Research Methods

Question 1

define experimental methods and types

Answer 1

manipulation of IV to have an effect on the DV which is measured

natural
field
laboratory
Quasi

Question 2

hypothesis

Answer 2

directional - states direction/relationship

• IV operationalized
  -DV operationalized
  -Direction
  eg: particiapnts who attened a revision session will have a highre test score than those who dont attend a session

a hypothesis should be non directional if there
* no previous research
* inconsistent findings

Question 3

Define a Quasi experiment

Answer 3

An experiment where the IV has not been determined by the researcher instead it naturally exists
* gender
* age
* height

A memory task with a group of clinically depressed participants compared to a control group of non-depressed participants

Question 4

evaluation of Quasi experiments

Answer 4

**strenght: **
controlled conditions = replicable + high internal validity

**Weaknesses: **
cannot randomly allocate participants to conditions so there may be cofounding variables = harder to conclude cause and effect

Question 5

define a natural experiment

Answer 5

IV is not manipulated by the experimenter and is naturally occuring
* reaction to earthquakes
* Rutters adoption study - adopt at 6 months or not

Question 6

evaluation of natural experiment

Answer 6

strenght:
* high external validity as are invesitgating real life issues
* provides opportunity for research that would else be impossible- due to ethics eg

Weaknesses:
* naturally occuring events may be rare so may not be replicable = hard to generalise findings

Question 7

define a field experiment

Answer 7

conducted in a natural setting where variables are manipualted and controlled
* Bickman
* classroom where new learning method is tested

Question 8

evaluation of field experiement

Answer 8

strenght
* naturalistic = high ecological validity and applicable to real life
* controlled IV

weakness
* ethical consideration - invasion of privacy and likely to informed consent
* loss of control over extraneous variables = not wholely replicable

Question 9

define laboratory experiment

Answer 9

takes place in environment where variables are highly controlled

Question 10

evaluation of laboratory experiment

Answer 10

strenght:
* high degree of control of all variables = method is replicable

weakness:
* experimenter bias - particiapnts can be infleucned by experimenters expectations
* low ecological valditiy- situation if artificial so not highyl genralisable

Question 11

observation techniques

define a overt + evaluation

Answer 11

participants are being watched and behaviour is being recorded and know they are being watched
* ethically acceptable - can give informed consent
* demand characteristics - more likely to unantural behaviours as participants knwo they are being watched = reduced validity

Question 12

observation technqiues

define covert + evaluate

Answer 12

participants are unaware that they are being watched and behaviour is recorded
* natural behaviour is recorded = high internal valdiity due to less demand characterisitscs
* ethical issues - no informed consent and invasion of privacy

Question 13

define naturalistic observation and evaluate

Answer 13

watching and recording behaviour is setting where it normally takes place
* high ecological valdiity
* high external validity - as it a natural environemnet
* BUT low ecological validity if participants are aware they are being watched
* replication can be difficult
* uncontrolled and cofoudnign variables are present

Question 14

define controlled observation and evaluate

Answer 14

watching and recording behaviour in a structured environement
* researcher is able to focus on particular aspect of behaviour
* there is more contorl over extraneous and cofounding variables
* easy replication

• more likely to observe unatural behaviour as takes place in an unatural environemnt
• low mundane realism and low ecological validty
• demadn characteristic

Question 15

define participant observation and evaluation

Answer 15

the researcher who is observing is part of the participant group
* can be more insightful and increase valdity
* researcher may lose objectivitity as may indeifity with the participants too strongly
* participant behaviour may change if they figure out they are being observed

Question 16

define non participant observation and evaluate

Answer 16

researcher observes from a distance and is not apart of the group
* researcher can be more objective as do not identify as strongly with the group
* open to observer bias
* may loose some valuable insight

Question 17

ev

Question 18

define structured observations and evaluate

Answer 18

researcher quantifies what they are observing using predetermined list of behaviour and sampling methods
* easier as more systematic
* qualitative data is collected which is easy to analyse and compare
* not much depth of detail
* difficukt to achive high inter observer reliability - filling predetermined list is subjective

Question 19

define and evaulate case studies

Answer 19

detailed study into the life of a person = qaulitative data
eg : HM memory - different types of long term memory

• depth insight
• forms basis for future research
• can understand unusal behaviour that otherwise would be unethical or impractical
• not generalisable to wider population
• varaious interviewer biases - social desirability bias and interpretative biasis
• time consuming and difficult to replicate

Question 20

difference between questionaires and interviews

Answer 20

questionaire asses persons thoughts or experiences through a number of different written questions

interviews live encouter with a set of questions is asked by an interviewer to asses their thoughts or experiences

Question 21

define and evaulate open questions

Answer 21

question is phrased so particiapnts is free to answer however they like
collects qaulitative data

• rich is depth and detial
• senstive topics can be elaborated on
  limitation
• different to convert to statisictical data = difficult to analyse

Question 22

define closed questions

Answer 22

questions that restrict to a fixed number of responses
quantitative data
eg: likert scale , rating scales , fixed choice scales

• easy to analyse and compare
  limitation
• lack of depth and detail
• can be limiting which can be frustrating for participants

Question 23

evaulation of questionaires

Answer 23

strenghts:
* cost effective
* gathers large amount of data quickly
* researcher does not need to be present
* analyse is easy
* response can be anonymous

limitation
* difficult to know whether target population it was intended for answered ( online)
* long time to design
* difficult to asses validity as biases such as social desirability bias are presented
* particiapnt bias - age time gender
* response bias - simply agree with questions instead of putting effort into considering answer for each

Question 24

construction of questionaires

Answer 24

• clarity
• avoid overuse of emotive lanaguage, double questions, double neagitve , leading questions
• squencing questions - easy to harder
• filler questions - eliminate demand characterisitics
• pilot study - suitability

Question 25

define and evaulate structured interviews

Answer 25

set of predetermined questions asked strenghts: * standardisation is possivle * easy replicable * can make comparisons between particiapnts limitation: * interviewer bias - bofy langauge , listening skills * socail desirability * not being able to eloborate is frustrating

Question 26

define and evaulate unstructured interviews

Answer 26

no predetermined questions - questions develop as interview goes on stenght: * alot of data = depth and insight limitations * skilled interviewers needed * interviewer bias * social desirabililty * difficult to make comparisons * analysis of data is difficult - irrelevant data