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Psychology - Research Methods > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

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1
Q

Independent Variable

A

This is the variable that the researcher manipulates in order to determine its effect on the dependent variable

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2
Q

Dependent Variable

A

Variable that is measured

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3
Q

Extraneous Variables

A

Variable that COULD affect the DV

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4
Q

Confounding Variables

A

Variables that HAVE affected the DV

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5
Q

Operationalisation

A

IV and DV defined and stated how it should be measured

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6
Q

Lab Experiment

A

Completed in a lab

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7
Q

Field Experiment

A

Carried out in the real world

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8
Q

Natural Experiment

A

Naturally occurring IV - comparing behaviour in single-sex school compared to mixed

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9
Q

Quasi Experiment

A

Naturally occurring IV taking place in a lab - difference between people that already exists such as levels of testosterone

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10
Q

Non-Participant Observation

A

Researcher does not get directly involved with interactions of the participants

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11
Q

Participant Observation

A

Researcher is directly involved - also works out whilst collecting information at a gym

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12
Q

Covert Observation

A

Psychologist goes undercover and does not reveal their true identity - group does not know they are being observed

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13
Q

Overt Observation

A

Psychologist reveals true identity and might also state they are observing the group

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14
Q

Naturalistic Observation

A

Researcher observes participants in their own natural environment and there is no deliberate manipulation of the IV

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15
Q

Controlled Observation

A

Researcher observes participants in a controlled environment and this allows for manipulation of the IV

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16
Q

Structured Interviews

A

Standardised order
Quantitative data
Closed questions

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17
Q

Unstructured Interviews

A

Informal in-depth conversation
Unplanned questions
Qualitative data
Open questions

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18
Q

Questionnaires

A

Closed/open questions
Must avoid:
Ambiguous questions and answers
Leading questions
Simple questions

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19
Q

Correlation Coefficient

A

Strength of a correlation, falls between -1 and 1

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20
Q

Correlation

A

Positive or Negative
Shown in a scattergraph

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21
Q

Null hypothesis

A

IV will have no effect on the DV

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22
Q

Non-directional/two-tailed

A

Does not state what the effect of the IV is on the DV but suggests there is an effect

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23
Q

Directional/one-tailed

A

Predicts the effect of the IV on the DV

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24
Q

Alternative/experimental

A

Predicts that IV will have an effect on the DV

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25
Q

Random Sampling

A

Every member of a target population has the same chance of being selected through RNG

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26
Q

Systematic Sampling

A

Participants are selected by taking every Nth person from a list

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27
Q

Stratified Sampling

A

Involves classifying the population into categories and then randomly choosing a sample which consists of participants in the same proportions as they are in the real world
Categories - age, gender

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28
Q

Opportunity Sampling

A

Involves selecting participants who are readily available and want to take part

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29
Q

Volunteer Sampling

A

Involves people volunteering to take part in a study through the researcher advertising their study via leaflets, posters, radio

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30
Q

Pilot Studies

A

Small scale investigation of the real study in order to identify any flaws in the structure

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31
Q

Independent Groups Design

A

Different people used in each condition
Randomly allocated participants to each condition

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32
Q

Repeated Measures Design

A

Each participant is tested in all conditions

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33
Q

Matched Pairs Design

A

People with matched characteristics that are important to the study are put into opposite groups

34
Q

External Reliability

A

Whether a test results are consistent over time
Test-retest method can be used to check

35
Q

Test-Retest

A

Test done again to see if results are similar
If they are, the results are reliable

36
Q

Internal Reliability

A

Whether a test and the results are consistent within itself
Split-half technique used to check

37
Q

Split-Half

A

The questionnaire is split in half and if participants score similarly on both halves of the questionnaire then the questions are measuring the same factors and there is internal reliability

38
Q

External Validity

A

Ecological, temporal, participant validity

39
Q

Internal Validity

A

When the outcome of the study is a direct result of the manipulation of the IV and there are no confounding variables

40
Q

Presumptive Consent

A

Consent gained from people of a similar background to the participants in a study

41
Q

Prior General Consent

A

Involves participants agreeing to be deceived without knowing how or when it will occur
- for example, “Would you be willing to take part in a future study based on memory, whereby the true aim of the study might be withheld?” If the participants agree, then you can conduct the study knowing that you have gained their informed consent prior (or before) the actual study

42
Q

Retrospective Consent

A

Asking participants for consent after they have already participated in the study
If they don’t consent - data is destroyed

43
Q

Protection from Harm

A

Investigators have responsibility to protect participants from physical and psychological harm during the study
Psychologist must stop any study immediately if they suspect a participant may be harmed

44
Q

Right to Withdraw

A

Participants can leave study at any time
Participants can withdraw their data at any point in the future

