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Research Methodd Flashcards

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1
Q

Why is it important to control extraneous variables?

A

They can effect the DV and so therefore the results

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2
Q

What are experimental methods?

What are the three types?

A

Refers to the method used to carry out the experiment

Lab, field and natural

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3
Q

What are laboratory experiments?

A

They are controlled experiments and the IV is manipulated/ ppts are usually randomly allocated

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4
Q

What are field experiments?

A

They are in a natural environment, the IV is manipulated/ ppts randomly allocated

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5
Q

What are natural experiments?

A

IVs are controlled naturall, experiment does not manipulate them/ ppts are not randomly allocated to conditions within the experiment

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6
Q

Give two advantages of a laboratory experiment

A

High levels of control (both of IV and EVs)
Replicate- high
Can conclude cause and effect

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7
Q

Give two disadvantages of a laboratory experiment

A

Can lack ecological validity
Higher chance of investigator and participant effect
Lack realism

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8
Q

Give two advantages of a field experiment

A

Can conclude cause and effect
Higher level of ecological validity
Reduction in participant effects

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9
Q

Give two disadvantages of field experiments

A

Less control over extraneous variables
Often more time consuming
Random allocation to conditions difficult

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10
Q

Give two advantages of a natural experiment

A

Higher levels of ecological validity
Unethical
Useful when impossible to control the IV

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11
Q

Give two disadvantages of a natural experiment

A

Low internal validity- extraneous variables cannot be controlled
Cannot conclude cause and effect
No random allocation to conditions

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12
Q

What is mundane realism?

A

The extent to which it is like real life

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13
Q

What are demand characteristics?

A

Ppt starts to understand what the experiment is about, this could lead to a change of behaviour

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14
Q

What are investigator effects?

A

Something the investigator might do to influence the ppts to effect their behaviour

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15
Q

What is the dependent variable?
What is the independent variable?
What are extraneous variables?

A

DV- what you measure
IV- something you can change/manipulate
EV- extra variables that are better to control and they effect other variables and the results

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16
Q

What are the ethical considerations for lab experiments?

A

Deception- should always debrief them but can’t always give full consent.
Shouldn’t be in harm

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17
Q

Give some ethical considerations of a field experiment

A

Harder to get informed consent
Protection for harm?
Can’t break confidentiality

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18
Q

Give some ethical considerationa for a natural experiment

A

Harder to get informed consent
Protection from harms can’t deceive
Privacy

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19
Q

Describe what a questionnaire is
Which factors should be considered when designing a questionnaire?
SELF REPORT TECHNIQUES

A 
A series of questions designed to find out information 
Qualitative
Age range
How many questions 
What type of question it is (open/close)
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20
Q

Explain what an interview is

Give some factors of what should be taken into consideration when designing an interview

A 
A series of face to face questions 
What information you need
How long to make it 
The age of ppts 
Needs to be standardised-'otherwise can't compare data 
General sim
Structured questions 
Open questions
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21
Q

What is qualitative data?

What is quantitive data?

A

Data in the form of words/views/opinions

Data in the form of numbers and can analyse data from a questionnaire

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22
Q

Give two weakness of qualitative data

Give one strength

A

More detailed
Could go of track
Time consuming
Hard to analyse

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23
Q

Give two strengths of quantitive data

A

More time consuming
Easier to analyse
Less detailed

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24
Q

What is an open question?

A

Allows the responder to write their own answer. In words. Produces qualitative data

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25
Q

Give three advantages of open ended questions

A

Provides rich, detailed data
Allows the responder to express what they really think
It is more realistic

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26
Q

Give two disadvantage of open ended question

A

Nature means that data can be collected can make analysis different

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27
Q

What are closed questions?

A

When the participant chooses their response from a limited number of fixed responses predetermined by the researcher

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28
Q

Give an advantage of a closed question

A

Provides quantatitve data which can be statistically changed

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29
Q

Give 3 disadvantages of closed questions

A

Artificial: questioning is not realistic
Loses the richness of qualitative responses
Not clear as to how the responder has understood the question

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30
Q

What is a naturalistic observation?

