Psychology: The Experimental Methods

Question 1

What is the difference between an aim and a hypothesis?

Answer 1

The aim ISA general statement that describes the purpose of a study e.g. to see if time of day effects student performance.
This doesn’t predict the outcome of the research, the hypotheses does state this.

Question 2

What is a non directional Hypothesis?

Answer 2

Non directional hypotheses state that an effect will occur also known as two-tailed hypotheses

Question 3

What is a directional Hypothesis?

Answer 3

Directional hypotheses predict the direction of the effect also known as one-tailed hypotheses

Question 4

When do you write a non-directional hypothesis and when a directional and when the dependent variable?

Answer 4

• Most hypotheses are directional (one-tailed) because there is evidence (usually past research) to suggest that it is likely.
• Non-directional hypotheses are used when there is contradictory evidence and it is difficult to predict which direction of the results.

Question 5

What is an independent variable?

Answer 5

A factor which is usually manipulated by the researcher

Question 6

What is an dependent variable?

Answer 6

The factor you measure in the experiment and is affected by the independent variable

Question 7

What is Operationalisation?

Answer 7

Clearly defining variables in terms of how they can be measured - to make it measurable

Question 8

There is a difference in children’s reading ability depending on whether they have blue or brown eyes - Directional or Non-Directional

Answer 8

Non-Directional

Question 9

Dogs that are rewarded with treats sit when told to do so more often that dogs that are not rewarded with treats - Directional or Non-directional

Answer 9

Directional

Question 10

What is an Independent groups/measures?

Answer 10

Different participants are used for the 2 conditions of the IV

Problem: participant variable groups

Question 11

What is a Repeated Measure?

Answer 11

The same participants are used for both conditions of the IV

Question 12

What is a Matched Pair?

Answer 12

Different participants are for the 2 conditions, but each group is matched on characteristics relevent to the study.

Question 13

Why is random allocation used?

Answer 13

To prevent biase from the researcher

Question 14

Why does task difficulty need to be controlled in a repeated measure design?

Answer 14

So that the test is as balanced and accurate as possible

Question 15

What are the strengths and limitations of Repeated Measures?

Answer 15

• No participants variables
  Limintations:
• Order effects are a problem
• Demand Charcterists more likely

Question 16

What are the strengths and limitations of Independent groups?

Answer 16

Limitations:
- Participant variables - these may affect the DV instead of change in IV
- More participants needed

Question 17

What are the strengths and limitations of Matched Pairs Design?

Answer 17

Strengths:
- Less partcipants needed
- No participant variables
Limitations:
- Need information to match participants on
- Pre-test might be needed (expensive and time consuming)

Question 18

What is a demand charcteristic?

Answer 18

• Sometimes demand characteristics make participant’s behave in the way they think the experimenter wants them to.
• Other times it makes participant’s behave in manner opposite to what they think expectations are.

Question 19

In which experimental design are demand characteristics Moore likely to be problem?

Answer 19

Repeated measures

Question 20

What is researcher bias/investigator effects?

Answer 20

• Loose procedures: not treating all participants in the same way.
• Subtle cues: (body language ect) that lead participants to behave in certain ways.
• Fudging results: e.g. missing out results that don’t ‘fit in’.

Question 21

What is a Lab experiment?

Answer 21

Take place in a controlled environment

Question 22

What is a Lab experiment strength?

Answer 22

• High Control Over Extraneous Variables
• High Internal Validity
• Repicatable

Question 23

What is a Lab experiment limitation?

Answer 23

• Lack of generalisability
• High demand characteristics
• Low mundane realism

Question 24

What is a field experiment?

Answer 24

The IV is manipulation in a more natural everyday setting. Participants are usually unaware they are in a study.

Question 25

What is a field experiment strength?

Answer 25

• High external validity

Question 26

What is a field experiment limitation?

Answer 26

• Lack of control over extraneous variables
• Hard to replicate
• Ethical Issues

Question 27

What is a natural experiment?

Answer 27

Similar to a field experiment but the experimenter cannot control the independent variables - for either practical or ethical reasons.
The experiment occurs naturally. The experimenter just notices that conditions are like an experiment and records the findings.

Question 28

What is a natural experiment strength?

Answer 28

• Provides opportunities for research where the experimenter isn’t able to manipulate the IV
• High External validity

Question 29

What are natural experiment limitations?

Answer 29

• Difficult to replicate
• Participants are not randomly assigned to experimental conditions so hard to see if IV has caused the effect on the DV

Question 30

What are Quasi experiment?

Answer 30

Have an IV based on an existing difference between people e.g. gender, age

Question 31

What are Quasi experiment strengths?

Answer 31

Often carries out in controlled conditions so shares the same strengths as lab experiments.

Question 32

What are Quasi experiment limitations?

Answer 32

Quasi experiments cannot randomly allocate people to experimental conditions therefore extraneous variables may affect outcome.