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Psychology P2 > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

types of experiment, experimental design , controlling variables , validity and reliability

1
Q

Experimental design

A

How participants are allocated to experimental groups of an investigation

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2
Q

Independent groups design

A

Different participants complete in each of the two conditions. Each participant take part in one condition

more participants needed

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3
Q

Repeated measure designs

A

Same participants complete in each of the two conditions

less participants needed

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4
Q

Matched pair design

A

Different participants completed in one condition but matched on related variables

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5
Q

How is matched pairs done

A

One member of each pair is placed into a experimental group and the other into the control group

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6
Q

Cyclical process

A

A series of events happens again and again in the same order

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7
Q

Mundane realism

A

The degree which an experiment resembles real life situations

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8
Q

Confounding variables

A

Variables apart from the IV that effected the DV

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9
Q

Uncontrolled variables

A

Variables that cannot be controlled for eg.weather

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10
Q

Experimental realism

A

Whether an experiment has psychological impact and feels real

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11
Q

Extraneous variables

A

Variables other than the IV and DV that could influence the result

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12
Q

What are uncontrolled variables?

A

Variables that can not be controlled eg. The weather

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13
Q

What is a situational confounding variable?

A

a type of ev that influence the dv which could effect the iv

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14
Q

What is a participant confounding variable?

A

Variables apart from the iv that have affected the dv

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15
Q

What are demand characteristics?

A

Hints within a study that participants may guess the researchers hypothesis

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16
Q

Lab ~ strength and weakness

A

~high control over EV
~replication

~may be artificial
~participants could prepare beforehand

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17
Q

Field ~ strength and weakness

A

~higher ecological validity
~reduction in demand characteristics as they don’t know they are a part of the experiment

~less control of EV

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18
Q

Natural ~strengths and weakness

A

~provide opportunities
~high ecological validity

~difficult to establish causality

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19
Q

Field ~ strength and weakness

A

~higher ecological validity
~reduction in demand characteristics as they don’t know they are a part of the experiment

~less control of EV

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20
Q

Quasi ~ strength and weakness

A

~often carried out under controlled conditions

~participants can not be randomly allocated

21
Q

Lab experiments

A

Define by the high level of control the researchers have (manipulate IV)

22
Q

Field experiments

A

Conducting experiments in naturalistic settings

23
Q

Natural experiments

A

Two lvl of independent variables happen without influence of researcher (rich vs poor)

24
Q

Quasi experiment

A

establish a cause-and-effect relationship between an independent and dependent variable

25
Q

Standardised procedures

A

A consistent and uniform set of instructions of methods

26
Q

Reliability

A

Being trustworthy or performing consistently well

27
Q

Internal validity

A

A study accurately identifies a causal relationship between variables

28
Q

Ecological validity

A

Findings of a study can be generalised to the real world settings

mundane realism

29
Q

What are investigator effects?

A

Where the researcher acts in a way to support their prediction

30
Q

What are investigator effects?

A

Where the researcher acts in a way to support their prediction

31
Q

What is random allocation?

A

Each participant has the same opportunities to be assigned to any given group, so individual ability are less likely to affect results

32
Q

What is a standardised procedure?

A

The process in which procedures used in the research are kept the same.

33
Q

What is randomisation?

A

randomly assigning experimental subjects to avoid it having an effect on the DV. It reduces the chance of practice effects becoming a cofounding variable.

34
Q

What is a single blind test?

A

Where participants do not know which condition of a study they are in.

35
Q

What is a double blind test?

A

When neither participant nor the investigators know which condition the participants are in.

36
Q

What is meant by reliability?

A

consistent results

37
Q

What is test-retest reliability?

A

Repeat the study using the same procedures at different times and test the correlation between the two versions

38
Q

What is inter-rater reliability?

A

Two or more observers record behaviours during the same observation using the same behavioural categories. the degree of agreement among raters

39
Q

What is meant by validity?

A

how accurately a method measures what it is intended to measure

40
Q

What is meant by external validity?

A

the extent to which results from a study can be generalised to other situations

41
Q

What is meant by population validity?

A

The sample used in the study is representative of the target population

42
Q

What is meant by temporal
validity?

A

Study can be generalized findings in relation to the progression of time.
If the findings are still valid today.

43
Q

What is meant by construct validity?

A

the extent to which your test or measure accurately assesses what it’s supposed to

44
Q

What is meant by concurrent validity?

A

a type of external validity that refers to the validity of the findings in relation to the progression of time.

45
Q

What is meant by predictive validity?

A

the ability of a test or other measurement to predict a future outcome

46
Q

What is meant by face validity?

A

whether a test appears to measure what it’s supposed to measure

47
Q

How to Improve reliability?

A

Observation - improving accuracy.
interviews - using constructed than unconstructed.
questionnaires - use closed rather than open questions.
experiments - use standardized procedures.

48
Q

co-efficient of reliability

A

Co-efficient of 0.8 or above we can assume the test is reliable

Psychology P2 (5 decks)

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