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A-Level Psychology AQA > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

1
Q

types of experiments

A
  • laboratory
  • field
  • natural
  • quasi
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2
Q

laboratory experiments

A
  • takes place in highly controlled environments
  • does not have to be in a laboratory
  • researcher manipulates the IV & records the effect on the DV
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3
Q

laboratory experiments
strengths

A
  • high control over extraneous variables
  • high internal validity
  • replication is more possible
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4
Q

laboratory experiments
weaknesses

A
  • may lack generalisation
  • low external validity
  • demand characteristics
  • low mundane realism
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5
Q

field experiments

A
  • takes place in natural, everyday setting
  • participants usually aren’t aware they are participating in an experiement
  • researcher manipulates the IV & records the effect on the DV
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6
Q

field experiments
strengths

A
  • higher mundane realism
  • high external validity
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7
Q

field experiments
weaknesses

A
  • less control over extraneous variables
  • replication isn’t possible
  • ethical issues
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8
Q

natural experiments

A
  • researcher takes advantage of a pre-existing IV
  • IV would happen even if the reseacher wasn’t present
  • an event occurs on it’s own
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9
Q

natural experiments
strengths

A
  • high external validity
  • allows research to take place that might not be ethical otherwise
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10
Q

natural experiments
weaknesses

A
  • less generalising
  • participants might not be randomly allocated to experimental conditions
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11
Q

quasi experiments

A
  • the IV is based on an existing difference between people (age or gender)
  • no one manipulates the IV, it just exists
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12
Q

quasi experiments
strengths

A
  • often carried under controlled conditions
  • high internal validity
  • high control over extraneous variables
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13
Q

quasi experiments
weaknesses

A
  • cannot randomly allocate participants to experimental conditions
  • might be confounding variables
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14
Q

types of observation

A
  • naturalistic
  • controlled
  • covert
  • overt
  • participant
  • non-participant
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15
Q

naturalistic observation

A
  • observing people in their natural environment
  • behaviour is not controlled
  • researcher does not interfere, just observes
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16
Q

naturalistic observation
(strengths)

A
  • high ecological validity
  • no demand characteristics
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17
Q

naturalistic observation
(limitations)

A
  • room for confounding variables
  • not ethical, no consent
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18
Q

controlled observation

A
  • may take place in a laboratory
  • participants likely know they’re being watched
  • some variables are controlled by the researcher
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19
Q

controlled observation
(strengths)

A
  • control over extraneous variables
  • quantitative data obtained
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20
Q

controlled observation
(limtations)

A
  • lacks ecological validity
  • demand characteristics
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21
Q

covert observation

A
  • participants are unaware they are being observed
  • researcher is ‘undercover’
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22
Q

covert observation
(strengths)

A
  • high validity
  • high detailed data is obtained
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23
Q

covert observation
(limitations)

A
  • less ethical as no informed consent is recieved
  • decieves the participants
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24
Q

