PERSONAL INVESTIGATION (STROOP) Flashcards
Co-variable 1
(state and operationalise)
driving experience (measured in years to the nearest full year)
co-variable 2
(state and operationalise)
cognitive processing abilities (measured as scores on a troop test)
operationalised experimental hypothesis
there will be a negative correlation between driving experience (in years) and cognitive processing abilities (scores on a troop test)
hypothesis directional or non-directional
directional
state a null hypothesis
there will be no correlation between driving experience (in years) and cognitive processing abilities (scores on a stroop test)
methodology?
correlational study
what does a correlational study involve
investigates relationship between variables without the researcher controlling or manipulation any of them, a correlation reflects the strength and/or direction of the relationship between 2 or more variables.
why have i chose to do a correlational study
allows us to establish if there is a relationship between the 2 co-variables under consideration.
this is necessary to justify further investigation through methods that can be more costly and time consuming than correlational studies.
correlational study is a more ethical way to conduct research compared to experiments as there is no need to manipulate variables.
location of research
online
what does research being online mean
allows researchers to be able to access pps via the internet or on social networking tools
why have you chosen online
convenient and cost effective
efficient and convenient method of data collection (a larger number of responses, from pps with a greater range of driving experience, can be collected quickly without the need for the researcher to be present.
reduced social desirability bias- as pps will complete the stroop test online, can remain wholly anonymous to the researcher, may encourage them to report their times honestly (increasing reliability and validity)
ethical issues
confidentiality
risk of harm
valid consent
how to deal with confidentiality
people who score poorly on the test may not want their score published next to their names. anonymity will be offered, pps numbers will be used. the online location will allow for greater anonymity
how to deal with risk of harm
debrief will be used to assess whether undue harm or distress has been caused, necessary support offered to those who encounter distress through completing the stroop test. informed right to withdraw
how did i deal with consent
pps will be asked to formally indicate their agreement to participate in the study and this agreement should be based on information about the purpose of the research and their role in it
target population
Drivers in the UK
sampling method
opportunity sampling
what does opportunity sampling involve
a sampling technique where pps are selected at the researchers convenience without knowing any details about the sample in advance e.g. picking people who were there at the time in your specific location
reason for choosing opportunity sampling
it efficient. far mor quick and convenient than other sampling methods (e.g. a random sampling)
researchers have convenient and easy access to the target population of individuals who can drive in members of staff and students via their school
some other methods (self-selected and snowball sampling) methods would result in highly biased samples as all pps share the particular characteristics (results wouldn’t be able to be generalised)
main characteristics of sample
20 pps
male and female
mixed gender
all teachers who work in a secondary school in wales
all must be able to drive and drive regularly
what are extraneous/confounding variables
E- variables in the study that aren’t being measured or manipulated by the researcher but they affect the results (DV) of ALL PPS behaviour in a particular condition equally
C- variables in the study that aren’t being measured or manipulated by the researcher, that affect SOME PPS behaviour but not others, having negative consequences on the validity
potential extraneous variables
time of day- some pps may be more alert depending when they completed the stroop test, may alter their time/score on the stroop test e.g. pps may be more alert and better able to cope with the stroop test in the morning, putting some pps at an advantage
demand characteristics- pps may attempt to guess the aims of the research and alter their stroop test performance and outcomes to try and give the researchers the results they are hoping for
confounding variables
caffeine levels- some pps may have consumed caffeine prior to completing the stroop test, may make them more cognitively alert and increase their outcomes compared to others
age- driving experience and stroop scores are correlated. those with more driving experience are also likely to be older, it may actually be age that correlated with cognitive ability (not driving experience)
how to eliminate some variables
like time of day/location/demand characteristics/vision impairments
controlled via the strandardised instructions given to pps before completing the stroop test. told to complete the test in the morningm without distraction, withdraw from the study if they have a visual impairment