Research Methods

Question 1

what are 3 facts about case studies?

Answer 1

• non experimental
• cannot establish cause and effect
• confounding variables

Question 2

define case study.

Answer 2

A case study involves the detailed study of a single individual or a small group of people.

Question 3

What does qualitative data provide?

Answer 3

A rich and detailed insight.

Question 4

What is triangulisation?

Answer 4

The use of multiple research methods.

Question 5

As a strength what level of validity do case studies have ?

Answer 5

High validity

Question 6

A strength of case studies to do with ethics.

Answer 6

They allow researchers to study things that they couldn’t normally ethically

Question 7

A limitation of case studies to do with the researcher?

Answer 7

Researcher bias

Question 8

A limitation of case studies to do with control/ cause and effect?

Answer 8

• cannot establish cause and effect

- lack of control

Question 9

Define longitudinal study.

Answer 9

Studies following a group or individual over an extended period of time

Question 10

Strength and weakness of a longitudinal study?

Answer 10

+ allow to look at change over time

- participants may drop out which can lead to small smaple sizes.

Question 11

What is observational research?

Answer 11

A researcher will simply observe behaviour, and look for patterns etc.

Question 12

What is naturalistic observation?

Answer 12

• Observing behaviour in natural setting
• no attempt to influence the situation
• used when unethical to do a lab study

Question 13

Strength and weakness of naturalistic observation ?

Answer 13

+ high levels of ecological validity
+ participants are less likely to be affected by demand characteristics
- little control of extraneous variables
- can not replicate

Question 14

What is controlled observation ?

Answer 14

Observation taking place in a controlled setting e.g. behind a one way mirror.

Question 15

Name a strength and a weakness of controlled observation?

Answer 15

+ less risk of EVs effecting behaviour

-the setting is artificial low ecological validity

Question 16

What is structured observation?

Answer 16

The observer creates a behaviour checklist in order to code the behaviour they are observing.

Question 17

What data is received from structured observation?

Answer 17

Quantitive data

Question 18

What are behavioural categories?

Answer 18

The behaviours they have set to record and observe. E.g. if observing anger a punch or a kick.

Question 19

What should the behavioural categories be?

Answer 19

• observable
• no need for inference to be made
• covers all components of behaviour
• mutually exclusive / don’t over lap with one another

Question 20

What is event sampling?

Answer 20

Counting each time you observe a particular behaviour.

Question 21

A strength and limitation of event sampling.

Answer 21

+Useful when the target behaviour or event happens infrequently, could be missed in time sampling.
- if the event is too complex the observer may overlook important details.

Question 22

What is time sampling ?

Answer 22

Recording behaviour at timed intervals.

Question 23

A strength and weakness of time sampling.

Answer 23

+ the observer has time to record what they see

- some behaviours will be missed outside the intervals - observations may not be representative

Question 24

Strengths and weakness of structured observation?

Answer 24

+ allows quantifiable data to be collected
+ allows for more than one observer which can increase reliability
- behavioural categories can be restrictive and does not explain what is happening.

Question 25

What is instructed observation?

Answer 25

Observers note down all behaviours they can see in qualitative over a period of time. No checklist used.

Question 26

Strengths and weaknesses of unstructured observations?

Answer 26

+ they can generate in-depth , rich data
+ not limited to prior theoretically expectations
- more subjective less comparable

Question 27

What does significance mean?

Answer 27

That we are are confident the IV effects the DV