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PSYCHOLOGY A1 > RESEARCH METHODS > Flashcards

RESEARCH METHODS Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the four experimental methods?

A
  1. labrotory experiment.
  2. field experiment.
  3. natural experiment.
  4. quasi experiment.
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2
Q

Explain a laboratory experiment? (including strength and weakness)

A

conducted in controlled conditions, manipulates the independant variable to meassure effect on the dependent variable.
Streangth - high control over extraneous variables.
Weakness - lack external validity.

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3
Q

Expalin a natural experiment? (strength and weakness)

A

doesnt manipulate idependant varliable, examines effect of an existing (naturally occuring eg flood) IV on the DV (behaviour of the peopole affected compared to behavouir before hand.
Strength - high level of external validity.
Weakness - limits oppurtunity to generalise results.

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4
Q

Explain a field expirement?

A

conducted in natural conditions, manipulates the independent variable to meassure the effect on the dependent variable, P’s usually dont know they are taking paert in an investigation.
Strength - higher level of ecological validity.
Weakness - breaks sojme ethical issues.

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5
Q

Explain a quasi expirement?

A

naturally occuring IV eg age, gender or personality. examines the effect of the IV on the DV, may be conducted in a laboratory or a natural setting.
Stregth -
Weakness - allow comparison of different types of people providing insight of similaritiews and differnces.

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6
Q

Explain what a covert observation is?

A

undisclosed, observing people wirhout their knowoledge, may informed of theur participation after the study has taken place.
Strength - investigator effects are less likely.
Weakness - ethical issues

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7
Q

Explain what an overt observation is?

A

Open observation, participants are awarethey are bbeing obseved.
Strength - more ethical than covert method.
Weakness - possibility of investigator effects.

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8
Q

Explain what participant observations is? (strengths and weaknesses)

A

the person who is conducting the experiment also takes aprt in the activity cna be covert or overt.
Strength - can obtain indepth data and a better ujnderstanding.
Weakness - possibility of investigator effects, reducing internal validity.

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9
Q

Explain non participant observations? (strength and weakness)

A

person conducting observation doesnt participate in the activity eg teacher evaluations.
Strengths - investigator effects are less likely, observing at a distnace.
Weakness - reliablility issues, cant replicate the exact same conditions if done naturaly.

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10
Q

Explain controlled observations? (strength and weakness)

A

conducted under strict conditions, extraneous variables can be controlled.
Strength - can be replicated easily to check for reliability.
Weakness - have a lower level of external validity, artificial enviroment.

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11
Q

Explain a structured observation?

A

researcher uses coded schedules according to previously agreed formula to documant and organise bahviour into behvioural categories.
Strength - can compare behahiour of participants and across groups.
Weakness - struggle to reach high internal validity, as researcher may miss some crucial behvaiour.

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12
Q

Explain unstructured observations? (strength and weakness)

A

observed behaviour is all recorded and described in as much detial as possible.
Strength - richness of the data obtianed, adding internal validity.
Weakness - observer bias, may only record behaviour which is of value to them.

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13
Q

Explain what an open question is? (strength and weakness)

A

allow participants to answer however they wish generating qualitive data.
Strength - less chance of researcher bias.
Weakness - participants may answer ina socially desirebale way.

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14
Q

Explain what a closed question is? (strength and weakness)

A

Restrict the participant to predetermined set of responses, generating qualitive data. 3 types: 1. checklist (tick answers that apply to them), 2.likert response scale (rate ona scale their veiws and opinions) 3. ranking scale (place a list of items in their prefered order).
Strength - quantitive so easy to analyse.
Weakness - produce a response bias.

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15
Q

Explain structured interviews? (strength and weakness)

A

Questions are decided on in advance and are asked in exactly the same order everytime. uses an interview schedule.
Strength - quantitive data is easier to statisitcally analyse.
Weakness - investigator effects may playa role.

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16
Q

Explain unstructured interviews? (strength and weakness)

A

conducted more like a conversation, produces rich qualitive data usually video or sudio recorded.
Strength - increase validity of findings.
Weakness - time consuming and costly.

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17
Q

Explain semi structured interviews? (strength and weakness)

A

mostly prepared questions supplemented with unprepared questions, produces rich qualitive data.
Strength - increase validity, reducing social desirability bias.
Weakness - qualitive data is hard to analyse.

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18
Q

Explain positive correlation?

A

as one variable increases the other varibale increases eg foot size and hight.

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19
Q

Explain negitive correlation?

A

As one variable increases the other variable decreases eg GCSE grades and the amount they are absent in school.

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20
Q

Explain negative correlation?

A

when there is no relationship between variables.

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21
Q

What is a limitation of using the correlation method?

A

it is not possible to establish a casue and effect relationship.

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22
Q

What are the two types of hypothesis?

A

Directional hypothesis

Non directional hypothesis.

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23
Q

Explain what directionl hypothesis is?

A

predicts the specific direction of the difference between two or more variables.

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24
Q

Explain what are the non directional hypothesis?

A

Predicts that a difference will exist between two or more variables without predicting the exact direction of the difference.

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25
Q

What are the five types of sampling?

A 
Random sampling.
Systenatic sampling.
Stratified sampling.
Opportunity sampling.
Volunteer sampling.
26
Q

Explain random sampling?

