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

How to write a Directional Hypothesis?

Answer 4

• There will be a difference between…..with more/less…in the….
• People who….will do better/worse than…. *

Question 5

How to write a Non-Directional Hypothesis?

Answer 5

• There will be a difference between…..

Question 6

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

Answer 6

• 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 7

What is an independent variable?

Answer 7

A factor which is usually manipulated by the researcher

Question 8

What is an dependent variable?

Answer 8

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

Question 9

What is Operationalisation?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

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

Answer 10

Non-Directional

Question 11

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 11

Directional

Question 12

What is an Independent groups/measures?

Answer 12

Different participants are used for the 2 conditions of the IV

Problem: participant variable groups

Question 13

What is a Repeated Measure?

Answer 13

The same participants are used for both conditions of the IV

Question 14

What is a Matched Pair?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Why is random allocation used?

Answer 15

To prevent biase from the researcher

Question 16

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

Answer 16

So that the test is as balanced and accurate as possible

Question 17

What are the strengths and limitations of Repeated Measures?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

What are the strengths and limitations of Independent groups?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

What are the strengths and limitations of Matched Pairs Design?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

What is a demand charcteristic?

Answer 20

• 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 21

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

Answer 21

Repeated measures

Question 22

What is researcher bias/investigator effects?

Answer 22

• 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 23

What is a Lab experiment?

Answer 23

Take place in a controlled environment

Question 24

What is a Lab experiment strength?

Answer 24

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

Question 25

What is a Lab experiment limitation?

Answer 25

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

Question 26

What is a field experiment?

Answer 26

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

Question 27

What is a field experiment strength?

Answer 27

• High external validity

Question 28

What is a field experiment limitation?

Answer 28

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

Question 29

What is a natural experiment?

Answer 29

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 30

What is a natural experiment strength?

Answer 30

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

Question 31

What are natural experiment limitations?

Answer 31

• 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 32

What are Quasi experiment?

Answer 32

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

Question 33

What are Quasi experiment strengths?

Answer 33

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

Question 34

What are Quasi experiment limitations?

Answer 34

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