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A-level Psychology > research methods > Flashcards

research methods Flashcards

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1
Q

define aims

A

the aims are developed theories of what the experiment is trying to discover

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2
Q

define directional hypothesis

A

researcher makes it clear the sort of difference expected

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3
Q

define non directional hypothesis

A

researcher says there is a difference but not type

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4
Q

define independent variable

A

variables that are changed

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5
Q

define dependent variable

A

variable that is measured

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6
Q

define extraneous variable

A

factors other than IV affect the DV

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7
Q

define confounding variables

A

any variable other than the IV that may affect the DV

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8
Q

define demand characteristics

A

participant discovers the purpose of experiment and behaviour become unnatural

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9
Q

define randomisation

A

use of chance to control the effects of bias

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10
Q

define standardisation

A

using the same formalised procedures for all participants in the study

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11
Q

define investigator effects

A

investigators behaviour on the effect of the DV

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12
Q

define matched pairs

A

participants are paired together based on their similarities

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13
Q

pros of matched pairs

A

less effect of order effects and demand characteristics

less participant variables

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14
Q

cons of matched pairs

A

time consuming

more expensive

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15
Q

define repeated measures

A

all participants will experience both conditions one after the other

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16
Q

pros of repeated measures

A

participant variables are controlled

fewer participants

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17
Q

cons of repeated measures

A

order effects

demand characteristics

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18
Q

define independent groups

A

two separate group experience 2 different conditions

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19
Q

pros of independent groups

A

no order effects

less likely to guess aims

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20
Q

cons of independent groups

A

participants may have individual differences

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21
Q

define lab experiments

A

experiments in highly controlled environments

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22
Q

pros of lab experiments

A

control over extraneous variables

replication is more valid

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23
Q

cons of lab experiments

A

lack of generalisability
demand characteristics
low mundane realism

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24
Q

define field experiments

A

a natural everyday setting

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25
Q

pros of field experiments

A

higher mundane realism

more valid and authentic

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26
Q

cons of field experiments

A

ethical issues

loss of control over extraneous variables

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27
Q

define natural experiments

A

researcher takes advantage of pre existing independent variables

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28
Q

pros of natural experiments

A

provide opportunities for research

high external validity

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29
Q

cons of natural experiments

A

participants may not be randomly allocated

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30
Q

define systematic sample

A

every nth number of the population is selected. a sampling frame is produced

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31
Q

pros of systematic sample

A

avoids researcher bias

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32
Q

cons of systematic sample

A

unrepresentative

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33
Q

define opportunity sample

A

select anyone who’s willing and able

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34
Q

pros of opportunity sample

A

convenient and easy

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35
Q

cons of opportunity sample

A

unrepresentative , researcher bias

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36
Q

define volunteer sample

A

participants will select themselves to be part of the sample

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37
Q

pros of volunteer sample

A

minimum effort, time efficient

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38
Q

cons of volunteer sample

A

volunteer bias

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39
Q

define random sample

A

all members of the population have an equal chance of being selected

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40
Q

pros of random sample

A

free from researcher bias

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41
Q

cons of random sample

A

difficult to obtain a complete list of the target population

may not be representative

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42
Q

define stratified sample

A

identify the strata that make up the population - then proportions needed for the sample to be representative is made

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43
Q

pros of stratified sample

A

avoid researcher bias

representative

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44
Q

cons of stratified sample

A

can’t reflect all ways people are different

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45
Q

define protection from harm

A

participants should not be placed under anymore harm than they experience in everyday lives

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46
Q

define confidentiality

A

have the right to control information about themselves

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47
Q

define informed consent

A

where people should be aware of the research aims - right to withdraw

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48
Q

define deception

A

means deliberately withholding information

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49
Q

how to deal with informed consent

A

issue participants with all relevant information that could affect their decision to participate

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50
Q

how to deal with deception and protection from harm

A

at the end participants should be given a full debrief

right to withhold data

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51
Q

how to deal with confidentiality

A

the participants should have anonymity - not recording personal details

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52
Q

define pilot study

A

a small scale version of an investigation is conducted. the aim is to check that the procedures etc. work effectively and allow for modifications if necessary