OBSERVATIONAL METHODS

A

An observation carried out in an everyday setting, in which the investigator does not interfere in any way but merely observes that behaviour in question

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31
Q

What is a controlled observation?

OBSERVATIONAL METHODS

A

A form of investigation in which behaviour is observed but under conditions where certain variables have been organised by the researcher

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32
Q

Give two strengths of a natural observation

A

Behaviour is natural
Can generalise to everyday life
More true

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33
Q

Give two weaknesses of a natural observation

A

Might not see behaviour that you expected

Might ruin observing extraneous variables

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34
Q

Give two strengths of a controlled observation

A

More control over extraneous variables

Able to focus on something specific

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35
Q

Give two weaknesses of a controlled observation

A

Less ecological validity than a natural one

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36
Q

What are behavioural categories?

A

A specific type of behaviour which is defined before the study takes place. It allows researchers to focus their investigation on a specific behaviour in order to gather the most valid and reliable data.

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37
Q

What are participant observations

What are non participant observations

A

Researcher is involved

Researcher is not directly involved- observed from outside

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38
Q

What is observer bias?

A

Observers expectations effect what they see or hear, this reduces the validity of the observations.

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39
Q

What is inner observer reliability?

A

The extent to which there is agreement between two or more observers involved in observe rites of behaviour

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40
Q

What is time sampling?

A

An observational technique in which the observer records behaviour in a given time frame, e.g noting what a target individual is doing every 15 seconds to 20 seconds or one minute. The observe may select one or more behavioural categories to

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41
Q

What is event sampling?

A

An observational technique in which a count is kept for the number of times a certain behaviour occurs,

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42
Q

What is overt observation?

A

When participants know they are being observed
+not being deceived
- ecological validity

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43
Q

What is a covert observation?

A

When participants don’t know they are being observed
+more realistic
- unethical

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44
Q

What is an aim?

A

A general statement about the purpose of the investigation

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45
Q

What is a hypothesis?

A

A precise, testable statement about the exacted outcome of an investigation

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46
Q

What is a one tailed directional hypothesis?

A

A directional hypothesis states which direction the results will go in and usually contains the words ‘there will be…’

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47
Q

What is a non directional hypothesis?

A

Is less clear of the direction the results will go in and tends to use the word ‘There will be a difference ‘

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48
Q

What is an extraneous variable and why is it important to control them?

A

A variable that can influence the DV, it can change the result, can change the cause and effect

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49
Q

What is a experimental design?

A

Once the researcher has chosen the experimental method which best suits the nature of the study, they then have to choose what type of design it will have.

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50
Q

What is repeated measures?

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

A

The same ppts are used in both conditions

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51
Q

What are independent groups?

A

Ppts are randomy allocated to different groups which represent the different conditions

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52
Q

What are matched pairs?

A

Pairs of ppts are closely matched and are then randomly allocated to one of the experimental conditions.

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53
Q

What are the strengths of repeated measures?

A

Less Particioants
Less time
Ppts variables are eliminated

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54
Q

What are the weaknesses of repeated measures?

A

More than one stimulus
The order effect
Increased chance of demand characteristics

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55
Q

What is the order effect?

A

When the order of the the experiment effects performance, so therefore effects the results

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56
Q

What is counterbalancing?

A

An experimental technique used to overcome order effects when using a repeated measures design, counterbalancing ensures that each condition is tested first or second equal in equal amounts

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57
Q

What is opportunity sampling?

SAMPLING TECHNQIUES

A

consists of people available to the researcher at the time of carrying out the research (most convenient)

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58
Q

What is volunteer sampling?

SAMPLING TECHNQIUE

A

When the ppts gathered have volunteered to take part e.g via a poster advertising (self selecting)

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59
Q

What is random sampling?

