Research methods Flashcards
Independent measures
Two separate groups of participants experience two different conditions of the experiment (one each)
Matched pair
Participants are paired together on a variable scale that are relevant to the experiment (e.g IQ) One takes part in condition 1 and the other takes part in condition 2
Repeated measures
All participants experience both conditions of the experiments. Each participant would first take part in condition A then then condition B
Alternative hypotesis
A testable statement which predicts the independent variable will have an impact on the dependent variable
Null hypothesis
A testable statement which predicts the independent variable will have no impact on the dependent variable
GRAVE
Generalisability
Reliability
Applicability
Validity
Ethics
Case study
An in depth investigation of an individual or small group of people.
Uses a range of research methods which allow detailed data to be collected
Is a case study non-experimental or experimental method
Non-experimental as it does not manipulate an independent variable directy
Examples of ways to research on research methods
Observations, Questionnaires, Medical assessments, Medical history, Interviews, Family/friends
Triangulation
Gathering of data from two or more research methods to draw a more valid conclusion
Also prevents researcher bias
Laboratory experiments
A research method which measures participants performance in two or more conditions. It is a way to determine whether one factor (variable) affects another.
It takes part in a controlled environment
What happens in a lab experiment
The independent variable is manipulated and the dependent variable is measured and all other variables are controlled
Strength and weakness of a laboratory expirement
Strength - It’s a controlled environment so no extranous variables
Weakness - Demand characteristics may show as they know they’ll be tested
Field experiment
An experiment which takes place in a natural environment so it’s not controlled
The researcher manipulates the independent variable and measures the dependent variable
However, there are extraneous variables but not as much as a lab experiment because the environment is more unpredictable
Participants may or may not know they are being studied
Stength and weakness of field experiments
Strength - Have higher mundane realism because they are conducted in naturalistic environment so the behaviour is natural and less demand characteristics
Valid and Reliable
Weakness - Ethical issues like informed consent
Extranous variables so its less reliable
Mundane
Realism. Describes the degree to which the materials and prodedures involved in an experiment are similar to events that occur in the real world like everyday life
Natural experiments
A natural experiment occurs in real life (naturalistic) environment and have a independent variable and dependent variable
The researcher does not manipulate the independent variables it just naturally occurs
They are opportunists so they make a use of unique and naturally occurring situations that would otherwise be difficult or unethical to set up
Strength and weakness of natural experiments
Strength - The environment is real and naturalistic so ecological validilty and no researcher bias
Valid as no demand characteristics
Weakness - Less reliable due to extraneous variables
Quantitative data
+ strenghts and weaknesses
Results that involve numbers and statistics e.g percentages (quantity, numbers)
W - cab be invalid and lack information
S - Quick and easy to get
How are quantitative methods reliable and valid?
The control of experiments, and questions asked in other methods allow eaiser replication so are more likely to find reliable findings
Designed to gather facts and measure behaviour that can be applied to a target population so that the data is generalisable to others (external validity)
Also avoid researcher bias
Qualitative data
+ strenghts and weaknesses
Results involve description, pictures and detail
W - can be time consuming
S - can be really valid
How are Qualitative methods not valid and reliable?
They are more explatory and designed to understand participants perspective so not easy to replicate
Researchers can become very involved in the investigation and close to their participants, which can result in researcher bias so lowers validity
Quantitative methods
You can gather data by survey, lab experiment and questionaire
Use large samples to find behaviour patterns
Designed to test a hypothesis
Qualitative methods
You can gather data by interview, case studies and case history
Tend not to test hypothesis
Primary data
Results collected directly for a specific research purpose (aim)
Secondary data
Using results that were gathtered previously, often for a different purpose
Demand characteristics
Type of situational variable where participants guess, or know the aims of the study and so behave differently
Reasearcher bias
A type of extraneous variable where the person doing the research might influence the results of the study because they know the aim and want to try fulfil it
Independent variable
The variable that is manipulated by the researcher
Dependent variable
The variable that is measured by the research
Extranous variable
Any factors that are not the independent variable, but might affect the results of the study if they are not controlled
Participant variable
A type of extranous variable where it is characteristics of individual participants ( age, intelligence, mood)
that might influence the results of the study
Situational variable
A type of extranous variable where it is the characteristics of the environment (noise, temp.) that might influence the results of the study
Observation
Where a reseacher watches or listens to participants engaging in whatever behaviour is being studied in certain situations or environments
Overt
An overt observation is when participants know their being observed and the researcher is visible to them
Covert
A covert observation is when participants don’t know they are being observed and the researcher hidden
Strength and weaknesses of observations
Strength - Participants may not know the reaseacher so less demand characteristics so more valid
Weakness - Unethical and observer bias ( see what they want). Also won’t detect all behaviours so cannot determine cause and effect
Interviews
A self report technique and a non experimental method
It gains information directly from participants about their beliefs, opinions and attitudes
It involves asking participants questions and then analysing their answers
A structured interview
An interview with a standarlised list of pre-set questions. An intervire schedule if followed so that participants are asked exactly the same questions in same way and order
A semi-structured interveiw
An interview that is a combination of structured and unstructured. It has pre-set questions that are prepared beforehand, but further questins are developed based on participants response
Doctors call it clinical interview
Unstructured interview
An interview that does not have prepared questions or an interview schedule to follow. New questions are developed during the course of the interview
Strength and Weakness of semi-structured interview
Strength - Has the benifit of asking pre-set questions and giving participants the freedom to answer in their own way so it’s reliable and valid
Weakness - Invalid because interviewers expectations may influence the answers the participants give
Strength and Weakness of unstructured interview
Strength - Allows people to think, feel, believe, their attitudes and opinion which makes it applicable
Weakness - Time consuming when conducting and anaylysing the data. Unreliable as not all participants are asked thr same questions
Strength and Weakness of structured interview
Strength - Easily be replicated because the questions are standarlised and can comapare results, more reliable. It is ethical and avoids interviewer bias
Weakness - Can only access superficial information from participantsdue to the standarlised questions, invalid
Self report
Self report techniques are research method in which participants give information about themselves without reseacher interference
Questionairs
Questionaires is a self report technique that investigates peoples beliefs, opinion, attitudes and optioins first hand towards somethings
Suitible when a large number of people need to be surveyed at once
Open question
+ strength and weaknesses
Give example
Questions that do not have pre-set responses, but allow the respondent to answer freely in their own words using prose
S - More likely to measure participants real view so results may be more valid
W - Produce Qualitative data so difficult to analyse as the data is open to interpretation so is unreliable
How do you feel about animal research?
Closed questions
A question with a limited set of options for respondents to choose from
S - Produce quantative data which is relaitively easy to analyse and is reliable
W - Can’t explain their choices or their choice won’t be there si invalid
Do you like cake? yes or no
Fixed questions
type of closed question
These are questions with a pre-set list of answers that the respodent can choose from
W - Does not measure participants real views
S - Quick
What type of TV shows do you like? - tick all that apply
Likert - type scale
type of closed question
A type of cosed question where participants are asked to judge how much they agree with a statement
