Research Methodologies & Locations

Question 1

Define an experiment

Answer 1

• a research method where cause and effect are measured through the control and manipulation of key variables, and where participants are randomly assigned to experimental/control groups

Question 2

What are the pros and cons of experiments?

Answer 2

• PROS: allow for the precise control of extraneous and independent variables, clear cause and effect, internal validity.
• CONS: artificial setting could produce unnatural behaviour, low ecological validity, expensive and time consuming

Question 3

Explain lab experiments and +/-

Answer 3

• conducted under controlled and artificial conditions
• manipulate IV to measure DV
• experimental and control conditions
  L&P:
  pros - high levels of control and easy to replicate
  cons - low ecological validity and problems of demand characteristics

Question 4

Explain field experiments and +/-

Answer 4

• experiment conducted in a natural environment
• allow causal relationships to form and Ps unaware they’re being researched
  Hofling:
  pros - higher colonial validity than lab experiments and less demand characteristics
  cons - unethical and more chance of extraneous variables

Question 5

Describe online research, including +/-

Answer 5

• often involves questionnaires over social networking sites
  Pros - accessible and cost effective, replicable due to closed questions
  Cons- consent is hard to gain and there is social desirability bias

Question 6

Explain quasi and natural experiments

Answer 6

• natural experiments take advantage of a naturally occurring change in behaviour and the ability to measure the DV. Where unethical to manipulate IV
• quasi are not true experiments as researcher has not manipulated IV and Ps not randomly allocated to control/experimental.

Question 7

Pros and cons of natural experiments (no manipulation by researcher, natural variables)

Answer 7

Pros - allows research in areas the IV cannot be manipulated for ethical or practical reasons (ie you cannot make a person schizophrenic). Allows researchers to investigate real problems which helps more people.
Cons - cannot demonstrate causal relationships because IV isn’t manipulated. Threat to internal validity as less control of extraneous variables

Question 8

Non-experimental RM: questionnaire, +/-

Answer 8

• RM that includes a list of questions which generate closed and/or open answers
• produce qualitative and/or quantitive data
  Pros - used to assess psychological variables that are not obvious from observation & data can be collected quickly from large numbers
  Cons - no guarantee of honesty and varied interpretations of a question

Question 9

Describe structured interviews and +/-

Answer 9

• standardised questions known as an interview schedule, asked face to face
• elicit verbal responses
• pros - same questions each time = easier to analyse, replicable and so more reliable
• cons - restrictive and don’t allow for spontaneous questions

Question 10

Describe semi-structured interviews and +/-

Answer 10

• asking Ps questions with interview schedules and follow up questions (like a clinical interview)
• pros - more qualitative info and higher validity
• cons - difficult to analyse as not same questions used each time and not replicable, therefore less reliable

Question 11

What are the 2 types of observational studies?

Answer 11

• covert: Ps unaware of research
• overt: Ps aware

Question 12

Explain participant observation and +/-

Answer 12

• researcher takes on role of participant whilst observing others
• remains anonymous
  Pros - less chance of demand characteristics and can research people who would otherwise be difficult to observe.
  Cons - researcher may suffer from observer bias

Question 13

Explain non-participant observation and +/-

Answer 13

• researcher watches and records Ps behaviour from a distance with no interference
  Pros - less chance of observer bias and researcher clearly sees behaviour so more valid and reliable findings
  Cons - observer bias and unethical, consent and deception

Question 14

Explain unstructured and structured observation

Answer 14

• unstructured: researcher writes a detailed description of what is being observed. No preset categories. Qualitative data
• structured: researcher records behaviour precisely. Preferable to unstructured as more objective and rigorous. Uses behavioural categories and sampling procedures

Question 15

Describe the 2 types of sampling

Answer 15

• event sampling: count the number of times a particular behaviour occurs in a target individual
• time sampling: record the behaviours in a time frame

Question 16

Describe case studies, including pros and cons

Answer 16

• a method high involves an in-depth investigation of a phenomenon using a descriptive analysis of a person, event or group.
• involves many diff RM and usually is qualitative
  Pros - rich qualitative data with high ecological validity and allows researchers to study cases they couldn’t ethically manipulate in an experiment
  Cons - researcher bias and difficult to generalise findings, so low population validity

