Research Methods Flashcards

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1
Q

Why do we do a peer-reviews

A
  • Keeps research honest
  • stops poorly conducted research being accepted as fact
  • makes people think about their methodology
  • assess universities
  • suggests improvemnts
  • can help allocate funding
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2
Q

How are peer reviews done

A
  • look at the methodology
  • data analysis
  • look at justification
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3
Q

Disadvantages of peer reviews

A
  • hard to find experts
  • sometimes it can be hard to find annimoity (if there are only a few people in the field) could lack objectivity
  • there may be publication bias (may not want to publish negative results)
  • sometimes may not want to publish research that contradicts the status quo
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4
Q

What are the two types of reliability?

A

Internal: in an interview do both researchers obtain the same results (inter-rater reliability)

external: how much results differ for example if you do the experiment will you get the same result each time

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5
Q

How can we test whether we have high reliability

A

Inter rater relibality

  • compare the results of two researchers when they are looking at the same interview/observations. If they have the same results then the method has high inter-rater reliability.
  • To improve you could look at how you opernalisatised, for example changing behavioural categories

test re-test: a test should give the same results twice. to improve, you can alter tests to improve the correlation

Split half method: half questions and ppts and see if people get same results, if not remove problematic questions

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6
Q

What is internal validity

A

has the IV changed the DV or as if it something changed the DV like extraneous variables or confounding variables

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7
Q

What is external validity

A

can you apply the findings to the public or day to day life (generalisability)

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8
Q

What can affect the internal validity of a study

A
  • particapant variables (demand charctertics, personality, age)
  • Lack of control (order effects, investigator effects)
  • situational variables (temp, room size)
  • Researcher Bias (lack objectivity)
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9
Q

What is face validity

A

does it claim to measure what its measuring,

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10
Q

What is ecological validity

A

when you can generalise to a different place or setting

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11
Q

What is mundane realism

A

is the task similar to what we would do in real life

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12
Q

What is population validity

A

The ability to generalise the findings to the wider population

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13
Q

What is temporal validity

A

Can you generalise to a different century, or decade

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14
Q

What is concurrent validity

A

the extent to which the test produces another established measure

e.g two tests of IQ should produce the same result

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15
Q

How would we improve our external validity

A

Using field study, natural observations etc

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16
Q

How would you do a sign test

A
  • subtarct the two varibales
  • then to work out s look for the least frequent sign
  • to find n count all the +,- expect the 0s, this is N
  • then using N you look for whether your results are significant
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17
Q

What is a type 1 error

A

This is when you accept your experimental hypothesis when you should have rejected it as the results were affected by random variables

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18
Q

How do we stop a type 1 error from occuring

A

we use a 0.01 level of signifcance

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19
Q

What is a type 2 error

A

You accepted your null hypothesis when you should have rejected it,due to you thinking there was no significance between variables

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20
Q

How do we prevent a type 2 error from happening

A

You use a 0.05 level of significance

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21
Q

what is nominal data

A

data we can set into differenet categories (gender, dogs,)

we can have a frequency count

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22
Q

What is ordinal data

A

It can be ordered but we are not sure the exact value between each point is the same

small -large (height)

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23
Q

What is interval data

A

when you can meaure data with equal sets of intervals (length, time, temp, )

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24
Q

What is the nnemonic for the stats table

A
S-pace (sign test)
W-eather (wiliconxon) 
R-eally (related t test)
C-contains (chi-squared)
M-any (mann whitney)
U-FOs (unrelated t test)
C-hasing (chi squared)
S-mall (spermans rho)
P-igs (pearsons)
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25
Q

Types of experiments

What is a lab study and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

What is it?
An experiment usually in laboratory.
-It’s usually in a situation where you control many variables except environmental variables
-it uses standardised procedures

Advantages

  • high internal validity, change DV due to IV
  • high replicability because there is a standardised procedure
  • due to control of variables you can show a relationship between cause and effects

Disadvantage

  • experimenter bias
  • less external validity, hard to generalise findings to real life
  • demand characteristics (ppt may try to help experimenter or try to look good)
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26
Q

What is a field experiment and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

What it is
Conducted in a natural setting, IV manipulated by the researcher

Advantages

  • High external validity which means you can generalise it to real life situations (people show more naturalsitic behaviours)
  • no demand charactertics

Disadvantages

  • hard to control extraneous variables
  • could argue that result may not be due to IV
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27
Q

