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Psychology > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

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1
Q

Target population

A

The particular group we are interested in studying

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2
Q

Where do you draw your sample from

A

Target population

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3
Q

What happens if the sample size is too small

A

It can become biased and unrepresentative of the entire target population

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4
Q

What is a representative sample

A

A group of participants drawn from the target population that is typical of the target population

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5
Q

Sampling bias

A

When the sample becomes weighted because of the over representation of one group of people

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6
Q

What is a random sample

A

A sample in which every member of the target population has equal chance of being chosen

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7
Q

What is one method of selecting a random sample

A

Manual selection/lottery method

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8
Q

What is an advantage of random sampling

A

In large sample it has a high chance of being unbiased and representative

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9
Q

Disadvantage of random sampling

A

You can end up with a biased sample by chance as the larger a population the harder it is to sample randomly

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10
Q

Ethical issues for random sampling

A

Consent and data protection

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11
Q

Is opportunity sampling random

A

It is non-random

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12
Q

What is opportunity sampling

A

Where the researcher selects participants that are available to them at the time of the study

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13
Q

Advantages of opportunity sampling

A

Quick, convenient, economic

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14
Q

Disadvantages of opportunity sampling

A

Biased, cuts of lots of target population, only people with a particular persona e.g kind will help, unrepresentative, not random

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15
Q

What is self-selected sampling

A

When researchers ask for volunteers to take part

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16
Q

What is a disadvantage of self-selected samples

A

Limits who may see the add and reply, sampling bias, not all who see the add will apply, not random

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17
Q

What is an advantage of self-selected sampling

A

Very ethical, eases to reach a wide target population, participants likely to be Co-operative

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18
Q

Is self-selected sampling random or non-random

A

Non-random

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19
Q

What is snowball sampling

A

A participant you have already got recruits others to the study they know

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20
Q

What is an advantage of snowball sampling

A

Easy to access people within your target audience

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21
Q

What is a disadvantage of snowball sampling

A

Biased as participants will likely recruit people with similar traits, not-random

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22
Q

Is snowball sampling random or non-random

A

Non-random

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23
Q

What is quantitative data

A

Data that is numericalally recorded e.g. Statistics

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24
Q

What is qualitative data

A

Data in form of words e.g. thoughts & feelings

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25
Q

Advantages of quantitative data

A

More reliable & easy to replicate, easy to analyse, objective so validity increases

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26
Q

Disadvantages of quantitative data

A

Oversimplifies complicated behaviour (reductionism), doesn’t give a full picture so lack of validity

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27
Q

Advantages of qualitative data

A

Gives info into meaning of behaviours increasing validity, rich & detailed so increases validity

28
Q

Disadvantages of qualitative data

A

Open to interpretation so more subjective, can be difficult to analyse

29
Q

Primary data

A

Gathered by researcher them selves

30
Q

Secondary data

A

Gathered from pre-existing source

31
Q

What is a descriptive statistic

A

A statistic used to describe the main trends in data

32
Q

Why are descriptive statistics used

A

To summarise raw data into a meaningful form to help draw a conclusion

33
Q

Measures of central tendency

A

Mean, median, mode

34
Q

Measures of dispersion

A

Standard deviation, range

35
Q

Advantages of the mean

A

Sensitive, likely to be representative

36
Q

Disadvantages of the mean

A

Anomalies easily distort data making it unrepresentative

37
Q

Advantages of the median

A

Not distorted by extreme values

38
Q

Disadvantages of the median

A

Less sensitive of the exact values, less meaningful with small data sets, can’t use will all types of data e.g. Mutually exclusive

39
Q

Disadvantages of the mode

A

Not sensitive to the exact value, only a few data sets for each value so small changes can otter the mode significantly

40
Q

Advantages of the mode

A

Works with mutually exclusive data in frequency counts, not influenced by extreme scores

41
Q

What does Standard deviation measure

A

On average how much the data sets deviate from the mean

42
Q

Advantage of the standard deviation

A

All data is used, less distorted by skewed data, representative of all data

43
Q

Disadvantage of the standard deviation

A

Not quick & easy to calculate

44
Q

Advantage of the range

A

Quick and easy to calculate

45
Q

Disadvantage of the range

A

Less effective when using sqewed data, gives little about spread of data in the data set

46
Q

What is the independent variable

A

What the researcher manipulates and changes

47
Q

What is the dependent variable

A

What is measured

48
Q

Extraneous variable

A

Variable that may affect the DV (except the IV)

49
Q

Operationalisation

A

Precisely how we measure and manipulate the variables to test the hypothesis

50
Q

Confounding variables

A

Uncontrolled extraneous variables that effect the results

51
Q

Reliability

A

The extent the research finding is produced consistently over a number of investigations

52
Q

Validity

A

The extent the research measures what it claims to measure

53
Q

Replication

A

Repeating research to find and check reliability

54
Q

Sources of extraneous variables

A

Situational, participant

55
Q

What is a participant variable

A

What variable is it comes directly from the participants e.g. poor memory that effects performance

56
Q

What is a situational variable

A

The different conditions they are tested in e.g. noisy, cold

57
Q

How are situational variables controlled

A

Standardised procedures e.g. standardised instructions

58
Q

How are participant variables controlled

A

Random allocation of participants (randomisation) so differences are balanced out as long as sample size is big

59
Q

Other extraneous variables

A

Order effects, demand characteristics, researcher effects

60
Q

Order effects

A

Order participants complete tasks will effect the outcome

61
Q

Demand characteristics

A

Cues participants receive that indicate the propose of the research

62
Q

Researcher effects

A

It a researcher knows the aim of a study they may influence results to reflect their expectations, not stay objective

63
Q

Alternative hypotheses

A

A prediction in the form of a testable statement

64
Q

Experimental hypothesis

A

Predicts cause-and-effect relationship between the IV and DV

65
Q

Null hypothesis

A

Predicts that the results are due to chance

66
Q

Directional hypothesis

A

I want tailed hypothesis that predicts the direction the difference would be

67
Q

Non-directional hypothesis

A

A two-tailed hypothesis predicts only that there will be a different allowing for an outcome in either direction

Psychology (3 decks)

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