A

When ppts are picked without strategy e.g randomly picked out of a hat

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60
Q

Give some an advantage and disadvantage of opportunity sampling

A

This is the easiest for the researcher as you get the first suitable ppts you can find
Biased- small part of the population/ limited/ less valid/ can’t generalise

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61
Q

Give an advantage of volunteer sampling

Give a disadvantage of volunteer sampling

A

Good variables of ppts/ less chance of withdrawal
Biased in that those stat are more likely to be motivated with extra time/ need money will be similar- volunteer bias (population validity)

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62
Q

Give an advantage and disadvantage of random sampling

A

Unbiased- all members have an equal chance of being selecte

May take time- list of population and then contact those selected

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63
Q

What is stratified sampling?

Give an advantage and disadvantage of stratified sampling

A

A sample in which sub groups are identified and ppts are chosen randomly from each sub group
+representative and proportional
- time consuming

64
Q

What is systematic sampling?

Give an advantage and disadvantage

A

When the researcher used a pre determined system to randomly select ppt e.g choosing the 1st 4th and 8th person from a list
+unbiased- selected using an objective system
- not truly unbiased/ random less you select a number using a random method and start with this person, and the select ever nth person

65
Q

What is reliability?

A

How consistent the results are/ can they be repeated

66
Q

What is validity?

A

Whether an experiment can measure what it is supposed to be measure, cause and effect

67
Q

What is interval validity

A

The degree to which an observed effect was due to the experimental manipulation rather than extraneous variables

68
Q

What is external validity?

A

The degree to which a research finding can be generalised

69
Q

What is ecological validity?

A

How much the findings can be used to other settings

70
Q

What is population validity

A

How much findings can be used to generalised to other people

71
Q

what are demand characteristics?

A

A cue that makes ppts unconsciously aware of the aims of a study or helps ppts work out what the researcher expects to find

72
Q

What are investigator effects?

A

Anything that an investigator does that has an effect on a participant performance in a study other than what is intended
Direct effects- investigator interacting with the ppts
Indirect- investigator the study

73
Q

What is social desirability?

A

When ppts answer questions or act in a certain way that will be favoured by others or to get the response that the researcher wants

74
Q

How can demand and investigator effects be controlled?

A

Using a single/ double blind effect
Single- ppt doesn’t know the aim of the study
Double- both don’t know

75
Q

What is a pilot study?

A

A small scale study conducted on a small sample, it helps the researcher to identity any potential problems with the research method ect

76
Q

Why is it important to carry out a pilot study before conducting the actual experiment?

A

So that the hypothesis and the method is correct, to test the reliability of the data ect

77
Q

What are the five different sampling methods?

A

Volunteer/ oppourinity/ stratified/ random / systematic

78
Q

How do researchers select which behaviours to observe in an observation?

A

they use sampling procedures-

79
Q

Which method should be used in an observation to select behaviours?

A

in most observations there would be too much data to record, therefore a systematic method should be used

80
Q

Give two examples of sampling procedures

A

time sampling and event sampling

81
Q

What is time sampling?

A

recording behaviours in a given time frame e.g noting what a target individual is doing every 30 seconds / observers might tick from one or two categories

82
Q

What is event sampling?

A

Counting the number of times a certain behaviour occurs from a target within a given time frame/ e.g counting how many times someone smiles in ten minutes

83
Q

Give three strengths of time sampling

A

they had time to record what they have seen/ it is convenient/ it is less time consuming/ can observe more than one behaviour/ more data

84
Q

Give a weakness of time sampling?

A

Might miss other behaviours outside of that time frame

85
Q

Give a strength of event sampling

A

you get in depth detail about the specific behaviour/ lots of data about that behaviour

86
Q

Give two weaknesses of event sampling

A

might miss other behaviours if there are a lot at the same tine/ more time consuming

87
Q

What is reliability?

A

consistency, the consistency of measuremnts/ if measurement produces same data the study is reliable

88
Q

What are two ways of assessing reliability during observations?

A

comparing the data from two or more observes/ using behavioural categories

89
Q

What is inter-observer reliability?

