Research Methods

Question 1

Bias

Answer 1

The tendency to make decisions or to take action in an unknowingly irrational way. These include researcher bias, participant bias, and sampling bias.

Question 2

Case study

Answer 2

A detailed and in-depth study of an individual or group. It may involve other research methods.

Question 3

Correlational research

Answer 3

investigates relationships between two variables (or more) without the researcher controlling or manipulating any of them.

Question 4

Dependent Variable

Answer 4

The measurement generated by the manipulation of the Independent Variable.

Question 5

Descriptive statistics

Answer 5

Measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion -the spread of the data.

Question 6

Ethical considerations

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

Experiments

Answer 7

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..

Question 8

External validity

Answer 8

The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized or transferred to another sample or context.

Question 9

Field experiment

Answer 9

The researcher deliberately manipulates the independent variable, but does so in the subject’s own natural environment.

Question 10

Generalization

Answer 10

Term used in quantitative approaches based on probability sampling where the results are applicable to the whole target population.

Question 11

The null hypothesis (Ho)

Answer 11

A statement that the treatment has no effect.

Question 12

Experimental/alternative hypothesis (H1)

Answer 12

A statement that the treatment has an effect on the Dependent Variable.

Question 13

Hypothesis

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Independent samples design

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

Independent Variable

Answer 15

The factor that the experimenter manipulates.

Question 16

Inferential statistics

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

Internal validity

Answer 17

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.)

Question 18

Interviews

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

Matched pair designs

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

Triangulation

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

Natural experiments

Answer 21

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.

Question 22

Naturalistic observations

Answer 22

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.

Question 23

Participant bias

Answer 23

When participants act according to how the researcher may want them to act, for example, due to the social desirability effect.

Question 24

Purposive sampling

Answer 24

Participants are chosen because they possess characteristics salient to the research study.

Question 25

Qualitative research

Answer 25

Used to gain an insight into psychological phenomena of interest. It involves describing a construct rather than measuring one.

Question 26

Quantitative research

Answer 26

It measures a construct. It gives number data that can be analysed statistically to identify trends and patterns.

Question 27

Quasi-experiments

Answer 27

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)

Question 28

Random sampling

Answer 28

The process where every member in the target population has an equal chance of being selected.

Question 29

Raw data

Answer 29

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.

Question 30

Reliability

Answer 30

The consistency of a study in terms of the extent to which a test or measure produces the same results in repeated trials.

Question 31

Repeated measures design

Answer 31

Exposes participants to each condition making up the Independent Variable.

Question 32

Sampling technique

Answer 32

Ways of selecting participants for a study. Random sampling, convenience/opportunity sampling, and self-selected/volunteer sampling are common techniques.

Question 33

Self-selected/volunteer sampling

Answer 33

Individuals choose to participate in the study.

Question 34

Snowball sampling

Answer 34

Participants who are already in a study help the researcher to recruit more participants through their social network.

Question 35

Standardization/control

Answer 35

Eliminating or controlling any factor that could affect the results of the study, apart from the Independent variable.

Question 36

Survey

Answer 36

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.