quantitative research methods Flashcards
what are the 4 quantitative research methods?
laboratory experiments
field experiments
natural/quasi experiments
correlational studies
what are 2 strengths of lab experiments?
highly controlled
replicable
what is 1 limitation of lab experiments?
lack of ecological validity
what is a strength of field experiments?
validity
what is a limitation of field experiments?
less control
what is one strength of quasi experiments?
high ecological validity
what are 2 limitations of quasi experiments?
lack of control
not reliable
what is a positive correlation?
when both variables are affected in the same way. As x increases y increases or while x decreases y decreases
what is a negative correlation?
when one variable increases when the other decreases
what is bidirectional ambiguity?
when researchers are unable to tell if x affected y of if y affected x
what are extraneous/confounding variables
undesirable variable that influence the relationship between the independent and dependent variable
what are 3 demand characteristics?
expectancy effect
screw you effect
social desirability effect
what are demand characteristics?
when participants act differently simply because they know they are in a study
what is the screw you effect?
the participants attempt to discern the experimenters hypothesis in order to destroy the credibility of the study
what is the expectancy effect?
the participant believes they have quested the aim of the study and act in a certain way or giving the “right answers” to help the researchers
what is the social desirability effect?
this is when participants answer in a way that makes them look good to the researcher. often done to avoid embarrassment or judgment
what is researcher bias?
when the experimenter consciously or unconsciously affects the findings of the study
what is a double-blind control? why is it used?
when both participants and researchers are unaware which participant is in which group or the aim of the study, this can help eliminating researcher biases.
what is participant variability?
is a limitation of a study when the characteristics of the sample affect the dependent variable. This can be controlled for by selecting a random sample and randomly allocating the participants to the treatment and control groups.
what does TEACUP stand for?
testable
evidence
application
construct validity
unbiased
predictive validity
what is high heuristic validity?
high applicability
what is reductionism?
describing a complex phenomenon in terms of simple explanations or singular variables
what are 2 research designs?
repeated measures design
independent samples design
what is repeated measures design?
participants do both conditions
what is a strengths of a repeated measures design?
participant variability (participants are compared to themselves)
what is a limitation of a repeated measures design? how can we prevent it?
order effect, when participants get better at the task because of practice
what is a way to prevent order effect?
counter balancing, one group of participants will start with condition A and then takes part in condition B. The second group of participants starts with condition B and then takes part in condition A. This makes sure that it is not the order of the conditions that affects the results of the study.
what is independent samples design?
when participants only experience one of the 2 conditions
what is a limitation of independent samples design?
participant variability