overt observation

A
  • participants are aware they are being observed
  • researcher is not ‘undercover’
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25
overt observation (strengths)
* highly ethical as informed consent is given * easier to obtain data
26
overt observation (limitations)
* investigator effects * demand characteristics
27
participant observation
* researcher takes part in the activity that is being observed * objectivity may be affected
28
participant observation (strengths)
* easier to obtain detailed data * most ethical form of observation
29
participant observation (limitations)
* researcher can alter the other participants' behaviour * researcher may lose objectivity
30
non-participant observation
* researchers do not actively become involved in the behaviour being studied * researcher simply observes and listens
31
non-participant observation (strengths)
* investigator effects are less likely to occur * more reliable and objective data is obtained
32
non-participant observation (limitations)
* researcher might overlook or miss certain behaviours * more difficult to distinguish the true meanings of behaviour
33
self report techniques
* questionnaires * structured interview * unstructured interview
34
questionnaire
* set of written questions - easy to collect * always pre-dertermined (structured) * can discover what people feel think or feel * provides either qualitative or quantitative data
35
questionnaire (strengths)
* respondents feel comfortable to reveal personal and confidential information * reduces experimental bias * no special training needed to hand them out * cheap and quick to use and distribute
36
questionnaire (limitations)
* sample can be biased due to who is filling it out * can take a lot of time to design * closed questions limits the responses * only people who can read and write can fill it out
37
structured interview
* has pre-determined questions * there is no deviation from original questions * a questionnaires that is delivered face to face or over the phone
38
structured interview (strengths)
* can be easily repeated as the questions are standardised * answers are easier to analyse as they are predictable * different people can be compared
39
structured interview (limitations)
* interviewer bias * comparibility difficult if interviewer behaves differently or if there is a different interviewer
40
unstructured interview
* new questions are developed throughout the interview * sometimes called a clinical interview * may begin with some pre-determined questions
41
unstructured interview (strengths)
* more detailed information can be obtained * very flexible * flows like a natural conversation
42
unstructured interview (limitations)
* interviewer bias * new questions may lack objectivity due to the quick nature of creating them * more expensive as experienced interviewer is required
43
aim
* a statement of what the researcher intends to find out in a study * identifies the purpose of the investigation
44
hypothesis
* a testable and predictable statement often generated from a theory * should be fully operationalised
45
operationalised
* to clearly state the variables and how they will be measured
46
directional hypothesis (one-tailed)
* a hypothesis that states the direction of the predicted difference
47
non-directional hypothesis (two-tailed)
* a hypotheis that predicts a difference between two conditions but does not specify what direction the difference will be
48
null hypothesis (H0)
* a hypothesis stating there will be no change or impact
49
experimental hypothesis (H1) (alternative)
* a hypothesis that states there will be a change or difference * directional or non-directional
50
population
* a large group of people you are interested in studying
51
sample
* a smaller group that aims to be representative of the target population
52
sampling techniques
* random * systematic * stratified * opportunity * volunteer
53
random sampling
* every member has an equal chance of being selected
54
random sampling (strengths)
* for very large samples, it provides the best chance of an unbiased representative sample
55
random sampling (limitations)
* can be very time consuming for large samples * can still get unbiased sample
56
systematic sampling
* every nth member of the target population is selected
57
systematic sampling (strengths)
* avoids researcher bias * is fairly representative
58
systematic sampling (limitations)
* not strictly random as each person does not stand an equal chance of being selected
59
stratified sampling
* divide the target population into sub-groups (strata) and use the proportion of each sub group to randomly select
60
stratified sampling (strengths)
* avoids researcher bias * representative sample obtained * generalisation of findings is possible
61
stratified sampling (limitations)
* identified strata cannot reflect all the ways that people are different * complete representation of the target population is not possible
62
opportunity sampling
* simply selecting those that are available at the time
63
opportunity sampling (strengths)
* quick, convenient and economical * most common type of sampling
64
opportunity sampling (limitations)
* very unrepresentative / biased samples * often biased by researcher * not generalisable
65
volunteer sampling
* individuals who have chosen to be involved in a study * also called self selecting
66
volunteer sampling (strengths)
* relatively convenient, quick and ethical * can be targeted specifically at a certain target population
67
volunteer sampling (limitations)
* unrepresentative * only people who see the ad have to opportunity to take part * volunteer bias (more motivated) * not generalisable
68
pilot study
* a small scale 'trial run' of the investiagtion which takes places before the real one is conducted
69
aims of pilot study
* checks the procedure for any faults or modifications that are necessary * save money and time that could be wasted during the real thing
70
experimental designs
* repeated measures * independent groups * matched pairs
71
repeated measures
* same participants take part in each condition of the IV * each condition of the experiment includes the same group of participants
72
repeated measures (strengths)
* no participant effects * less participants needed
73
repeated measures (limitations)
* fatigue effects * order effects * practise effects
74
independent groups
* different participants are used in each condition of the IV * each condition of the IV includes a different group of participants * should be done by random allocation
75
independent groups (strengths)
* avoids order effects * avoids fatigue effects * avoids practise effects
76
independent groups (limitations)
* participant variables * needs more participants to obtain same amount of data in repeated measures
77
matched pairs
* participants are matched with another participant based on something relevant to the experiment * once paired, each person is assigned to a differnet condition of the IV
78
matched pairs (strengths)
* no fatigue, order or practise effects * participant effects are dealt with (but not eliminated)
79
matched pairs (limitations)
* very time consuming * more participants needed
80
observational techniques
* behavioural categories * event sampling * time sampling
81
behavioural categories
* participant's potential behaviours are separated into more specific components * allows for operationalisation of the behaviour * observable and measurable
82
behavioural categories (strengths)
* easier to record data * increased validity
83
behavioural categories (limitations)
* observer bias may occur * likely to miss out on other important behaviours
84
event sampling
* recording the number of times a certain behaviour is presented
85
event sampling (strengths)
* good for infrequent behaviours that would otherwise be missed in time sampling
86
event sampling (limitations)
* important details of the behaviour may be overlooked * potential counting errors * difficult to judge the beginning and ending of certain behaviours
87
time sampling
* recording behaviours given in a certain time frame that has already been established
88
time sampling (strengths)
* reduces the number of observations needed * less time consuming
89
time sampling (limitations)
* small amount of data obtained * the data is unrepresentative of the observation as a whole
90
correlation
* mathematical technique that is used to investigate the relationship between two variables
91
types of correlation
* positive correlation * negative correlation * zero correlation
92
how to deal with limitations of independent groups
* random allocation
93
how to deal with limitations of repeated measures
* counterbalancing * (
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A-Level Psychology AQA (7 decks)

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