A

the extent to which observes agree with eachother about the behaviour they observes/ the consistency of data to two or more observers

90
Q

what is a way of improving reliability during observations?

A

ensure all behavioural categories are specifically operationalized to ensure there is no confusion

91
Q

Give two examples of self report techniques

A

interviews and questionnaires

92
Q

Give a way of assessing/ improving reliability in self report techniques?

A

test-retest reliability/ do the test/ retest the results to see if they are reliable after short interval to see if results are the same as last time

93
Q

Give a way of assessing/ improving reliability in interviews?

A

using a second interviewer/ could ask second interviewer to do the same interview/

94
Q

What does assessing/ improving reliability ensure for interviews?

A

ensures no research bias had occurred and that a comparison can be made

95
Q

Give a way of assessing/ improving reliability in self report techniques? the third way

A

reduce ambiguity/ questions should not be confusing to read or answer/ some Qs may need to be rewritten if they are ambigious

96
Q

What are the three examples that could effect internal validity?

A

social desirability/ demand characteristics/ investigator effects

97
Q

What is social desirability?

A

when ppts will alter their behaviour to make themselves more desirable to the study

98
Q

what are demand characteristics

A

when the ppts know what the study is about so they alter behaviour/ picked up aim

99
Q

What are investigator effects?

A

Something the investigator does/says that can effect the behaviour of ppts

100
Q

What is temporal validity?

A

Whether it can be generalised to other periods of time

101
Q

What is face validity?

A

Whether a measure looks like it is measuring what it is meant to measure

102
Q

What does face validity require?

A

Intuitive measure,net

103
Q

What is concurrent validity?

A

Whether the current measure is accurate when compared to previous validated, measure

104
Q

When can concurrent validity be confirmed?

A

If the data gathered is the same using both measures

105
Q

How can quantitative data be analysed?

A

Using measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion

106
Q

How is qualitative data analysed?

A

Content analysis

107
Q

What does content analysis do?

A

Anyalyses the content of something

108
Q

What is the aim of content analysis?

A

To identify patterns and trends/ may look to discover different themes (thematic analysis)

109
Q

What is step 1 of content analysis?

A

Sampling the data (choosing which data to analyse/ select context to use)

110
Q

What is step 2 of carrying out content analysis?

A

Coding the data/ using behavioural catergories to code certain behsviifs

111
Q

What is step 3 of content analysis?

A

Representing the data

112
Q

How do you represent the data using the quantitative method?

A

Counting the instances in each category

113
Q

How do you represent the data using the qualitiatuve method?

A

Describing the instance in each carver oh

114
Q

Why is it good that copies and duplicates can be created for content analyse?

A

Other people can analyse and assess it/ can be replicated which gives it high inter rate reliability

115
Q

Why is it good that content analysis comes from real observations from real people?

A

The content then has high ecological validly because it is true to life, the results can then measure what they are supposed to measure

116
Q

Why is content analysis subject to bias?

A

Often there is only one researcher analysing the content so could be researcher bias/ interpretative and subjective/ observer bias

117
Q

Why are there less chance of investigator effects in content analysis?

A

The participants don’t need to be present/ this makes it cheaper and easier to carry out

118
Q

What is the problem of analysing material/ content from other cultures?

A

Could create culture bias sue to ethnocentrism/ might find findings more negative/

119
Q

How is content analysis limiting?

A

You are limited by the availability of material that you have which may not reflect reality

120
Q

What is a paradigm?

A

A shared set of beliefs/ assumptions about a paticular subject matter

121
Q

What is a Paragdigm shift?

A

When these beliefs change

122
Q

When is thematic analysis used?

A

When analysing qualitative data in order to identify themes

123
Q

What are the four stage of thematic analysis?

A

Read every transcript carefully/ break the data up in smaller units and code the units/ combine the smaller codes into larger themes/ identify the most common themes

124
Q

What does reading every transcript involve?

