Research Method 4 Flashcards
How does a researcher design a naturalistic observation using behavioural categories?
Behaviour categories are used to record how participants behave, focusing on observable actions. For example, in observing attachment behaviour, suitable categories could include crying, clinging to mother, smiling, and playing independently.
What is event sampling?
Event sampling involves counting the number of times a behaviour occurs.
An advantage is that the researcher is less likely to miss the behaviour, but a disadvantage is that other important behaviours may be overlooked.
What is time sampling?
Time sampling involves recording what an individual is doing in a fixed time frame, such as every 30 seconds.
An advantage is that it limits the number of observations, while a disadvantage is that the observed times may be unrepresentative.
What are open and closed questions?
An open question does not have a fixed range of answers, while a closed question has a fixed range of answers.
What are the features of science?
Features of science include replicability, empirical method, falsifiability, theory construction, hypothesis testing, and objectivity.
What is replicability in science?
Replicability is the ability to repeat research findings and procedures, which is crucial for drawing valid conclusions.
What is the empirical method?
The empirical method involves gaining information through experiments or direct observation rather than unfounded beliefs.
What is the significance of falsifiability according to Karl Popper?
Falsifiability is the principle that a theory must allow for the possibility of being proven untrue to be considered scientific.
What is the Hypothetico-deductive method?
The Hypothetico-deductive method involves identifying a problem, developing a hypothesis, devising a study to test it, analyzing results, modifying the hypothesis, and developing a theory.
What does objectivity mean in science?
Objectivity means that scientific observations should be based on observable phenomena and not influenced by personal opinions or emotions.
What is a famous quote by Karl Popper regarding theories?
Popper stated, ‘No amount of observations of white swans can prove that all swans are white, but the observation of a single black swan is sufficient to refute that conclusion.’
What is Kuhn’s criticism of Popper’s view?
Kuhn argues that Popper’s view is idealised and that scientists go through a period of normal science where they cling to theories despite contradictory evidence.
What is a paradigm according to Kuhn?
A paradigm is a shared set of assumptions about a subject within the scientific community.
How does Kuhn view the objectivity of science?
Kuhn claims that science isn’t objective and that new theories that don’t fit the paradigm are rejected.
What causes a paradigm shift according to Kuhn?
A paradigm shift occurs only when enough evidence is amassed to change the paradigm, often referred to as a scientific revolution.
Give an example of a paradigm shift in history.
An example is Copernicus’s theory in the sixteenth century, which shifted the belief that the Earth was the center of the Universe.
What is an example of a paradigm shift in psychology?
The shift from a behaviourist view to the cognitive view in the 1960s.
How did Kuhn describe the nature of paradigm shifts?
Kuhn suggested that these changes were not logical as Popper supposed, but were more like religious conversion and related to social factors.
What are the sections of a psychological report?
The sections include Title, Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion, References, and Appendices.
What is the purpose of the Abstract in a psychological report?
The Abstract provides a summary of the study including its findings and helps the reader determine if the full report is worth reading.
What should the Method section of a psychological report include?
The Method section should include Design, Participants, Apparatus/materials, and Procedures.
What details should a consent form include?
A consent form should inform participants about the research, ensure no pressure to consent, allow withdrawal at any time, guarantee confidentiality, and encourage questions.
What should a debriefing include?
A debriefing should thank participants, inform them of the true nature of the experiment, allow for questions, and give the right to withdraw data.