What is a natural experiment and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

What it is
Change in IV has occurred naturally so not be manipulated by researchers

Advantages

  • high external validity (changes happened in real life)
  • no demand characteristics
  • allow research in areas that could not happen due to ethical or cost reasons

Disadvantages

  • no control of extraneous variables which means hard to establish cause and effect
  • rare and can’t be replicated to see if we would get similar results
  • not replicable
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28
Q

What is a quasi experiment and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

What is it
Change in IV cannot be manipulated or randomly assigned (male/female/old/new)

Advantages
-only way to study these variables

Disadvantages
- unable to know if gender is the reason for the result as you can’t control ppt variables

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29
Q

What is naturalistic observation and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

In a real life setting

Advantages

  • high external validity likely to show more natural behaviour, as its easier to generalise
  • fewer demand characteristics

Disadvantages
-low levels of control may be unknown extraneous variables contributing to behaviour

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30
Q

What is a controlled observation and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

Aspects of environment are controlled, to give ppts same experience, Often conducted in a lab (ainsworth and bandura)

Advantages

  • high control reduces likelihood of extraneous variables are responsible for observed behaviour
  • Results reliable as they used same standardised procedures

Disadvantages
-low external validity because enviormenmt is artificial, Behaviour may not be repeated in actual envioroment

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31
Q

What is an overt observation and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

Ppts know they are being observed

Advantages
-ethically correct as ppts gave informed consent to being observed

Disadvantages
-risk of demand characteristics and social desirability bias

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32
Q

What is covert observation and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

Ppts Don’t know they are being observed

Advantages
-no demand characteristics and research has high validity

Disadvantages
-highly unethical

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33
Q

What is participant observation and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

Observer joins the group and takes part

Advantages
-builds a rapport, insight (you gain more about the situation)

Disadvantages
-researcher bias (may start to take on opinions), may lose objectivity

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34
Q

What is non participant observation and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

Observer is outside of the group

Advantages
-increases objectivity

Disadvantages
-may miss details or insight because unable to build a rapport so behaviour less natrualistic

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35
Q

What is unstructured observation and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

Record all behaviour

Advantages
-lots of detail

Disadvantages

  • hard to record data
  • hard to know what’s important
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36
Q

What is structured observation and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

System to record behaviour, when you operationalise behaviours

Advantages
-can quantify behaviours and analyse them

Disadvantages
-may miss important behaviours

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37
Q

What ways can someone record behaviours

A

Behavioural categories
- identify categories, (scratching your head, shifting around in seat, breaking eye contact) then you count the behaviours

Event sampling 
-tally the number of behaviours 
-A: if behaviour is on list, always will be recorded 
D: miss relevant behaviour 
-need lots of observers 

Time sampling
-record behaviours say every 30 seconds in 5 minutes over 1 hour observation
A: more flexible are able to record more unexpected behaviours
disadvantage (can miss behaviour that is not in 30 second time frame)

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38
Q

What are the benefits of the researcher using open and closed questions

Exam q

A

Closed questions give ppts option and researchers can collate and display the
information collected easily.
• Closed questions make it easy to compare specific responses and ensure that certain questions are answered

• Open questions allow respondents to respond with detail or depth – so there is lots of information received.
• Open questions allow the researchers to pursue a line of enquiry that
they may not have predicted but which comes to light because of a
response by an interviewee.

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39
Q

What is an investigator affect and how it ot be reduced in this study

Exam Q

A

when the person
collecting the data has knowledge of what the research aim is

How to decrease it
separate observation by the two researchers and
comparison – inter-rater reliability.
• Having ‘blind’ rating of the discussion by someone who is unaware of the
aim or research hypothesis.
• Filming the discussions so there is a permanent record that can be
checked by peer review of the data to confirm the scores / ratings.
* having a double blind study

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40
Q

What is an aim

A

a general statement about what the researcher intends to study

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41
Q

What is a hypothesis and how do you write them

A

a precise testable statement that includes levels of an independent variable and a dependent variable (or co-variables for a correlational study)
-You need to operationalise the variables as well like instead of saying recall (number of words recalled)
instead of saying reaction say the time taken in milliseconds

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42
Q

What are the two types of hypothesises

A
Null hypothesis (suggests there is no difference)
Alternative hypothesis (suggests difference)
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43
Q