A

All items are included and info is often reread/ trying to understand the meaning communicated and the perspective of the ppt

125
Q

What will the researcher do when reviewing the data?

A

Will develop some idea of codes- each unit will have a code

126
Q

How are larger themes created?

A

grouping together the smaller codes which then allows stances to becoun ted

127
Q

How does the researcher identify the most common themes?

A

can make a conclusion and summarise the data by presenting it into tables

128
Q

What are the five features of scientific knowledge?

A

empirical methods/ objectivity/ replicability/ theory construction/ hypothesis testing

129
Q

what is science?

A

A systematic approach to creating knowledge

130
Q

What are empirical methods?

A

When information is gained through direct observation or experiment rather than from beliefs- info is meaningful

131
Q

What is objectivity?

A

when data is not affected by the expectations of the researcher/ data should be measureable

132
Q

What is replicability?

A

whether it can be repeated

133
Q

What is theory construction?

A

Building of a theory-gather all facts

134
Q

What is hypothesis testing?

A

modifying hypothesis to fit theory/

135
Q

What is Induction?

A

Induction involves reasoning from the ‘particular to the general’ i.e starts with an observation and then a theory is generated

136
Q

What is deduction?

A

Reasoning from the ‘general to the particular’ ie. starts with a theory and looks for observation to support it

137
Q

Give an example of an inductive construction

A

Pavlov observing dogs salivating and then generates his theory

138
Q

Give an example of an deductive construction

A

researchers accept Darwin’s thoeu and seek evidende to support it

139
Q

What is probability?

A

A numerical measure of likelihood that a certain event will happen

140
Q

What is significance?

A

A statistical term used to indicate whether the research findings are sufficiently strong enough to reject the null hypothesis

141
Q

What is a type 1 error?

A

When a researcher rejects a null hypothesis when there is one

142
Q

What is a type 2 error?

A

When a researcher accepts a null hypothesis (there is no significance between the two variables) but this is not true

143
Q

What is a null hypothesis?

A

A null hypothesis is a hypothesis that says there is no statistical significance between the two variables in the hypothesis. It is the hypothesis that the researcher is trying to disprove

144
Q

When are statistical tests used in Psychology?

A

They are used to determine whether a significant difference or correlation exists

145
Q

what are the four types of statistical tests which test for a difference between variables?

A

MannWhItney, Wilcoxon, unrelated TTest, related T-Test

146
Q

What order do induction scientific processes go?

A

Observations/ testable hypothesis/ conduct a study to test the hypothesis/ draw conclusions/ propose theory

147
Q

What is needed in a report investigation?

A

The abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion and references

148
Q

What is an abstract?

A

Allows the reader to get a quick picture of the study and the results/ a summary of the research

149
Q

What is an introduction in a report investigation?

A

The section of the report that allows the reader to understand why the research is being conducted and an indicator of the result/ includes aim and hypothesis/ often uses previous research as their rationale for doing the investigation

150
Q

What is the method in a report investigation?

A

the section that informs the reader in detail of how the research was conducted/ the design, the ppts, procedures

151
Q

What are the results in a report investigation?

A

allows the reader to gain an insight of what was found/ specific details usually in the form of statistics, test reports or results from content analysis

152
Q

What is the discussion part of the report investigation?

A

informs the reader of a more detailed account of what they wanted/ what could be different next time/ allows that researcher to interrupt the results into a sumar/

153
Q

What are references?

A

allows the reader to access wider reading if they ish/ provides full detail of all sources/ prevents plagiarism

154
Q

What is nominal data?

A

when data is represented in the form of categories e.g how many girls or boys are in your year group

155
Q

What is ordinal data?

A

When data is ordered in some way- does nor have equal intervals between each unit e.g a questionnaire

156
Q

What is interval data?

A

When data is measured on a scale/ based on numerical scales that include units of equal, defined size e.g temperature

157
Q

What are three types of numerical data?

A

ordinal, interval and nominal

AS Psychology (6 decks)

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