Research Methods Flashcards
To know the key concepts in this topic
Bias
The tendency to make decisions or to take action in an unknowingly irrational way. These include researcher bias, participant bias, and sampling bias.
Case study
A detailed and in-depth study of an individual or group. It may involve other research methods.
Correlational research
investigates relationships between two variables (or more) without the researcher controlling or manipulating any of them.
Dependent Variable
The measurement generated by the manipulation of the Independent Variable.
Descriptive statistics
Measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion -the spread of the data.
Ethical considerations
A set of moral guidelines to help psychologists work with participants. They concern the ethics of treating participants fairly and without harm.
Consent, Deception, Confidentiality, debrief, Right to withdraw, Protection from harm.
Experiments
these involve the manipulation of the independent variable to see what effect it has on the dependent variable while attempting to control the influence of all extraneous variables.
Shows a cause-and-effect relationship..
External validity
The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized or transferred to another sample or context.
Field experiment
The researcher deliberately manipulates the independent variable, but does so in the subject’s own natural environment.
Generalization
Term used in quantitative approaches based on probability sampling where the results are applicable to the whole target population.
The null hypothesis (Ho)
A statement that the treatment has no effect.
Experimental/alternative hypothesis (H1)
A statement that the treatment has an effect on the Dependent Variable.
Hypothesis
A statement that is testable and falsifiable based on the results of an experiment or observation. One of the hypotheses is rejected and the other is accepted depending on the outcome of the investigation.
Independent samples design
Uses two separate groups of participants. For example, one group of participants is assigned to the control group while the other group is assigned to the experimental or treatment condition.
Independent Variable
The factor that the experimenter manipulates.
Inferential statistics
Statistical information that attempts to highlight relationships and trends in the data. It assesses the probability that the results we have found are due to chance.
Internal validity
Refers to whether the effects observed in a study are due to the manipulation of the independent variable and not some other factor.(How well the experiment is controlled.)
Interviews
A directed conversation. Qualitative interviews include unstructured, semistructured, and focus-group interviews. These are used to gain insight into people’s thoughts, opinions, and feelings from their own points of view.
Matched pair designs
Randomly assign one of a pair to either the control or the experimental group. Researchers may match individuals on specific characteristics, such as ethnicity or age. Twin studies are an example of a matched pair design.
Triangulation
Tests a theory or a psychological phenomenon using different methods. Data from a variety of methods (survey, interview, case study, experiments) is used to help validate the results of a study.
Natural experiments
Studies where the experimenter cannot manipulate the IV, the DV is simply measured and judged as the effect of an IV.
For this reason, participants cannot be randomly allocated to experimental groups as they are already pre-set, making them quasi-experiments.
Naturalistic observations
Observations of naturally occurring behaviour in a natural setting.
Observations may be participant or non-participant observations. The ethical implications of covert observations need to be justified.
Participant bias
When participants act according to how the researcher may want them to act, for example, due to the social desirability effect.
Purposive sampling
Participants are chosen because they possess characteristics salient to the research study.
Qualitative research
Used to gain an insight into psychological phenomena of interest. It involves describing a construct rather than measuring one.
Quantitative research
It measures a construct. It gives number data that can be analysed statistically to identify trends and patterns.
Quasi-experiments
Quasi-experiments contain a naturally occurring IV. However, in a quasi-experiment the naturally occurring IV is a difference between people that already exists (i.e. gender, age). The researcher examines the effect of this variable on the dependent variable (DV)
Random sampling
The process where every member in the target population has an equal chance of being selected.
Raw data
The original measurements on a variable as collected by the researcher prior to cleaning. For example, each participant’s response on a psychology task is considered raw data.
Reliability
The consistency of a study in terms of the extent to which a test or measure produces the same results in repeated trials.
Repeated measures design
Exposes participants to each condition making up the Independent Variable.
Sampling technique
Ways of selecting participants for a study. Random sampling, convenience/opportunity sampling, and self-selected/volunteer sampling are common techniques.
Self-selected/volunteer sampling
Individuals choose to participate in the study.
Snowball sampling
Participants who are already in a study help the researcher to recruit more participants through their social network.
Standardization/control
Eliminating or controlling any factor that could affect the results of the study, apart from the Independent variable.
Survey
There are two types of surveys, interviews and questionnaires. For the purpose of DP psychology, surveys within the qualitative approach will refer to interviews, while surveys within the quantitative approach will refer to questionnaires.