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53
Q

define single blind procedure

A

participant are unaware of the aim but the researcher is aware

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54
Q

define double blind procedure

A

the participant neither the researcher are aware of the aims

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55
Q

define covert observation

A

participant behaviour is recorded without their consent or knowledge

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56
Q

cons of covert observation

A

questionable ethics

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57
Q

pros of covert observation

A

no problem of participant reactivity

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58
Q

define overt observation

A

participants are recorded with their consent

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59
Q

pros of overt observation

A

ethically acceptable

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60
Q

cons of overt observation

A

demand characteristics

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61
Q

define naturalistic observation

A

take place in the setting where the behaviour would usually occur

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62
Q

pros of naturalistic observation

A

high external validity

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63
Q

cons of naturalistic observation

A

harder to replicate, lack of control over extraneous variables

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64
Q

define controlled observation

A

watching behaviour within a structured environment

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65
Q

pros of controlled observation

A

control over most extraneous variables

easier to replicate

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66
Q

cons of controlled observation

A

may lack external validity

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67
Q

define participant observation

A

the researcher will become a member of the group whose behaviour is recorded

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68
Q

pros of participant observation

A

increased insight into participants lives -increases validity

69
Q

cons of participant observation

A

researches may lose objectivity

70
Q

define non participant observation

A

researcher remains outside the group whose behaviour is being observed

71
Q

pros of non participant observation

A

maintains an objective view

72
Q

cons of non participant observation

A

may lose possible valuable insight

73
Q

define unstructured observations

A

the researcher writes down everything they see

74
Q

pros of unstructured observations

A

more depth of answers

75
Q

cons of unstructured observations

A

observer bias

difficult to analyse

76
Q

define structured observations

A

a pre determined list of behaviours and sampling methods

77
Q

pros of structured observations

A

likely to have quantitive data, easier to analyse

78
Q

cons of structured observations

A

less depth of the data collected

79
Q

define event sampling

A

every time an event occurs

80
Q

define time sampling

A

records behaviour every fixed time frame. eg every 60 seconds

81
Q

pros of sample methods

A

useful when it occurs infrequently

82
Q

cons of sample methods

A

if too complex may overlook important details

83
Q

define behavioural categories

A

when a target behaviour is broken up into components which are measurable

84
Q

pros of behavioural categories

A

more structured and objective data

85
Q

cons of behavioural categories

A

categories may be ambiguous

86
Q

define open questionnaires

A

don’t have a fixed range of answers . can be answered in any way

87
Q

define closed questionnaires

A

offers a fixed number of answers

88
Q

pros of questionnaires

A

cost effective

usually straight forward to analyse

89
Q

cons of questionnaires

A

may answer on how they want to be presented - social desirability bias
response bias

