Research Methods Flashcards
Objectivity
When all sources of personal bias are minimised to not distort or influence the research process
Replicability
The extent to which scientific procdures and results can be repeated by other researchers
Empirical method
Scientific approaches that are based on the gathering of evidence through direct observation and experience
Falsifiability
The principle that a theory cannot be considered scientific unless it admits the possibility of being proved untrue
Issue of a study without objectivity
Would lead to subjectivity
Issue of a study without replicability
If it cant be repeated, it may be linked to bias
Issue of a study without an empirical method
If not used, may see more researcher bias and lack objectivity
Theory
A framework/explanation for describing a phenomenon. It may be based on observations about the world or on empirical data derived from hypothesis testing
Theory construction
The creation of a framework or explanation for describing a phenomenon on the basis of direct observation or empirical data
Hypothesis testing
When it is possible to make clear and precise prediction on the basis of a theory
Paradigm
A set of shared assumptions and agreed methods within a scientific discipline
Paradigm shift
The result of a scientific revolution in that a significant change in the dominant unifying theory within a scientific discipline occurs
Issues of a study without a theory
No aim, wont be looking for anything specific
Case study
An in-depth investigation, description and analysis of a single individual, group, institution or event
-> longitudinal
Strentghs of case studies
- foundation to start research
- detailed studies
- investigates rare instances of behaviour
- rich in detail
Limitations case studies
-> aren’t controlled (manipulation of results)
-> difficult to generalise - occasionally ideographic
-> lacks objectivity
-> often a personal account, issue with self report
-> observers bias = reduced objectivity and validity
-> possibility of psychological harm
Content analysis
A research technique that enables the indirect study of behaviour by examining communications that other people produce -> may involve either qualitative or quantitative analysis, or both
Content analysis process
Data is collected
Researcher reads through or examines the data, making themselves familiar with it
The researcher identifies coding units
The data is analysed by applying the coding units
A tally is made of the number of times that a coding unit appears
Coding
Identifying behavioural categories
Strengths of content analysis
-> replicability, can be tested for reliability with inter-observe reliability
-> produced qualitative and quantitative data
-> high ecological validity, produced by people in real life, current and relevant research
-> avoids ethical issues, all the media is already present in public domain / no issues with obtaining permission
Limitations of content analysis
-> using categories is very subjective, observer bias - because of the differing interpretation of the meaning of categories
-> content analysis may be cultural bias, written in another langauge
Thematic analysis
- a form of consent analysis whereby the outcome is qualitative
- involved identifying themes, which refers to an idea that is implicit or explicit that is recurrent
- report will be written up referring to these themes and quoting specific evidence from the samples used
Strengths of thematic analysis
-> provides researchers with flexibility in the way that they approach data
-> uses a subjective approach so that the researcher can apply a range of theories to it
Limitation of thematic analysis
-> researcher bias can happen as the researcher has to interpret the data
-> it may lack validity as the data has not been collected under controlled conditioned
-> very time consuming
