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A Level Psychology > Research Methods ❎ > Flashcards

Research Methods ❎ Flashcards

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1
Q

Co-variables

definition

A

Two or more measured variables in a correlation

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2
Q

Laboratory experiment

definition

A
  • research method
  • there is an IV, DV, and strict controls
  • looks for a causal relationship
  • conducted in a setting which is not the usual environment for the participant with regard to the behaviour they are performing
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3
Q

Field experiment

definition

A
  • setting which is the normal environment for the participant with regard to the behaviour they are performing.
  • diifcult to manipulate all variables
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4
Q

Natural experiment

definition

A

An investigation looking for a causal relationship in which the IV cannot be directly manipulated
* effect of an existing difference or change is investigated
* cannot manipulate variables - variables are naturally occuring

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5
Q

Standardisation

definition

A

The practice of keeping the procedure for each participant in a study exactly the same, to ensure that measured differences in the DV are likely to be due to the IV

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6
Q

Controls

definition

A

Ways to keep potential confounding variables constant, to ensure measured differences in the DV are likely to be due to the IV

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7
Q

Replication

definition

A

Keeping the procedure and materials exactly the same between studies

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8
Q

Operationalisation

definition

A

The practice of clearly describing a variable such that it can be measured/quantified and accurately manipulated so that the study can be replicated.

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9
Q

Ecological validity

Research methods

A

How generalisable the study’s findings are to other situations or settings.

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10
Q

Population validity

Research methods

A

How well a study’s sample represents other populations or groups.

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11
Q

Explain what is meant by

debriefing

Ethics: Human Participants

A
  • participants are reminded of their ethical rights
  • cover stories must be uncovered
  • participants must be thanked and given contact details for future concerns
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12
Q

Explain what is meant by

right to withdraw

Ethics: Human Participants

A

participants can leave the research experiment before it starts, during the process or after the process has ended

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13
Q

Explain what is meant by

privacy

Ethics: Human Participants

A

participants privacy must not be invaded and they have control over what information is published

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14
Q

Explain what is meant by

confidentiality

Ethics: Human Participants

A

participants’ identities must not be revealed to the public

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15
Q

minimising harm and maximising benefits

definition

A

ensuring that participants are not physically or psychologically harmed by the research process

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16
Q

Explain what is meant by

valid consent including informed consent

Ethics: Human Participants

A

participants are made aware of the benefits and risks of the research, and give unambiguous consent

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17
Q

Explain what is meant by

lack of deception

Ethics: Human Participants

A

participants should be aware of all the details of the experiment; if deception is necessary, they must be debriefed afterwards

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18
Q

species and strain

definition

A

species must be least likely to become distressed;
whilst being able to fulfill the requirements of the study; endangered species must not be used

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19
Q

Explain what is meant by

numbers

Ethics: Non-human participants

A

The smallest number of animals possible should be used while being enough to achieve reliable results

Numbers

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20
Q

Explain what is meant by

anaesthesia, analgesia, euthanasia

Ethics: Non-human participants

A
  • Procedures that are likely to cause pain and discomfort should be performed only on animals that have been adequately anaesthetised
  • Analgesics should be used before and after such procedures to minimise pain and distress
  • Animals suffering lasting pain must be euthanised

Anaesthesia, analgesia, euthanasia

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21
Q

deprivation and aversive stimuli

definition

A
  • Deprivation is doing without something
  • Aversive stimuli is something present that the animal doesn’t like, is afraid of or hurt by
  • Researchers must ensure there is no alternative way of motivating the animal that is consistent with the aims of the experiment
  • Levels of deprivation should be no greater than needed to achieve the experiment’s goals
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22
Q

pain and distress

definition

A

Any physical/psychological pain and distress must be avoided.
Any adverse effects on animals must be recognised and assessed, with immediate action taken wherever necessary

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23
Q

replacement

definition

A

Researchers should consider replacing animal experiments with videos or computer simulations

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24
Q

housing

definition

A
  • Isolation and overcrowding should be avoided
  • Caging should take into consideration the aspects of the animal’s natural environment that are important to its welfare and the social behaviour of the species
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25
Q

reward

definition

A

The researcher should consider the animal’s usual eating and drinking habits and metabolic requirements

Reward

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26
Q

laboratory experiments

features

A

strengths
high reliability - variables are controlled and manipulated
high internal validity - causal relationship is clear and variables are controlled
weaknesses
low ecological validity - setting is controlled
low mundane realism - setting is unlike normal environment of participants

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27
Q

Strengths of

field experiments

A
  1. High ecological validity - realistic setting
  2. Limited demand characteristics from participants
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28
Q

field experiments

features

A

strengths
high ecological validity - realistic setting
limited demand characteristics
weaknesses
low internal validity - situational variables are difficult to control
deception - participants do not know that they’re taking part in a study
low reliability - setting is not controlled

29
Q

Strengths of

natural experiments

A
  1. High ecological validity because the IV is naturally occurring
  2. Valid representation of a person’s behaviour
30
Q

Weakness of

natural experiments

A
  • Difficult to know whether the IV caused an effect on the DV
  • Low reliability - the event investigated is naturally occurring
  • Low generalisability
31
Q

experimental condition

definition

A

one or more of the situations in an experiment which represent the different levels of the IV
* compared with one another or with the control condition

32
Q

2 types of self-reports

A

questionnaires
and interviews

33
Q

4 types of questionnaires

A
  1. Likert scales: questions asking whether the participant likes or dislikes something.
  2. Rating scales: questions that require the participant to represent their answer on the numerical scale provided to them.
  3. Open questions: questions which allow the participant to give detailed answers without any restrictions.
  4. Closed questions: questions which allow the participant to respond using a few, stated responses without the opportunity to expand on their answers.
34
Q

Define

interviews

A

Interviews are a research method using verbal questions
asked directly to the participants.