90
Q

define structured interviews

A

made up of pre determined questions

91
Q

define unstructured interviews

A

no set questions more free flowing

92
Q

define semi structured interviews

A

theres a list of questions but can ask follow up Q’s

93
Q

pros of structured interviews

A

easy to replicate

94
Q

cons of structured interviews

A

not expand on their answers

95
Q

pros of unstructured interviews

A

more flexibility, more in-depth answers

96
Q

cons of unstructured interviews

A

interviewer bias

interviewers may lie

97
Q

define co-variables

A

the variables investigated within a correlation

98
Q

define positive correlation

A

as 1 co variable increases so does the other

99
Q

define negative correlation

A

as 1 co variable increases the other decreases

100
Q

pros of correlation

A

relatively quick and cheap to carry out

no need for a controlled environment

101
Q

cons of correlation

A

third variable problem

causation may not imply causation

102
Q

define qualitative data

A

is expressed in words and non numerical

103
Q

pros of qualitative data

A

more richness in detail

greater external validity

104
Q

cons of qualitative data

A

difficult to analyse

open to bias

105
Q

define qualitative data

A

data that Is expressed numerically

106
Q

pros of quantitive data

A

relatively simple to analyse

more objective less open to bias

107
Q

cons of quantitive data

A

much narrower may not be representative to everyday life

108
Q

define secondary data

A

data that has been collected by someone previously

109
Q

pros of secondary data

A

inexpensive and early accessed

110
Q

cons of secondary data

A

may not be useful, outdated or incomplete

111
Q

define primary data

A

the original data that has been collected for the investigation

112
Q

pros of primary data

A

specifically target the aim of the experiment

113
Q

cons of primary data

A

requires time and effort

114
Q

define median

A

middle value

115
Q

pros of median

A

not affected by extremes

116
Q

cons of median

A

not all data included

117
Q

define mode

A

most common

118
Q

pros of mode

A

easy to calculate

119
Q

cons of mode

A

may be more than one

120
Q

define mean

A

add up all score then divide by total number

121
Q

pros of mean

A

most representative as most sensitive

122
Q

cons of mean

A

easily distorted by 1 extreme value

123
Q

define range

A

the lowest value taken away from the highest value

124
Q

pros of range

A

easy to calculate

125
Q

cons of range

A

only takes into account 2 extreme values

126
Q

define standard deviation

A

how far scores will deviate from the mean

127
Q

pros of standard deviation

A

very precise measure of dispersion

128
Q

cons of standard deviation

A

can be distorted by extreme values

129
Q

define normal distribution

A

a symmetrical shape distribution around the mean

130
Q

define positive skew

A

the tail is on the positive side - the right and the peak is on the left

131
Q

define negative skew

A

the tail is on the negative side - the left and the peak is on the right

132
Q

3 aims of peer review

A

to allocate research funding - to decide whether to award funding
validate the relevance - assessed for its quality
suggest amendments - may suggest minor revisions

133
Q

3 evaluation of peer review

A

anonymity - may use anonymity as a way of criticising rivals
publication bias - prefer to publish positive results attention grabbing headlines
burying ground breaking research - may suppress opposition to any mainstream theories

134
Q

define case study

A

an in depth investigation of a single individual

135
Q

pros of case study

A

may shed light on unusual or abnormal behaviour eg the case of HM

136
Q

cons of case study

A

can’t really be generalised

137
Q

define content analysis

A

indirect study of behaviour by examining communication

138
Q

define coding

A

communication is analyse

139
Q

define thematic analysis

A

qualitative approach to identifying implicit or explicit idea

140
Q

pros of content analysis

A

circumnavigate ethical issues

141
Q

cons of content analysis

A

researcher bias

142
Q

formula of inter observer reliability

A

number of agreements / number of observations >+.8

143
Q

define reliability

A

how consistent findings are

144
Q

define test retest

A

assessing the same person on two separate occasions

145
Q

define inter observer

A

extent there is an agreement between 2 or more observers

146
Q

how to improve reliability of questionnaires

A

use the test retest method

147
Q

how to improve reliability of interviews

A

use same interviewers every time

148
Q

how to improve reliability of lab experiments

A

exerts strict control over variables - replication

149
Q

how to improve reliability of observations

A

behavioural categories are fully operationalised

150
Q

how to improve validity of qualitative methods

A

researchers may have to demonstrate interpretive validity - do their interpretations match up with the researchers findings

151
Q

how to improve validity of observations

A

high ecological validity in covert observations

152
Q

how to improve validity of experimental methods

A

using a control group / standardised procedures

153
Q

how to improve validity of questionnaires

A

incorporate a lie scale to see effects of social desirability bias

154
Q

define ecological validity

A

can findings from researchers can be generalised

155
Q

define temporal validity

A

can findings be generalised to other historical eras

156
Q

define validity

A

the extent to which an observed effect is genuine

157
Q

define face validity

A

a measure is scrutinised to determine if it measures what it is supposed to measure

158
Q

define concurrent

A

extent to which psychological measures relate to an existing similar measure

159
Q

define nominal data

A

forms of categorical data

160
Q

define ordinal data

A

data is ordered in some way

161
Q

define interval data

A

based on a numerical scale

162
Q

define type 1 error

A

the incorrect rejection of a true null hypothesis - a false positive

163
Q

define type 2 error

A

the incorrect failure to reject the null hypothesis - a false negative

164
Q

define abstract

A

the key details of the research project

165
Q

define introduction

A

includes aims and hypothesis

166
Q

define method

A

description of what material is sued and the procedure

167
Q

define results

A

the findings from the experiment

168
Q

define discussion

A

what the research findings relate to in psychological theory

169
Q

define references

A

list of sources used or quoted

A-level Psychology (11 decks)

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