research methods Flashcards
empirical methods
collecting data from sensory experience
gathered from observation
replicability
repeating an experiment
falsifiability
logical possibility that an assertion hypothesis can be shown to be false
theory construction
facts are meaningless
needs explanations to accompany them
aim & hypothesis
aim - general description of research
hypothesis - clear testable statements
content analysis
way to analyse qualitative data
transforms qualitative data to quantitative data
control of extraneous variables
extraneous variables - unwanted factors that may effect research negatively
participant variables - minimising difference between pp’s
research variables - behaviours appearance , gender
situational variables - control of setting
operationalisation
a variable is defined by the researcher and a way of measuring that research
investigator effects
when a researcher unintentionally influences outcome of research
- non verbal communication
- physical characteristics
- bias in interpretation of data
systematic sampling
selecting from a target group e.g every fourth person in the list can be used
stratified sample
divides target group into sections , each section sampled individually
opportunity sample
participants willing to take part are targeted
volunteer sample
people who have volunteered to take part