35
Q

3 types of interviews

A
  1. Structured: an interview with questions in a fixed order which may be scripted. Consistency might also be required in the interviewer’s posture, voice, etc., and hence these are highly standardized.
  2. Semi-structured: an interview with a fixed list of questions, however, the interviewer could add more questions if required to clarify or get details on any previous answers.
  3. Unstructured: an interview in which most questions depend on the respondent’s answers. A list of topics may be provided that need to be covered for the interview.
36
Q

What are the features of an

independent measures design?

A
  • Two participant groups
  • One group performs the control condition
  • The other performs the experimental condition of the IV
37
Q

What are the features of a

repeated measures design?

A
  • One participant group
  • Participant group carries out both the control and the experimental condition
38
Q

Advantages of

independent measures design

A
  • less order effects
  • less demand characteristics
39
Q

Disadvantages of

independent measures design

A
  • more participant variables
  • more participants needed, more time-consuming
40
Q

Advantages of

repeated measures design

A
  • less participant variables
  • less participants needed, less time-consuming
41
Q

Disadvantages for

repeated measures design

A
  • more order effects
  • more demand characteristics
42
Q

covert observation

definition

A

participants are unaware that they are being observed

43
Q

questionnaires

features

A

strengths
high reliability - standardised procedure
large amount of data collected easily
easy to administer
weaknesses
social-desirable answers/demand characteristics
close-ended questions are restricting

44
Q

interviews

features

A

strength
more detailed responses to collect in-depth data
weaknesses
social desirability bias / less truthful answers

45
Q

Define

case study

A

A detailed investigation of a single instance, usually a
person, family or institute, that produced in-depth data
specific to that instance.

46
Q

case studies

features

A

strength
high ecological validity - participants are studied in their everyday lives
in-depth data - researchers only focus on a small group/singular participant
weaknesses
subjectivity - data gained is based on the sample who is unique
low reliability - sample has naturally-occuring unique characteristics
low generalisability - sample is unique

47
Q

Define

observation

A

A research method that involves watching human or
animal behaviour.

An observer can be overt/covert or participant/non-participant

48
Q

Correlation co-efficient

A

A number between -1 and +1 that shows the strength of a correlation
* a co-efficient of -1 meaning there is a perfect negative correlation
* a co-efficient of +1 meaning there is a perfect positive correlation

49
Q

Experiment

definition

A

an investigation looking for a causal
relationship in which an IV is manipulated and is expected to be responsible for changes in the DV.

50
Q

Correlation

A

A research method that looks for a relationship between two measured variables, where a change in one variable is related to a change in the other.

51
Q

Causal relationship

A

A link between two variables such that a change in one variable is responsible for the change in the other variable.

52
Q

control condition

definition

A

a situation in which the IV is absent. This is compared to the experimental condition(s)

53
Q

mundane realism

definition

A

the extent to which a task represents the real-world situation

54
Q

face validity

definition

A

a measure of validity indicating whether a measure appears to test what it claims to

55
Q

concurrent validity

definition

A

when a test correlates well with a measure that has previously been validated

56
Q

objectivity

definition

A

an unbiased viewpoint that is not affected by an individual’s feelings, beliefs or experiences, so should be consistent between different researchers

57
Q

subjectivity

definition

A

a personal viewpoint which may be biased by one’s feelings, beliefs or experiences and may differ between researchers

58
Q

inter-rater reliability

definition

A

the extent to which two researchers interpreting qualitative responses will produce the same records from the same raw data

59
Q

methods of testing reliability

A
  1. test-retest method: do the task twice and then comparing the results of each time to check their similarity
  2. split-half method: the questions are the same in
    both halves of the task but presented in different a manner; the results of the first half must be the same as the results of second half
60
Q

negative correlation

A

relationship between two variables where as one variable goes up, the other goes down

61
Q

population

definition

A

Individuals who share a common characteristic

62
Q

sample

definition

A

individuals who participate in a study

63
Q

order effects

definition

A

consequences of doing tests/tasks more than once

64
Q

practice effects

definition

A

participants improve with repetition

65
Q

fatigue effects

definition

A

participants get worse with repetition

66
Q

opportunity sampling

A

strength
many participants can be obtained quickly and easily using the people available
weakness
sample may not be diverse enough to allow generalisation

67
Q

volunteer sampling

A

strength
the people are willing because they have volunteered so are likely to be prepared to complete the experiment/are unlikely to withdraw
the participants come to the experimenter which is easy/quick
weakness
sample may not be diverse enough to allow generalisation

68
Q

random sampling

A

strength
easy to generalise to generalpopulation
weakness
a sample representative of the target population cannot be guaranteed

69
Q

questionnaire

definition

A

research method asking questions, mainly written, to gain information from the participants

A Level Psychology (31 decks)

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