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A-Level Psychology (personal flashcards) > Paper 2 - Research Methods > Flashcards

Paper 2 - Research Methods Flashcards

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1
Q

Aims definition?

A

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

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2
Q

Debriefing definition?

A

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

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3
Q

Independent variable definition?

A

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

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4
Q

Dependent variable definition?

A

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

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5
Q

Operationalise definition?

A

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

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6
Q

Extraneous variables definition?

A

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

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7
Q

Give some examples of extraneous variables

A

Time of day The original mood of the participant The weather

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8
Q

standardised procedures definition?

A

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

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9
Q

Confounding variables definition?

A

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.

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10
Q

Control definition?

A

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

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11
Q

External validity definition?

A

The degree to which a research finding can be generalised.

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12
Q

Ecological validity definition?

A

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

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13
Q

Internal validity definition?

A

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

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14
Q

Validity definition?

A

Refers to whether the observed effect is a genuine one.

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15
Q

Confederate definition?

A

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

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16
Q

directional hypothesis definition?

A

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

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17
Q

non-directional hypothesis definition?

A

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

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18
Q

pilot study definition?

A

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

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19
Q

Why would a scientist use a non-directional hypothesis?

A

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

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20
Q

Why would a researcher conduct a pilot study?

A

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

21
Q

What are the 3 types of experimental designs?

A

Repeated measures
Independent group design
Matched pairs design

22
Q

What are the limitations for a repeated measures design?

A

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.

23
Q

What are the limitations for a independent groups design?

A

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).

24
Q

What are the limitations for a matched pairs design?

A

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

25
Q

What are the strengths for a repeated measures design?

A

It is easy and quick to set up.

All the participants (so the same participant variables) experience the same conditions.

26
Q

What are the strengths for an independent groups design?

A

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.

27
Q

What are the strengths for a matched pairs design?

A

Demand characteristics are low.

More of a chance that participant variables are the same.

28
Q

What is the definition for independent groups design?

A

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

29
Q

What is the definition for matched pairs design?

A

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

30
Q

What is the definition for order effect?

A

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).

31
Q

What is the definition of a laboratory experiment?

A

An experiment carried out in a controlled setting.

32
Q

What is the definition of a field experiment?

A

A controlled experiment done outside of the laboratory.

33
Q

What are the strengths of a laboratory experiment?

A

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

34
Q

What are the weaknesses of a laboratory experiment?

A

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.

35
Q

What are the strengths of a feild experiment?

A

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.

36
Q

What are the weaknesses of a field experiment.

A

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.

37
Q

Natural experiment

A

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

38
Q

Quasi-experiment

A

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

39
Q

What are the strengths of a natural experiment?

A

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

40
Q

What are the limitations to a natural experiment?

A

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

41
Q

What are the strengths of a quasi-experiment?

A

Allows comparisons between types of people.

42
Q

What are the limitations of a quasi-experiment?

A

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

43
Q

Demand characteristics

A

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.

44
Q

Investigator effect (investigator or experimental bias)

A

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.

45
Q

Random sampling

A

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

46
Q

Stratified sampling

A

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

47
Q

Systematic sampling

A

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

48
Q

Volunteer sampling (self-selected sampling)

A

A sample of participants that relies on volunteers .

A-Level Psychology (personal flashcards) (6 decks)

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