PSYCHOLOGY UNIT 1 CHAPTER 02- Research Methods

Question 0

❓❓❓What are some research procedures?

Answer 0

• experiments
• observational studies
• case studies
• surveys
• interviews
• rating scales
• longitudinal

Question 1

❓❓❓What are the 7 steps of psychological research?

Answer 1

1. Identification of the research problem
2. Construction of a hypothesis
3. Designing the method (procedures)
4. Collecting the data (raw data)
5. Analysing the data (organising data in a meaningful way)
6. Interpreting the data (generalisations)
7. Reporting the research data (writing report, journal, conference)

Question 2

❓❓❓What is raw data?

Answer 2

-data that has not been processed (coded, summarised) in a meaningful

Question 3

❓❓❓What is a generalisation?

Answer 3

-a generalisation is a statement of how widely the research findings can be applied to other situations or people

Question 4

❓❓❓What is an independent variable?

Answer 4

-the variable that is changed by the experimenter interested in its effect

E.g. “Does regular exercise help weight loss?”
IV = regular exercise

Question 5

❓❓❓What is a dependent variable?

Answer 5

-measures effect of the IV and allows researchers to see if the IV caused a change in the DV

E.g. “Does regular exercise help weight loss?”

DV = weight loss

Question 6

❓❓❓What is an extraneous variable?

Answer 6

-a random variable other than the IV and the DV that can cause change in the DV and therefore effect the results of an experiment

E.g. “Does regular exercise help weight loss?”
EV = diet, motivation, amount of exercise, type of exercise

Question 7

❓❓❓What is a confounding variable?

Answer 7

-a variable whose consistent unwanted effect/s on the DV gets confused with the effect of the IV

E.g. “Does regular exercise help weight loss?”

CV = metabolism

Question 8

❓❓❓What is a ‘population’?

Answer 8

-a group of research interest

Question 9

❓❓❓What is a ‘sample’?

Answer 9

• a subsection or smaller group of research participants selected from the population
• must be truly a representation of the population

Question 10

❓❓❓What is random sampling?

Answer 10

• a sampling technique which ensures that every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected

E.g. Picking names out of a hat

Question 11

❓❓❓What is stratified sampling?

Answer 11

-dividing the population into distinct strata and selecting a seperate sample from each stratum, in the same proportions as they exist in the population.

Strata is usually characteristics e.g. Age, sex, religion, IQ, nationality, education level

Question 12

❓❓❓What is convenience sampling?

Answer 12

-collecting participants who are easily accessible

E.g. Stopping people on the side of the street

Question 13

❓❓❓What is random stratified sampling?

Answer 13

-the researcher first obtains accurate lists of all people within each stratum. The researcher will then draw a random sample of proportionate size from each of the strata

Question 14

❓❓❓Participants in the Experimental Group are…

Answer 14

… Exposed to the experimental conditions

I.e the IV is present

Question 15

❓❓❓Participants in the Control Group are…

Answer 15

…exposed to the control conditions

I.e. The IV is absent

Question 16

❓❓❓What is random allocation?

Answer 16

-all participants who have been selected for an experiment are just as likely to be in one group as the other

Question 17

❓❓❓What does descriptive research focus on?

Answer 17

-Focuses on studying and describing one or more of the aspects of thoughts, feelings or behaviour as they occur at a given time and place without necessarily explaining why they are caused

E.g. Case studies, observational studies

Question 18

❓❓❓ What is a case study? Advantages? Disadvantages?

Answer 18

DEFINITION
-an intensive, in-depth investigation of some behaviour or event of interest in an individual, small group or situation
E.g. a study on someone with face agnosia

ADVANTAGES

• useful way of obtaining detailed and valuable descriptive information on behaviour and mental processes
• insight on how other May think, feel or behave under similar circumstances
• valuable source of hypotheses for further research

DISADVANTAGES

• cannot test hypotheses
• based on one or a limited number of individuals
• can get biased information from participant or researcher
• some participants might not remember clearly what they experience

Question 19

❓❓❓What is an observational study? Explain ‘naturalistic’, ‘participant’ and ‘non-participant’ observational studies

Advantages? Disadvantages?

Answer 19

DEFINITION
-a research method that involves watching and describing a behaviour as it occurs

NATURALISTIC
-naturally occurring behaviour of interest is viewed inconspicuously so that the researcher has no influence

PARTICIPANT
-researcher participates in activity and tries to be mistaken as part of the study

NON-PARTICIPANT
-trying to conceal their presence while making observations

ADVANTAGES

• naturalistic enables researcher to gain more accurate information about typical behaviour of organisms
• some behaviours can only be studied as they occur

DISADVANTAGES

• can require a lot of patience for the behaviour of interest to occur
• difficult to determine cause of behaviour
• observer can be biased

Question 20

❓❓❓What is qualitative data?

Answer 20

-information about ‘qualities’ or characteristics of what is being studied
E.g. Thoughts or feelings experienced

☀️☀️☀️Some psychologists use audio or video tapes to record data in this research

Question 21

❓❓❓What is quantitative data?

Answer 21

-numerical information on the ‘quantity’ or amount of what is being studied
(How much of something there is)
E.g. Percentages of participant who answered ‘yes’ or ‘no’t to a survey

Question 22

☀️☀️☀️QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Answer 22

• experiments are usually described as quantitative research: participants responses during an experiment are usually measured then described in a numerical form
• research involving analysis of written information is usually described as qualitative research e.g. How did you feel when you were bullied?
• experiments can produce either qualitative or quantitative data

Question 23

☀️☀️☀️operationalising the IV and the DV is identifying specifically how the experimenter will measure these variables

Answer 23

EXAMPLES

“Whether meditation can improve performance on a VCE exam”
IV-whether or not the participant meditated (operationalised as 1/2 hour of meditation 1 hour before the exam
DV- students outcome on the exam (operationalised as the score they receive out of 30)

“Whether students who have breakfast concentrate better in class”
IV- whether or not the participant eats breakfast (operationalised as eating 2 cups of cornflakes to 1cup of milk and a glass of juice)
DV- degree of concentration in class (operationalised as number of errors on a test taken at the end of a lesson)

Question 24

❓❓❓Ethics refer to..

Answer 24

… Moral principles and codes of behaviour that psychologists must follow
-guidelines to ensure the participants physical and psychological welfare is protected during and after an experiment

☀️☀️☀️APS have a code of ethics (1997)

Question 25

❓❓❓The researcher’s role is…?

Answer 25

-do not harm (beneficence)

☀️☀️☀️

• can’t distress participant
• if there is distress, experiment must stop
• access to counselling

Question 26

❓❓❓The participants rights are…

Answer 26

• confidentiality
• voluntary participation
• withdrawal rights (allowed to leave)
• informed consent (written consent from participant)
• deception (tricking participants in cases where giving them information about an experiments beforehand might influence their behaviour and affect the results
• debriefing (share the results with the participants and offer counselling)

Question 27

☀️☀️☀️USE OF ANIMALS IN RESEARCH

• 10% of psychological research involves animals
• mostly mice, rats, hamsters and pigeons
• 5% monkeys/other primates

Answer 27

FOR

• short life spans
• risk of harm too great to use humans
• starting point
• environment easily controlled

AGAINST

• can’t guarantee results
• humans should protect animals
• no right no dominate other species
• research must be justified
• if animals needs to be put down, do so humanly