Question 17

Describe correlations and refer to +/-

Answer 17

• comparing to covariables to see if there’s a relationship between them. Illustrated by a scatter diagram.
  Pros - shows direction and strength of relationship which can be used to make prediction about behaviour. Used when experiments are inappropriate
  Cons - correlations only show that there is a relationships. Difficult to establish cause and effect

Question 18

Describe quantitative data and the +/-

Answer 18

• type of data that can be measured numerically so stat analysis can be completed
  Pros - easy to analyse and easier to collect from large group of Ps
  Cons - tends to lose human level of behaviour and offers a shallow view

Question 19

Describe qualitative data and the +/-

Answer 19

• type of data that is observed but not measured numerically. Difficult to analyse
  Pros - more individual and human view of behaviour and in-depth data
  Cons - difficult to analyse and is room limited range and number of people

Question 20

Describe primary resources and the +/-

Answer 20

• information/data collected first hand by the researcher
  Pros -researcher can control format and relate it to aims of research
  Cons - may lack validity due to social desirability and/or demand characteristics

Question 21

Describe secondary resources and the +/-

Answer 21

• information not collected by the researcher
  Pros - could be more valid
  Cons - researcher cannot control format of data produced

Question 22

What is an experimental/ group design

Answer 22

• the way we organise the control and experimental conditions

Question 23

Describe a repeated measures design including pros and cons

Answer 23

• experimental design where Ps take part in both control and experimental condition, and the performance in the control is compared to the experimental
• significant difference between indicates the IV affects the DV
  PROS: participant variables & number of participants
  CONS: order effects & demand characteristics

Question 24

Describe an independent group design including pros and cons

Answer 24

• experimental design where Ps take part in only one experimental condition and Ps are randomly allocated to either experimental or control
  PROS: demand characteristics & order effect
  CONS: number of Ps & P variables

Question 25

Describe the matched pairs design including pros and cons

Answer 25

• type of independent groups where experimental and control Ps are deliberately similar in a way relevant to the study ie gender or age or IQ
• matching can be time consuming and expensive
  CONS: number of Ps & P variables
  PROS: demand characteristics& order effects

Question 26

Random sampling

Answer 26

Where every person in the target population has an equal chance of being chosen for the sample via random generation ie number generator

Question 27

Volunteer sampling

Answer 27

When the study is advertised and people come forward to be tested ie social media questionnaire

Question 28

Opportunity sampling

Answer 28

Where researchers use Ps who are on hand at the time ie clinical psychologists patients

Question 29

Snowball sampling

Answer 29

Ps recruited by psychologist and then they further recruit Ps

Question 30

Stratified sample

Answer 30

Divided into categories and then Ps randomly selected from each group

Question 31

Quota sampling

Answer 31

Ps chose at convenience so not random. Chosen until quota is met

Question 32

Systematic sampling

Answer 32

Every nth person is chose - generate random number and choose every nth

Question 33

Describe and evaluate content analysis

Answer 33

• exploration of behaviour to see what categories, codes or themes emerge
• qualitative data turned to quantitive
  P: less chance of demand characteristics, can be repelicated
  C: observer bias can affect validity of findings, cannot draw cause and effect relationships

Question 34

What is a self report?

Answer 34

• method which involves a P reporting on their own thoughts and feelings through methods like interviews or questionnaires or diaries

Question 35

Pros and cons of self reports

Answer 35

P: offer insight into why people behave how they do so less reason for researchers to guess behaviour. Qualitative info can be gathered
C: risk of social desirability bias and people may have inaccurate recall

Question 36

Disadvantages of quota sampling

Answer 36

• researcher bias leading to low representation
• not representative as relies on quota being filled
• time consuming

Question 37

An advantage of using event sampling

Answer 37

• allows for all behaviour to be recorded
• findings could be more valid as nothing is missed

Question 38

Weakness of independent groups

Answer 38

Participant variables are not controlled