Research Methods

Question 1

What is a theory and hypothesis

Answer 1

A theory is a systematic way of organising and explaining observations; different schools of thought promotes different theories
–> leads to new predictions that can be tested

A hypothesis is a tentative belief/prediction about the way two (or more) variables interact/impact each other.
–> is concrete - did i get this result? I didn’t get this result

Question 2

Data collection techniques (Naturalistic Observation)

Answer 2

• researcher carefully observes behaviour without intervening
• participant observation
  –> researcher is also a participant
  ADVANTAGES
• in depth observation of behaviour in natural setting
• can provide new insights
  DISADVANTAGES
• reactivity: difficult to remain unobtrusive

Question 3

Data collection techniques (Case Study)

Answer 3

• in depth investigation of individual person/situation
  –> using interview, direct observation, records, psychological tests
  ADVANTAGES
• can provide rich, compelling data to support a theory
  DISADVANTAGES
• representative of general population?
• subjectivity: investigators may see what they expect to see
  (NOTE: usually single person cases)

Question 4

Data collection techniques (Surveys)

Answer 4

- use questionnaires or interviews to gather information about specific aspects of behaviour
ADVANTAGES
- data difficult-to-observe behaviour
- data from a large sample
DISADVANTAGES
- self-report data can be unreliable

Question 5

Data collection techniques (Correlation Research)

Answer 5

• looking for relationships among variables
• useful for studying variables that the researcher can’t manipulate
• -> personality, intelligence, age, sex
• can demonstrate that a relationship exists, but can’t demonstrate causality

Question 6

Data collection techniques (Experimental Research: establishing causes)

Answer 6

Researcher

• manipulates on variable
• ->independent variable
• -> whatever you think causes the dependent variable
• to see its effect on another variable
• -> dependent variable
• -> thing we hope to explain
• -> e.g. depression - thing you wanna see change
• holding other variables constant

Question 7

Population

Answer 7

The entire group of people interested in studying

Question 8

Sample

Answer 8

A subset of the population selected for the study

Question 9

Random Sampling

Answer 9

Each member of the population is equally likely to be included in the sample

Question 10

Representative Sample

Answer 10

Possesses the important characteristics of the population in the same proportions

Question 11

Reliability

Answer 11

Does the measure produce consistent results?

Question 12

Validity

Answer 12

Does it measure what it’s supposed to measure?

Is our measure related to the other measures with demonstrated validity?

Is our measure related to an outcome it should be related to?

Question 13

Test-retest reliability

Answer 13

Does the test give similar values if the same participant takes it two or more times?

Question 14

Internal consistency

Answer 14

Different items that measure the same variable should produce similar answers - be consistent

Question 15

Inter-rater reliability

Answer 15

Two testers who rate the same person on the same variable, should give similar ratings to the participant

Question 16

Correlation coefficient

Answer 16

Measures the strengths of the relationship between 2 variables

Question 17

A positive correlation

Answer 17

People with high scores on one variable tend to have scores on the other variable

e.g. the more nappies a person changes, the more often they wash their hands

Question 18

A negative correlation

Answer 18

People with high scores on one variable are likely to have low scores on the other variable

e.g. the more hours spend practising, the fewer errors they make when they perform

Question 19

No correlation

Answer 19

A high score on one dimension predicts nothing about a person’s score on the other dimension

e.g. the number of dreams people have about plane crashes has nothing to do with the no. of plane crashes

Question 20

Experimental group

Answer 20

Exposed to the experimental condition of interest

Question 21

Control group

Answer 21

Not exposed to the experimental condition, but otherwise treated identically to the experimental group

Question 22

Random assignment

Answer 22

Participants are equally likely to be assigned to the experimental or control condition

Question 23

Looking for flaws (reactivity)

Answer 23

Experimenter bias

Participant bias

Question 24

Looking for flaws (confounding variables)

Answer 24

Ruling out other explanations

Question 25

Looking for flaws (sampling bias)

Answer 25

Choosing a bias group…

Question 26

Bias (participant)

Answer 26

The tendency of people who know they are the participants in a study to behave in a way other than they normally would

e.g. hawthorne effect

Question 27

Bias (self presentation)

Answer 27

Demand characteristics
- participants respond in the way they think the experimenter wants them to respond

Placebo effects
- participants condition improves because they believe the procedures will help them

Question 28

Bias (experimenter)

Answer 28

The tendency of experimenters to let their expectancies alter the way they treat their participants

Self fulfilling prophecy
- a false definition of a situation that evokes behaviour that, in turn, makes the false conception become true

Question 29

Single-blind study

Answer 29

Either the experimenter or participant unaware of purpose of study

Question 30

Double-blind study

Answer 30

Both experimenter and participant “blind” to the purpose of study

Question 31

Ethics

Answer 31

Informed consent
Maintain participant welfare
Voluntary participation
Ensure confidentiality
Avoid deception