What is a non-direcotional hypothesis

(two-tailed hypothesis)

A

states there is a difference but not which way it will go

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44
Q

What is a directional hypothesis

(one-tailed hypothesis)

A
  • states which way the difference will go

- based on original evidence

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45
Q

What is an independent group (experimental design) and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

What: different ppts complete different conditions

  • ppts randomly allocated to avoid bias
  • produces unrelated data

Advanatges

  • less likely to work out aim of the study which reduces demand characteristics
  • no order effects as ppts take part in one condition

Disadvantages

  • extraneous variables can influence the results of the study because of random allocation
  • needs more ppts than repeated measures (to get the same amount of data)
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46
Q

What are a repeated measure (experimental design)

Advantages and disadvantages

A

What: same participants complete each of the two experimental designs
-produces related data, can compare how ppts did in both conditions

Advantages

  • needs half ppts compared to repeated measures design
  • participants variables wont effect results as much as both ts take part both conditions

Disadvantages
-order effects: taking part in conditions may worse performance in second condition, due to getting better, fatigue, boredom ,
more likely to work out the aim and then show demand characteristics
-

47
Q

How can you control the order effects in a repeated measures design

A

Counterbalancing

  • this uses an ABBA format
  • Hald ppts complete condition A then B
  • other half complete condition B then A
48
Q

What is a matched pairs design

A
  • different ppts complete two conditions
  • ppts assessed and ranked
  • both ppts randomly assigned to variable
  • produces related data (data in condition 1 can be assigned to data point of second condition

Advantages

  • reduced ppts variables
  • no order effects as ppts take part in one condition

Disadvantages

  • takes longer
  • need more ppts
  • ppts are similar but not identical ppts variables may still effect the results
49
Q

What is the independent variable

A

factor manipulated by researcher that effects DV

50
Q

What is the dependent variable

A

factor you are measuring to see the effect of changing the IV

51
Q

What is a co-variables

A

two measurements are taken to look for relationships

52
Q

What are extrenous varaibles

A

other variables that could change the DV,

can control through instructions like don’t eat eight hours before the experiment, lighting, sound, experimenter,

53
Q

How can you control extraneous variables like

  1. Order effects
  2. Participant variables
  3. Situational variables
  4. investigator effects
A
  1. By using counterbalancing
  2. By doing random allocation or by using a matched pairs design
  3. come up with a standard procedure check lighting, noise, the temperature so ppts have the same effects as they do the experiment
  4. Double-blind, so the experimenter (one carrying out research) and ppts don;t know aims of experiment, which stops bias. Could also have stnadrdised procedures as well
54
Q

What is a confounding variable

A

variables that change systematically with the IV and DV so you can’t separate the effects

For example effects on fatigue when recalling something, this can’t be controlled as it a natural response

55
Q

What is a random sample and how do you conduct one

A

each person in target population has an equal chance of being chosen

Thiis is done by

  • having a list of the target population
    2. enter names into hat, comuter system
    3. Then choose name until you reach your target sample,
56
Q

What are the advanatages of random sampling

A

Advanatges
-avoids researcher bias, as researcher cannot choose ppts from sample

Disadvantges

  • could proudce an underepresentative sample
  • can be time consuming to get full list of target population
57
Q

What is a systmamtis sample and how do we do this

A

ppts chosen from list of target population and every nth ppts chosen to frorm sample

How its done

  • need full list of entire population
  • redd down list selecting every nth participants
  • process is repeated until sample required is chosen
58
Q

What are the advanatages and disadvantges of systamatic sampling

A
  • avoids researcher bias because researcher can’t choose who they want in sample
  • quick method of chosing sample

Disadvanatage

  • could result in unrepresentative sample
  • if target population is too large full list difficult to obtain
59
Q

What is an oppotunity sample and how is conducted

A

-researcher directly asks members of the target audience if they are avaliable
-likley to be someone researcher has easy access to or familiar with
-
How its done
-researchers asks if tehy are avaliable
-those who are added to the sample until number of ppts is met

60
Q

What are the advanatages and disadvantages of oppotunity sampling

A
  • Advantages
  • fastest way to get a sample
  • less cost compared to other sampling methods

Disadvantages

  • researcher bias as researcher asks who they want to take art in the study, may choose those hwo they prefer
  • unlikley to be representative (for example research conducted in Unis is likley to have young undergrad students
61
Q

