of procedures that are the same for all the participants in order for the study to be repeated.

Question 9

Confounding variables definition?

Answer 9

Act as an alternative IV. Changes in the DV may be caused by confounding variables rather than the IV, and therefore the outcome is meaningless.

Question 10

Control definition?

Answer 10

The extent to which any variables are held constant or regulated by a researcher.

Question 11

External validity definition?

Answer 11

The degree to which a research finding can be generalised.

Question 12

Ecological validity definition?

Answer 12

The degree to which a research finding can be generalised to other settings.

Question 13

Internal validity definition?

Answer 13

The degree to which an observed effect was due to the experimental manipulation rather than other factors such as confounding/extraneous variables.

Question 14

Validity definition?

Answer 14

Refers to whether the observed effect is a genuine one.

Question 15

Confederate definition?

Answer 15

A person who is “in on the study”. They are not a participant and have been instructed on how to behave by the investigator.

Question 16

directional hypothesis definition?

Answer 16

States the direction of the predicted difference between two conditions or two groups of participants.

Question 17

non-directional hypothesis definition?

Answer 17

Predicts that there is a difference between two conditions or two groups of participants, without stating the direction of the differences

Question 18

pilot study definition?

Answer 18

A small-scale trial run of a study to test any aspects of the design, with a view to making improvements.

Question 19

Why would a scientist use a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 19

When there is no past research or if past research is contradictory.

Question 20

Why would a researcher conduct a pilot study?

Answer 20

To find out if any aspects of the design do not work.

Question 21

What are the 3 types of experimental designs?

Answer 21

Repeated measures
Independent group design
Matched pairs design

Question 22

What are the limitations for a repeated measures design?

Answer 22

More likely to be affected by order effect.
Demand characteristics are high, as when the participants undergo the second test they may guess the purpose of the experiment and change there behavior.

Question 23

What are the limitations for a independent groups design?

Answer 23

The researcher can’t control the effect of participant variables.
Needs more participants than the repeated measures design in order to end up with the same amount of data (so can be more time consuming and costly).

Question 24

What are the limitations for a matched pairs design?

Answer 24

It is very time consuming and difficult to match participants on key variables.
It is not possible to control all participant variables.

Question 25

What are the strengths for a repeated measures design?

Answer 25

It is easy and quick to set up. | All the participants (so the same participant variables) experience the same conditions.

Question 26

What are the strengths for an independent groups design?

Answer 26

Less of a chance for the participants to guess the aims of the experiment (demand characteristics low). There is no no order effect, so performance is not affected.

Question 27

What are the strengths for a matched pairs design?

Answer 27

Demand characteristics are low. | More of a chance that participant variables are the same.

Question 28

What is the definition for independent groups design?

Answer 28

Participants are split into two groups using random techniques. Each group is then presented with different conditions of the IV.

Question 29

What is the definition for matched pairs design?

Answer 29

An independent group design, however the pairs of participants are matched according to key variables.

Question 30

What is the definition for order effect?

Answer 30

In a repeated measures design it is where an extraneous variable arises from the order in which conditions are presented (e.g. practice affect and fatigue affect).

Question 31

What is the definition of a laboratory experiment?

Answer 31

An experiment carried out in a controlled setting.

Question 32

What is the definition of a field experiment?

Answer 32

A controlled experiment done outside of the laboratory.

Question 33

What are the strengths of a laboratory experiment?

Answer 33

It has a high level of control extraneous variables so has a high internal validity.

Question 34

What are the weaknesses of a laboratory experiment?

Answer 34

has low ecological validity as the environment that the participants are in is more artificial and thus not reflective of a real life situation. Demand characteristics are high as the environment is artificial so the participants are more likely to guess the aims of the experiment and change there behavior.

Question 35

What are the strengths of a feild experiment?

Answer 35

has high external validity because the environment the participants are in is closer to a real life situation. Demand characteristics are low as the participants are usually unaware that they are being experimented on so there behavior is more natural.

Question 36

What are the weaknesses of a field experiment.

Answer 36

A controlled experiment done outside of the laboratory. Has lower internal validity as it is more difficult to control extraneous variables. There are more ethical issues as the participants do not know that they are taking part in an experiment. It is difficult to debrief them.

Question 37

Natural experiment

Answer 37

A research method where the researcher has not directly manipulated the IV. Therefore causal conclusions can not exactly be drawn from the experiments.

Question 38

Quasi-experiment

Answer 38

tudies that are 'almost experiments'.The IV does not vary, but is a condition that exists.

Question 39

What are the strengths of a natural experiment?

Answer 39

Allows research to be conducted were the IV can't be manipulated for ethical or practical reasons. Allows psychologists to research "real problems"

Question 40

What are the limitations to a natural experiment?

Answer 40

Unable to demonstrate casual relationships Because random allocation is not possible there may be confounding variables that can not be controlled; this is a threat to internal validity. Can only be used were conditions vary naturaly

Question 41

What are the strengths of a quasi-experiment?

Answer 41

Allows comparisons between types of people.

Question 42

What are the limitations of a quasi-experiment?

Answer 42

Participants may become aware that they being studied; this lowers internal validity. The DV may be artificial which would reduce ecological validity.

Question 43

Demand characteristics

Answer 43

A cue which results in the participants becoming aware of the aims of the study or helps participants to work out what the researcher expects to find.

Question 44

Investigator effect (investigator or experimental bias)

Answer 44

Cues (other than the IV) from an investigator that encourage certain behaviors in the participant, and which might lead to a fulfilment of the investigator's expectations.

Question 45

Random sampling

Answer 45

A sample of participants produced by using random techniques which allows for varied members of the target population to be selected

Question 46

Stratified sampling

Answer 46

A sample of participants produced by identifying sub-groups according to their frequency in the population. Participants are then selected randomly from the subgroups.

Question 47

Systematic sampling

Answer 47

A sample obtained by selecting every nth person. This can be random sampling; Participants are the selected every nth person after that.

Question 48

Volunteer sampling (self-selected sampling)

Answer 48

A sample of participants that relies on volunteers .