45
Q

Confidentiality

A

Participants’ data is confidential and should not be disclosed to anyone
Numbers or letters should be used instead of names

46
Q

Deception

A

Ethics committee will approve or disapprove of experimental methods involving deception using a cost-benefit analysis test

47
Q

Nominal (Discrete) Data

A

Data are in separate categories such as grouping people according to their favourite TV show or eye colour

48
Q

Ordinal Data (Continuous Data)

A

Data that is ordered in some way
Listing order of favourite music genres

49
Q

Interval Data (Continuous Data)

A

Data is measured using units of equal intervals such as miles or centimetres

50
Q

Primary Data

A

Information observed or collected directly from first-hand experience
Primary data provides the exact type of data the researcher is looking for

51
Q

Secondary Data

A

Information that was collected for another purpose
Researcher could use the data collected for another study
Usually less reliable than primary

52
Q

Meta-Analysis

A

Combining results from a number of studies on a particular topic to provide an overall view

53
Q

Mean

A

Most accurate measure and it takes into account all the scores
Can be distorted by a single extreme value
Mean score may not even be a value obtained

54
Q

Median

A

Unaffected by extreme scores
Not as sensitive as the mean because not all scores are used in the calculation so it can be unrepresentative of the data if scores are clustered around high/low levels

55
Q

Range

A

Quick and easy to calculate
Easily distorted by extreme values

56
Q

Standard Deviation

A

Takes into account all the scores
More difficult to calculate than the range and can only be used on interval data

57
Q

Inferential Statistics

A

When you assume that the results obtained from one study on one category of people will be the same for another category
So if Coke improves memory for women it will also improve memory for men

58
Q

Descriptive Statistics

A

Measures of central tendency and dispersion

59
Q

Level of Statistical Significance

A

Level at which the decision is made to reject the null hypothesis
Certain that the IV is having effect on DV and is not due to chance

60
Q

Chance

A

Something has no real cause, it just happens - no real cause

61
Q

Level of significance

A

Chance of results being due to chance/fluke is p<0.05 (5%)
Used when there is a directional one-tailed hypothesis
p<0.01 when research findings are critical and can be difference between life or death

62
Q

Sign Test

A

State hypothesis
Count number of + and -
Choose less frequent sign
Identify N (don’t count participants with 0)
Select critical value
Compare S value to critical value
If S is equal to or less than critical value the results are significant and we accept experimental hypothesis

63
Q

Report - Title

A

Should provide clear focus of the study and should involve the key variables that are being investigated, should not be too vague or too specific

64
Q

Report - Abstract (150-200 words long)

A

Provides clear and concise summary of the entire investigation
Includes information such as background research, aims, hypothesis, methodology, experimental design, sample used

65
Q

Type 1 Error

A

Occurs if an investigator rejects a null hypothesis that is actually true in the population

66
Q

Type 2 Error

A

Occurs if the investigator fails to reject a null hypothesis that is actually false in the population

67
Q

Correlation Advantages

A
  1. This technique does allow psychologists to establish the strength of the relationship between two variables and measure it precisely.
  2. This technique also allows researchers to investigate things that could not be manipulated experimentally for ethical or practical reasons.
  3. Once a correlation has been conducted predictions can be made about one of the variables based on what is known about the other variable.
68
Q

Correlation Disadvantages

A
  1. Correlational analysis cannot demonstrate cause and effect; we cannot tell which variable influences the other.
  2. Even if there is a correlation between two variables it may be the case that the variables are not actually related but that there is a third unknown variable which influences both (confounding variable)
  3. Correlations can only measure linear relationships and does not detect curvilinear relationships. This is when there is a positive relationship up to a certain point but after that the relationship becomes negative or vice versa.
69
Q

Replicability

A

The extent to which the findings of research can be repeated in different contexts and circumstances

70
Q

Purposes of Replicability

A

a) Guarding against scientific fraud

b) Researchers can check to see if results gained were “a one off fluke” possibly caused by extraneous/confounding variables

c) If research findings can be repeated, we would say that the findings are reliable

d) Replicability can also indicate that research findings are valid

71
Q

Falsifiability

A

The notion that scientific theories can potentially be disproved by evidence, it is the hallmark of science. It refers to proving a hypothesis wrong

72
Q

Nominal and Independent

A

Chi squared

73
Q

Nominal and Repeated

A

Sign

74
Q

Nominal and Association

A

Chi squared

75
Q

Ordinal and Independent

A

Mann Whitney - Less than or equal to be significant

76
Q

Ordinal and Repeated

A

Wilcoxon

77
Q

Ordinal and Association

A

Spearman’s Rho

78
Q

Interval and Independent

A

Unrelated t-test

79
Q

Interval and Repeated

A

Related t-test

80
Q

Interval and Association

A

Pearson’s R

Psychology - Research Methods (1 decks)

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