What is a volunteer sample and how does it work

A

What
-ppts offer to take part study after seeing an ad in a newspaper or online

How its done

  • advertismens placed in places more likley to be seen in the target population
  • often contains contact detalls of reserahcer and researcher will enrol volunteer when asked
62
Q

What are the advanatages and disadvantages of volunteer sampling

A

Advantages

  • can reach large number of ppts espically if newspaper is widley read
  • easy sample to collect

Disadvantages
-may not be generalisable to target population becuase of volunteer bias (more likley to have different charactrtics to genrela public i.e more helpful)

63
Q

What is a stratified sample and how does it work

A

What

  • select ppts from strata,
  • characteristics are in the same proportion as found within target population

How
Strata /sub groups identified by proportion within target population
-random sampling used to select ppts required from each strata (eg, 10% graduates and 90% non graduates)

64
Q

What are the advanatages and disadvantages of stratified

sampling

A

Advanatges

  • sampling is representative of target population
  • sample should be generalisbale to target population
  • ppts randomally chosen wihtin each stratum so it avoids research bias

Disadvantages

  • time consuming and estbalish and then select randomally for each strata
  • not every charcatertic is inculded in strata
65
Q

What is content anaylsis

A

Content analysis is a technique for analysing qualitative data of various kinds. Data
can be placed into categories and counted (quantitative) or can be analysed in
themes (qualitative).

(from a mark scheme)

66
Q

How do you do content analysis

A
  1. Decide the research question
  2. Select a sample (randomly, systematically) from possible data
  3. Coding: decide on categorise/coding units to be recorded (how often they come up)
  4. Tally number of times things come up
  5. Analyse data quantiataviley to look for patterns
67
Q

How would you test the reliability of content analysis

A
  • Test-retest: run the analysis again and see if you get the same results
  • Inter-rater reliability: second-rater performs content analysis with same data set and categories and then you compare results
68
Q

What is an advantages of content analysis

A
  • easy to collect a sample
  • high external validity and should be generalisable as data is taken from real world
  • other researchers could replicate s content analysis
69
Q

What is an disadvantages of content analysis

A
  • subjective as researcher needs to interpret data which may lead to researcher bias
  • data was not created for purpose of content analysis, so may lack internal validity
70
Q

What is a thematic analysis

A

-researcher attempts to identify deeper meaning by reading the text first and allowing themes to emerge

71
Q

How do you do thematic analysis

A
  • collect text /or turn the recording into transcriptions
  • read through transcriptions, or texts to see what could be coded
  • re-read transcriptions looking for emergent themes
72
Q

What are the advanatges and disdvanatges of thematic anayslsi

A

-thematic analysis stops researchers from imposing own bias as they search for emerging themes instead of looking for preset themes

Disadvanatges
same for content analysis

73
Q

Name two self report techniques

A
  • interviews

- questionaires

74
Q

What is a closed question

-advantages and disadvantages

A

-question phrased in a way that limits ppts responses to a few options

Advantages

  • allows easy data anayliss of large number of responses
  • easier to spot patterns

Disadvantages
-ppts responses are fixed , which is less valid

75
Q

What is an open question

-advantages and disadvantages

A

-questions phrased in way that allows ppts to answer in a way they choose

Advantage
-freedom to choose what they say, can lead to more valid responses

disadvantage
-makes data analysis more difficult

76
Q

What does the researcher need to do when conducting a self-report

A
  • Avoid complex terminology: ppts may not understand or by too embarrassed to say they don’t, this can then result in inaccurate responses
  • Rewording questions: when a ppts doesn’t understand a skilled interviewer could reword it in way that doesn’t change the meaning of the question
  • Double barrled questions: ppts may agree with one part of the question but not the other, makes the question confusing

Leading questions: this can bias responses in a certain direction, to avoid this questions should be written in a way that doesn’t suggest a correct way

77
Q

How can a researcher test whether their self-report study has issues

A
  • run a pilot study
  • small scale study, which helps the interviewer or researcher identify problems like confusing questions, make sure questions don’t give away the aim, or to check if they don’t produce a meaningful and detailed response
  • this allows for things to be changed
78
Q

Why are filler questions used in self-report studies

A

Questionnaire: to stop ppts from finding out the aim

Interviews: to ease the ppts in, to make them feel more comfortable

79
Q

What is a structured interview and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

the interview asks a list of prepared questions

Advantages: interviews do not have to be highly trained
responses are easier to compare because same questions were used

