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Psychology A Level > PEACH PACK 1 - Hypotheses, Variables and Sampling > Flashcards

PEACH PACK 1 - Hypotheses, Variables and Sampling Flashcards

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1
Q

FMGI

The scientific method

A

Way of gaining knowledge by forming theories, making predictions, gathering data and interpreting results

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2
Q

How does research begin? What needs to happen for research to be conside

Steps in the scientific method

A
  • A phenomenon/behaviour is noticed
  • Theories are developed to explain/describe this
  • Hypotheses are written
  • Studies are designed to test these predictions/answer these questions
  • Data collection takes place
  • Analysis of data collected
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3
Q

What do we measure in a correlational study?

A

How strongly two variables are ASSOCIATED. Correlations describe the relationship between two variables

They are both measured and neither one is set or controlled.

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4
Q

Positive… strong…

What do we establish in a correlational study?

A

The strength (strong or weak) and direction (positive or negative) of the association between these 2 variables.

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5
Q

What does a correlational hypothesis predict?

A

A constant association between 2 co-variables.

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6
Q

Alternate directional correlational hypothesis sentence

A

There will be a significant negative correlation between V1 and V2

NOT cause and effect relationship

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7
Q

Alternate non-directional correlational hypothesis statement

A

There will be a significant correlation between V1 and V2

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8
Q

IV + DV

What happens in a traditional scientific experiment?

A

The researcher is attempting to measure the effect of IV on DV by controlling all other variables. Allows researchers to establish cause-and-effect-links between 2 variables

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9
Q

IV

A

Variable which is manipulated by the experimenter

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10
Q

DV

A

Outcome which is measured by experimenter.

Results DEPEND on IV

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11
Q

What is an alternate hypothesis?

A

A prediction in the form of a testable statement

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12
Q

What do alternate hypothesis’ predict?

A

The direction of the outcome

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13
Q

Predicts…

Directional hypothesis

One-tailed

A

Predicts what direction the difference/correlation will be

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14
Q

There will be…

Experimental, alternate directional hypothesis statement

A

(IV 1st condition) will get better/worse scores (in the DV) than (IV 2nd condition)

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15
Q

Predicts…

Non-directional hypothesis

Two-tailed

A

Predicts only that there will be a difference/correlation, allowing for an outcome in either direction.

“There will be a significant difference/correlation”

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16
Q

There will be…

Experimental, alternate non-directional hypothesis statement

A

There will be a significant difference (in the DV) between (IV 1st condition) and (IV 2nd condition)

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17
Q

Predicts…

Null hypothesis

Non-directional, two-tailed

A

Predicts that the result the researcher gets are due to chance

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18
Q

There will be…

Experimental null hypothesis statement

A

There will be no significant difference (in the DV) between (IV1) and (IV2)

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19
Q

Validity

A

Extent to which a study has measured what it claims to measure

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20
Q

Operational definition of a variable

A

Said in precise terms how we will measure/manipulate it

21
Q

In a hypothesis…

No need to answer Q

A
  • We need to define how we will manipulate the IV
  • Define how we will measure the DV
22
Q

Extraneous variables

A

Variables that may have an effect on the DV apart from the IV

23
Q

Confounding variables

A

Uncontrolled extraneous variables that have had an effect on results

24
Q

Reliability

A

Extent to which a research finding is produced consistently over a number of investigations

Consistency

25
Q

Situational variables

A

Variables in the research situation itself that can have an effect on the DV

26
Q

Pilot studies

A

Smaller version of actual study allowing identification of problems

27
Q

Participant variables

A

Variables coming from individual participants

28
Q

What method is used to control participant variables?

A

Randomisation - random allocation of participants

29
Q

What does randomisation allow us to assume?

A

That the differences between individual participants are balanced out

30
Q

Order effects

A

When the same group of participants are required to carry out a task twice

31
Q

What effect does ‘order effects’ have on performance?

A

Performance may improve or deteriorate due to practice or fatigue

32
Q

What is used to control order effects, how and why?

A

Counterbalancing
Half the participants complete the task in one order, the other half in the opposite order.
Effects are balanced out

33
Q

Demand characteristics

A

All of the cues that participants might receive that indicate the purpose of the research

34
Q

Why are demand characteristics a problem and how are they controlled?

A

Participants may unconciously change behaviour as a result of these cues.
Low levels of deception is used to ‘throw participants off’ to disguise the true purpose of the questionnaire.

35
Q

Researcher effects and an example

A

If a researcher knows the aims of the study and the expected outcome and struggle to remain objective and influence the results to reflect their expectation. Eg. mis-recording results/influencing participant behaviour/failing to follow standardised procedures

36
Q

How can researcher effects be controlled?

A

Following standardised procedures.

37
Q

IV + DV

What does an experimental hypothesis predict?

A

A cause-and-effect relationship between the IV and DV.
Predicting that manipulating the IV will cause a change/difference in the DV/

38
Q

What is a representative sample?

A

A group of participants drawn from the target population that is typical of that target population

39
Q

Why is a representative sample important?

A

Allows us to generalise from our results to the rest of the target population

40
Q

What is sampling-bias?

A

Over-representation of one group of people

No longer appropriate to generalise

41
Q

Random sample

A

A sample in which every member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected

42
Q

One method of random sampling

A

The lottery method

43
Q

What is the main advantage of random sampling?

A

Provides the best chance of an unbiased representative sample - everyone has opportunity to be chosen

44
Q

One disadvantage of random sampling

A

Easy to end up with biased sample by chance

45
Q

Name at least 2 non-random sampling techniques:

A
  • Opportunity samples
  • Volunteer samples
  • Stratified sampling
46
Q

What it is, advantages and disadvantages

Describe opportunity sampling

A
  • Researcher selects participants who are available.
  • Quick, convenient and efficient + ethical
  • Tends to be unrepresentative as it is biased
  • Participants are those who are willing to take part - specific characteristic
47
Q

What it is, advantages and disadvantages

Describe volunteer sampling

A
  • Self-selected samples where the participants have conciously decided to become involved in research
  • Ethical as them volunteering is giving consent
  • Allows access to a wide variety of participants
  • Easy + convenient
  • Biased as not everyone in the target population may see advert etc + participants are people who are most likely outgoing and helpful
48
Q

What it is, advantages and disadvantages

Describe stratified sampling

A
  • Dividing the target population into important strata/sub-categories which allow researcher to make sure certain groups are represented in sample.
  • Because a deliberate effort is made to identify + select most important characteristics, sample will be fairly representative
  • Identification of sub-categories by researcher may be biased - important sub-categories may be excluded from sample making it less representative

Psychology A Level (4 decks)

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