Research Methods Flashcards
Research aim
What the researcher intends to find out
Research Hypothesis
A prediction of our research
(States what we expect to find out)
Directional hypothesis
Specifically states what what the variable with affect another
Eg. it is expected that males will perform better than females
Non- directional hypothesis
THERE WILL HE A DIFFERENCE between the variable
(We don’t know how)
Eg. eating chocolate will effect your mood
Null hypothesis
NO DIFFERENCE/ no relationship between variables
Eg. There will be no difference in performance between those who eat breakfast and those who don’t
Independent variable
Variable that the researcher CHANGES/ MANIPULATES
Dependent variable
The variable the the researcher MEASURES
What’s the IV and that’s the DV
Qn: a researcher is interested in finding out if males will perform better on a spatial awareness test than females
IV: gender
DV: Performance
Situational variables
Things in the environment that may cause the effect
Participant variables
Differences between people
Investigator or experimenter effect
How the researcher or experimenter may influence the results
Operationalisation of variables
A way of measuring mental processes
Non-operationalised and operationalised
Non- operationalised:
Aggression
Operationalised: testosterone levels
N.O.
happiness
OP.
self reports
N.O.
Young/old people
OP.
Reaction times, memory recall, hearing test
Confounding variables
Factors other than the independent variable that may cause a result
Eg. Stress making you lose weight instead of exercise
(based on ‘exercise helps weight loss’ study)
Extraneous variable
Any variables we arnt investigating that can have a potential affect on the outcome of our research
Eg. Time of day you weigh yourself
(Based on Weight loss study)
Why do we need to control extraneous variables?
So they don’t have an effect on our research
If they influence the DV they become confounding variables a
Strengths and weaknesses of an experiment
Strengths:
-Can control all extraneous variables
-can get alot of data – cause+effect
-takes place in real life setting- no demand characteristics
-increasing ecological validity (only in field experiment)
Weaknesses:
-can be unethical
-real life setting makes it difficult to control confounding variables
Independent groups
Participants are set into groups and each group does a level of IV
STRENGTHS:
Measures natural, real life behaviour = Reduced demand characteristics
WEAKNESSES:
- need more participants
= time consuming
-individual differences may lead to differences in the group results =false conclusions
Eg. One group completes a h/w task with TV on, group 2 completes without TV off
Matched pairs
Pairs of participants are matched in terms of key variables or share characteristics relevent to topic of study
STRENGTHS:
-can control subject variables
-more accurate results
WEAKNESSES:
-time consuming
-matches are never perfect
-difficult to match them
-cant control variables
Eg. Same IQ level for participants A in group 1 and participants A in group B
Quasi experiments
These are not true experiments because the IV has not been deliberately manipulated
Used when it would be impossible, impractical or unethical to manipulate IV
2 types of quasi experiment:
-Natural experiments
-difference studies
(Quasi experiment)
Natural experiments
When it’s not possible to or not practical to manipulate IV
(Quasi experiments)
Difference studies
When IV is a condition that already exists
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a quasi experiment
ADVANTAGES:
- allows research where it would be unethical or not practical to manipulate the IV eg violence on TV
- more realistic - ecologically valid
-enables researchers to study
‘real’ problems eg. Effects of stress on health
DISADVANTAGES:
-may be other variables present that’s may also cause DV to change
-cant assume cause and effect – because you havnt directly changed the IV you can’t assume IV was responsible for causing change to dv
Observational study
Where researcher watched or listens to participants engaging in whatever behaviour is being studied
Observations are recorded
Overt observation
When a participant knows that they are being observed
-Social desirability
-Demand characteristics
Covert observations
Participants unaware of being observed
P- more realistic behaviour
N- unethical, no contact, no consent
Natural observations
Conducted in natural environment
P- behaviour will be realistic
= generalise results
=Research has ecological validity
N- if it’s covert natural observation you don’t have participants consent
Controlled observation
Eg. Little Albert
All variables are controlled - pressume cause and effect
P- increases internal validity
N- artificial Almost fake - can’t generalise - lack ecological validity