Disadvantages: responses can’t be followed up with additional questions to gel ppt elaborate

80
Q

What is an unstructured interview and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

When there is not a setlist of questions, so its an open conversation about the topic

Advantages: interviewer can build a rapport, so ppts feels more comfortable answering questions
-responses can be followed up with questions

Disadvantages: need a highly trained interviewer to think about questions
-every interview will be different so it’s hard to come up with comparisons

81
Q

What is a semi-structured interview and what are the advantages and disadvantages

A

combination of prepared questions and use of additional questions for elaboration

Advantages: easy to compare because same questions used

  • intervew can ask follow up questions for ppts to elaborate on ideas
  • rapport can be built

Disadvantages
-highly trained interviewer

82
Q

Compare questionnaires and interviews

A

Questionnaires don’t require skilled interviews whereas interviews do
-questionnaires can be easily distributed
-data can be easily compared in a questionnaire than interview
-questionnaires and a quicker and cheaper process than an interview
-interviews are less likely to be affected by acquisition bias making them more reliable
-in interviews questions can be rephrased but with
questionnaires, it can’t be
-interviewer effects can influence the answers to questions given
both can be affected by social desirability bias
-interviewer builds a rapport with ppts

83
Q

What is a demand characteritcs

A
  • when ppts guess the aim of experiment and this creates a pressure from them to respond in a certain way
  • this means your measuring effect on demand characterises not the effect of the Iv on the Dv
84
Q

How can you reduce the effects of demand characteristics?

A

Singel blind study: when ppt doesn’t know aim of the experiment
-double-blind- both ppts and experiment dom know aims of study,

85
Q

Define quantatative data and evaluate it

A

-numerical data that is gathered from collecting scores from ppts through large scale experiments and questionnaires

A: can be analysed systemically, and converted in graphs

  • objective
  • easy to replicate
  • measures behaviour on scale

D

  • lacks detail
  • lacks external validity
86
Q

Define qualitative data and evaluate

A

-non-numerical data in the formsl of words

A:

  • data is detailed
  • collected in real-life settings high validity

D

  • low reliability
  • subjective
87
Q

Define primary data and evaluate it

A

-researcher generates their own data to answer a specific research question

D:its time consuming, and its expensive
A: Has data that answers that question

88
Q

Define secondary data and evaluate it

A

-researcher uses data collected by others that were created to answer another research question (reports, government statics, content analysis)

D: less valid as data wasn’t collected to answer that research question
A: data is collected easier as its cheaper and less time consuming

89
Q

What is a meta-analysis

A

-a statistical technique used to gather data from lots of studies on the same topic and combine them to see the overall effect

A: large number of ppts,
D: studies vary, with different methods, aims etc
-questions validity

90
Q

What is meant by a case study

A

A case study is an in-depth study of one person or a group of people over time.
usually carried out in the real world.
-They are idiographic and very individualistic.
-high levels of data
-qualitative data
-but experimental techniques can produce quantitative data

91
Q

What is a short case study called

A

A snapchat case study

92
Q

What is a long case study called and what are the problems

A
  • Longitudinal study

- difficuly to contuine long term, because of fundings and death of ppts or researchers

93
Q

What are the strengths and limitations of case studies

A
  • case studies are in depth: range if data has realism, It is used by humanistic psychologits who argue that it gives valid insights into peoples lives
  • They can be the only way to investigate extreme human behaviour, as it may be unethical to replicate in a lab
  • they can also provide a basis for many psychological theories like brocas case study on tan leading us to beleive language is lateralised

Limitations

  • Findings cannot be generalised because they are based on one person
  • interviews depend on memories which may be inaccurate, ppts may also lie to make themselves look good (social desirability bias)
  • unable to test reliability is studies are unique and its hard to replicate it exactly
  • can suffer from research bias: include and exclude certain findings
94
Q

What is the difference between correlanational studies and experiments

A

Experimental designs manipulate the independent variable resulting in a change in DV, whereas coreeolation studies no variables are manipulated and two variables are measured to look for a realtionship

95
Q

What is a co-variable

A

Two factors that are compared to each other

96
Q

How is correlational data presented

A

Scattergram

97
Q

What are the types of correlations

A

Positive: co-variables increases with the other co-variable

Negative: as one co variables increases the other co variable decreases

Zero: no relationships between co variables

98
Q

What does the correlation co-effiecent show us

A

shows us the strength and direction of the relationship between co-variables as a number between -1 and +1

