Research methods

Question 1

What’s a laboratory experiment?

Answer 1

Takes place in an artificial setting. Researcher manipulates the IV whilst controlling the DV, cause and effect relationship can be identified.

Question 2

Advantages and disadvantages of laboratory experiments?

Answer 2

\+ Control of extraneous variables
\+ Clear cause and effect relationship
\+ High internal validity 
- Behaviour may not be natural 
- Lowers ecological validity

Question 3

What’s a field experiment?

Answer 3

Takes place in a natural environment. Researcher is able to manipulate IV to see effect on DV but less control over extraneous variables.

Question 4

Advantages and disadvantages of field experiments?

Answer 4

+ Less likely to produce artificial behaviour
+ Increases ecological validity
- Extraneous variables are more difficult to control
- Lowers validity

Question 5

What’s a quasi experiment?

Answer 5

Not a true experiment as random allocation of participants is not possible because the IV is an aspect/quality of participant (E.G. testing people with Down’s Syndrome for their ability to understand other peoples emotions. The researcher can’t randomly allocate participants to one of the 2 conditions, as the IV is a quality of the participant).

Question 6

Advantages and disadvantages of quasi experiments?

Answer 6

+ Control of extraneous variables
+ Improves internal validity.
- Allocation of IV is not random, so can’t be sure if the IV has caused a change to the DV.
- Lowers internal validity.

Question 7

What’s a natural experiment?

Answer 7

Takes place in a natural environment where IV varies naturally (not manipulated by researcher). IV is an event = naturally occurred).

Question 8

Advantages and disadvantages of natural experiments?

Answer 8

+ Allows research to be conducted that wouldn’t have been manipulated by a researcher

• Due to natural environment, control is difficult.
• Lowers internal validity
• Can’t discover a cause and effect relationship.

Question 9

What’s a participant observation?

Answer 9

The observer joins the group and observes the behaviour of the group. No manipulation, natural/controlled environment.

Question 10

Advantages and disadvantages of participant observations?

Answer 10

+ Natural behaviour is more likely
+ Increases ecological validity
- Observer bias
- Results may be invalid.

Question 11

What’s a non-participant observation?

Answer 11

Observer doesn’t join the group, simply observes from the outside.

Question 12

Advantages and disadvantages of a non-participant observation?

Answer 12

+ Accurate observation of behaviour
+ Improves internal validity
- Observer bias
- Results may be invalid.

Question 13

What’s a content analysis?

Answer 13

Indirect form of observation. Observing behaviour by looking at the content of things produced by people.

Question 14

Advantages and disadvantages of content analysis?

Answer 14

+ Natural behaviour as content is from real world
+ High ecological validity
- Observer bias
- Results may be invalid.

Question 15

What’s a questionnaire (self report method)?

Answer 15

Consists of a list of written questions, open and closed questions. They produce qualitative and quantitative data.

Question 16

Advantages and disadvantages of questionnaires?

Answer 16

+ Time and cost effective
+ Data can be collected from a large sample relatively cheaply
+ Can be easily replicated with different populations.
- Response rates can be low, so reduces the validity.
- Findings aren’t representative as not completed by a large enough sample.

Question 17

What’s a structured interview?

Answer 17

Set series of questions asked to ALL participants. No additional questions asked (formal).

Question 18

Advantages and disadvantages of structured interviews?

Answer 18

+ Easy to replicate as the questions are fixed and easy to quantify
+ Easy to test for internal and external reliability
- Not flexible so new questions can’t be asked on the spot
- Can lead to reduction in the quality of the data so it lowers the internal validity.

Question 19

What’s a semi-structured interview?

Answer 19

General topic for discussion and some specific questions. Open ended discussion rather than a structured interview (informal).

Question 20

Advantages and disadvantages of a semi-structured interview?

Answer 20

+ Able to generate qualitative data through the use of open questions
+ In depth understanding gained
- Interviewer bias may exist
- The results may be invalid.

Question 21

What’s correlation?

Answer 21

Looks at the relationship between two co-variables. A correlation co-efficient (between -1 and +1) is identified in order to find strength and direction.

Question 22

What’s a correlation co-efficient?

Answer 22

A number representing the strength of relationship between 2 sets of measurements. (E.G. -0.87 is a strong negative relationship, +0.27 is a weak positive relationship and 0 is no relationship.

Question 23

What are the correlation types?

Answer 23

Positive correlation= As one variable increases so does the other (height and shoe size)
Negative correlation= As one variable increases the other decreases (time spent exercising and body weight).

Question 24

Advantages and disadvantages of correlations?

Answer 24

+ Show the strength of a relationship
+ Establish whether further research is needed
- Doesn’t show cause and effect relationships
- Could be other variables that are causing the change/increase.

Question 25

What’s a case study?

Answer 25

A detailed study of a single individual, institution or event. Typically longitudinal and may include different data sources like questionnaires.

Question 26

Advantages and disadvantages of case studies?

Answer 26

+ Ideographic
+ Rich qualitative data
+ Improves internal validity
- Recollecting past events and experiences
- Gain retrospective evidence so may be distorted
- Lowers the internal validity