research methods Flashcards by joe Taylor

what is the aim

.General statement about purpose of experiment
.Aim leads to hypothesis

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How do you write the aim

always begin with ‘to investigate’

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What are the two types of variables

Independent variable (IV)
Dependent variable (DV)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Definition of the IV and the DV

IV= The one you manipulate/change
Dv= The one you measure

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What are the conditions/levels of the IV

The IV has two levels
-Control condition (no item)
-Experimenter condition
Needed to make a comparison to get a conclusion

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is the hypothesis

scientific statement of prediction

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How can you write a hypothesis

IV and DV variables included

2.written as a statement

needs to be operationalized

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What are the two types of hypothesis

. null hypothesis
. Alternative hypothesis

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

what is a Null hypothesis

.States there will be no difference between finding before and after experiment with the variables
.These are made to be proven wrong
.Example= alcohol doesn’t affect driving ability

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

what is an alternative hypothesis

.Opposite to null hypothesis
.Predict there will be difference in findings before and after experiment
.Example=alcohol does affect driving

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What are the two types of alternative hypothesis

.Directional (one tailed)
.Non-Directional (two tailed)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is a directional hypothesis

.Higher/Lower
.Positive/Negative
Someone has done this experiment before

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is a non-directional hypothesis

Will say there is a difference but doesn’t say if it is higher or lower

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

what is operationalizing

making the variables clear and measurable

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

what is an extraneous variable

factor which affects the IV and is not intentionally included in the experiment (is extra to the IV)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

why is it important to control extraneous variables

as they may affect the conclusion if not controlled

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is the difference between a extraneous variables and confounding variables

.extraneous variables can be controlled/removed
.confounding variables have already affected the experiments conclusion

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

what are the types of extraneous variables

Experimenter variables
Situational variables
Participant variables
Demand characteristics

what are experimenter variables (examples)

factors from the experimenter which affect the experiment
-Gender of the experimenter
-Tone of voice
-Body language

What are situational variables (examples)

outside influences on experiment E.G
-Heat
-Lighting
-Time of daylight

.Order of conditions (order effects)

what are participant variables (examples)

Differences between the participants
.Age
.Gender
.Intelligence
.Personality

What are demand characteristics (examples)

subjects pick up on the experiments objective and change behavior accordingly.
.Order of conditions
.Participants reactivity-please you/screw you

what is order effects

participants complete all conditions of the IV and may get bored/practice which makes the results inaccurate

what is order conditions and participant reactivity

Order of conditions- Doing both tasks can make them figure out what aim is
Participant Reactivity- Changing behavior because you are aware you are being watched (social desirability)

control experimenter extraneous variables

-Randomization- If reading from list randomize the list order so experimenter doesn't have bias for words -Double blind procedure- Neither experimenter/ participants know true aim of experiment

control situational extraneous variables

-Standardized procedure- everyone subjected to same conditions, experience and info. -Can control order effects by doing counter balancing (ABBA)

What is ABBA

AB-50% Doing task A first then task B BA-50% Doing task B first then task A

control participant extraneous variables

Sample- large/random selection to gain a representative sample. Experimental design-matched pairs or repeated measure design. Randomly allocated- all participants name/number. Alternate names/numbers going to different conditions of the IV

How do you control demand characteristics

Counter balance- ABBA Placebo- hide stuff about experiment (whether they were a control or not) Secret- Participants unaware of truth experiment (single blind procedure)

what is a laboratory experiment

.Done in controlled environment (scientific) .IV is manipulated

What is a field experiment

.Done in natural environment .IV is manipulated (still in natural environment) .ppts may be unaware they are being observed

what is a natural experiment

.Done in natural environment .IV not manipulated (unethical/impractical) .IV is naturally occurring Robber shot and witnesses asked to recall incident. IV is anxiety and DV is recall. Anxiety is naturally occurring

what is a Quasi experiment

.IV is not manipulated (already exists in a person) e.g. age, gender intelligence Split brain patients

Strengths of a laboratory experiment

.Highly controlled .Reliability .Participants aware of experiment .Control over extraneous variables

weakness of a laboratory experiment

.Social desirability .Decreased ecological validity and mundane realism

Strengths of a field experiment

.High in ecological validity

weaknesses of a field experiment

.Less control over extraneous variables .Less ethical .Less reliability

Strengths of a natural experiment

.Study real problems .Research things which would otherwise be unethical/impractical to replicate

Strengths of a quasi experiment

.Study predetermined characteristics

Weaknesses of a natural and quasi experiment (they share similar ones)

.No relationship established as IV is not manipulated .Confounding variables cannot be control as no random allocation .Lack cause and effect

Mundane realism?

extent to which procedures and material in experiment is similar to real life

Ecological validly?

Extent finding can be generalised to every day events

what is relaibility and validity

Validity is the truthfulness and the accuracy Reliability is the consistency