If its higher than 0.8 it has a strong positive correlation
lower than -0.8 has a strong negative correlation

99
Q

Evaluate the use of correlations

A

Limitation
-correlation does not mean causation, even if a relationship exists unknown co variables may have caused the change

Strength

  • highlight potential causes and relationships, which can be tested experimentally later
  • few ethical problems because co- variable data already exists
  • correlation co-efficient is a useful
100
Q

What are the measures of central tendency

A
  • mean
  • mode
  • median
101
Q

What are the measures od dispersion

A
  • range

- standard deviation

102
Q

Evaluate the use of the mean

A
  • Makes use of all values in the calculation

- extreme scores can influence the overall mean making it shift in certain directions

103
Q

Evalaute the use of the median

A
  • not affected by the extreme scores

- not all the values are used though

104
Q

Evaluate the use of the mode

A
  • not affected by extreme scores

- there can be multiple modes

105
Q

What is the range and evaluate it

A

shows the spread of data by subtracting the highest from lowest

strengths
-easy to calculate

Limitation
-extreme score will dramatically change the range

106
Q

Who created the list of ethical guidelines

A

British pyschological society

107
Q

What are the 6 ethical principles

A

Informed consent: ppts must be told about research before taking part

Deception: shouldn’t lie to ppts

protection from harm: ppts should not be exposed to psychological/physical harm more than expected in day to day life

right to withdraw: pts can lave tsudy at any yime and can withdraw data later

Confiedentiality: keep personal infomation of ppts out of publications

privacy: ppts should not obserbed unless its public

108
Q

How can we deal with ethical issue of consent

A

Prior general consent: ppts can sign a consent form

presumptive consent details explained to a similar representative group and ask if they would agree to conditions

retrospective consent: ppts asked to give consent after the study

109
Q

How does psychology help the economy

-think of mental health, criminal justice, social influence o

A

mental health: now there is CBT, which means people will take less time of work or the emergence of ADs

social influence: can be used to stop people from doing certain behaviours i.e smoking,

etc link to work, then economy and how psych has helped

110
Q

What are the features of psychology as a science?

A

Empirical &objective: data should be gained from direct observation, and it should not be affected by the expectations of the researcher, it should have a systematic procedure

Replicable: scientists should record their methods and standardised them carefully so the same procedures can be followed in the future

Paradigm shift: Kuhn said scientific knowledge develops through revolution. Paradigms are challenged until there is a shift, this is when there is enough evidence to suggest old paradigms can’t be accepted (an example is the sun revolves around earth

Theory construction: the process of developing an explanation of behaviour by systematically gathering evidence

Hypothesis testing
-a theory should produce statements that can be tested

Falsifiability: can someone challenge your findings, for example, Freudian theories

111
Q

How is a psychological report laid out

A

Abstarct: summary of aims, hypothesis, method, findings etc

Introudction: general overview of areas studied, icnuldes existing theories Aims and hypothesis, state the purpose of the study and talk about the IV and DV

Method: how the research was carried out Design: Research,method, design, any problems with design, external variables and how they were controlled, ethical issues, any materials, demographics, sampling, how data was collected etc

Results: includes descriptive stats (graphs), central tendencies and inferential stats, talks about significance level

Discussion: summary of results which relates aims and hypothesis, implications of study, consideration of methodology, suggestions for future research

References

112
Q

How do you write a reference

A

-Surname
-year of publication
title of book
-title of book
-place of publication
-publisher

113
Q

Why do we reference other studies

A
  • avoid plagiarism

- so people can look at research paper you cited

114
Q

What is a strength of using questionaires

A

Compared to interview they are easy to use (1 mark). The researcher doesn’t need
any special training to hand out the questionnaires (2nd mark for elaboration).
• People may be happier to disclose personal information on a questionnaire (1 mark)
compared to a face-to-face situation (2nd mark for elaboration).
• Participants can answer the questions without the need for the researcher to be
present (1 mark) so reducing experimenter bias (2nd mark for elaboration).
• If the questionnaire used closed questions which generate quantitative data, this is
easier to analyse (1 mark) than open questions which generate qualitative data which
is difficult to analyse (2nd mark for elaboration).
• Can be given to a large group of people (1 mark)