A

Every member of the target popuation has an equal chance of being selected eg pulling names out of hats.

27
Q

What is an evaluation of random sampling? (strength and weakness)

A

free from researcher bias as its picked at random.

it is a difficult and time consuming task to esure everyone has equal hanc eof selection.

28
Q

Explain systematic sampling?

A

a predetermined system is used to select participants.

29
Q

What is an evalutation of systemic sampling? (strength and weakness)

A

free from researcher bias.

generalisation to the target population would be more difficult.

30
Q

Explain stratified sampling?

A

Subgroup within a population are identified, P’s obtanied from each stratum in proportion to occurance int he population.

31
Q

What is an evaluation of stratified sampling? (strength and weakness)

A

free from researcher bias.

difficult and time consuming.

32
Q

Explain opportunity sampling?

A

Selecting anyone wh is available and willing.

33
Q

What is an evaluation of opportunity sampling? (strength and weakness)

A

conveinient, quicker and easier.

researcher bias.

34
Q

Explain volunteer sampling?

A

P’s self selecting themselves by volunteering.

35
Q

What is an evaluation of volunteer sampling? (strength and weakness)

A

quicker and easier.

bias, often a specific type of person likely to take part in research.

36
Q

What are pilot study’s?

A

They are prototypes of a study carried out in advance to find out if there are any problems with the following: experimental design, instructions for participants, measuring instruments.

37
Q

Explain and evaluate repeated measures in relation to experimental design?

A

when the same p’s take part in each condition of the experiment, strength - fewer participants required, weakness - order effects can occur (practise effects allowing them to preform better in second condition or fatigue so they preform worse in the second condition.

38
Q

Explain and evaluate independent groups in relation to experimental design?

A

uses two separate groups of P’s, allocated to each group randomly (reducing investigator effects), strength - avoids order effects, weakness - participant variables may affect the results.

39
Q

Explain and evaluate matched pairs in relation to experimental designs?

A

matched from the sample in key terms eg age or IQ, one of each pair is then put into each of the sampling groups, strength - reduces participant variables, weakness - individual differences may still play a role in measurement of DV reducing chance IV affected the change.

40
Q

What are the types of control within psychological investigations?

A

Random allocation, Counter balancing, Randomization, Standardisation.

41
Q

Explain random allocation?

A

decreases the possibility of participant variables in the form of individual differences.

42
Q

Explain counterbalancing?

A

Avoid the problem of order effects with repeated measure design as researches can counter balance the order of the conditions. (doesn’t fully avoid order effects)

43
Q

Explain randomization?

A

trials are presented in random order avoiding any bias.

44
Q

Explain standardization?

A

situational variables are all kept identical, likely that results will be replicated.

45
Q

Explain what demand characteristics are?

A

P’s try to make sense of research and change their behaviour to support what they think the aims of the investigation. creating a lack of validity.

46
Q

Explain what investigator effects are?

A

Researcher acts in a way to support their prediction, a problem when observing events.

47
Q

What are the ethical issues?

A

deception, right to withdraw, informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, protection form harm.(DRIPP)

48
Q

Explain deception?

A

information is deliberately withheld, prevents participants form giving fully informed consent, should be fully debriefed at the end of study at this point they should be given the right to withdraw.

49
Q

Explain right to withdraw?

A

Remove themselves or their data from the experiment, those who aren’t allowed to withdraw my have unnecessary stress and are not protected from harm, should be given right to withdraw after after the debrief.

50
Q

Explain informed consent?

A

they need to know the full aims of the research, lack of may mean p is taking part in something that goes against their beliefs.

51
Q

What is qualitive data? (strength and weakness)

A

non numerical, language based data. Allows an insight to experiences, opinions and feelings.
Strength - rich detail, enhances external validity of real world views.
weakness - subjective, takes a long time to analyze, may have researcher bias.

52
Q

What is quantitative data? (strength and weakness)

A

numerical data, structured observations and closed questionnaires.
strength - easy to analyze statistically.
weakness - lacks representativeness, narrow scope in explaining human behaviour.

53
Q

Explain meta analysis?

A

combine findings from multiple studies making an analysis of trends and patterns.
strength - based on a larger sample, greater generalizability, increases validity.
weakness - bias, may chose certain findings from their investigation.

54
Q

What are the different measures of central tendency?

A

Mean, Median, Mode.

55
Q

Explain what mean is?

A

It is the average, most sensitive as it takes into consideration all values in the data, can be misrepresentative if there are extreme scores.

56
Q

Explain the median?

A

Median isn’t affected by extreme scores ideal when a set of data is heavily skewed, easy to calculate.

57
Q

Explain the mode?

A

The value or score that appears most frequently, easy to calculate but can be misleading, can be used on categorical data, if there are 2 modes data is called bi-modal , more then 2 the data is called multi-modal.

58
Q

What are the measures of dispersion?

A

Range and standard deviation.

59
Q

Explain range? (strength and weakness)

A

strength - easy to calculate mathematically without a calculator.
weakness - doesn’t indicate distribution pattern across the whole set.

60
Q

Explain standard deviation? (strength and weakness)

A

strength - precise measurement of dispersion as all values are included.
weakness - extreme values can distort the measurement.

61
Q

How do you identify data that is normally distributed?

A

It produces a symmetrical bell shaped curve.

PSYCHOLOGY A1 (7 decks)

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