Research methods

Question 1

What is the difference between a Directional Hypothesis and a Non-Directional Hypothesis?

Answer 1

A directional hypothesis predicts the direction of the outcome (Group X will score higher than Group Y)

A non-directional hypothesis predicts a difference but doesn’t predict which way (There will be a difference in the scores of Group X and Group Y)

Question 2

What is a Null Hypothesis?

Answer 2

Predicts there will be no difference between the two conditions.

Question 3

What does Operationalising a hypothesis mean?

Answer 3

Making your hypothesis precise measurable and easily replicable (precise measurements etc.)

Question 4

What is an extraneous variable?

Answer 4

Any variable not being investigated that has the potential to affect the outcome of a research study.

Question 5

What is a confounding variable?

Answer 5

A confounding variable is a type of extraneous variable that not only affects the dependent variable but is also related to the independent variable.

Question 6

What is an independent groups design?

Answer 6

Different participants take part in each condition they are randomly allocated to each condition.

Question 7

What is a repeated measures design?

Answer 7

Where the same people do both conditions. (1/2 do condition A while 1/2 do condition B then swap)

Question 8

What is a match-paired design?

Answer 8

Participants take part in one experimental condition but are recruited for similar specific characteristics.

Question 9

What is a natural experiment?

Answer 9

The researcher has no control over the IV and is natural, the event would have happened had the researcher not been researching it (Investigating the consequences of something e.g. a shooting).

Question 10

What is a Quasi experiment?

Answer 10

The IV is pre-existing and cannot be changed e.g. investigating the effects of age on score on test.

Question 11

What is the difference between a quasi-experiment and a Natural experiment?

Answer 11

A natural experiment is research into a pre-existing event, and a quasi-experiment researches the effect of a pre-existing IV now.

Question 12

Name the 5 types of sampling.

Answer 12

• Random
• Opportunity
• Systematic
• Stratified
• Volunteer

Question 13

Compare Systematic Sampling to Opportunity Sampling.

Answer 13

Systematic- Every Nth person in the target population is selected e.g. every third house on a street.

Opportunity- A sample consisting of who is available and willing to take part at the time.

Question 13

What is Stratified sampling?

Answer 13

A stratified sample requires the researcher to identify strata that make up the group they want to research.

The researcher then must make a sample which represents these strata.

E.g. 12 females to 18 males in a class, must make the sample 60% male to 40% female.

Question 14

What is a controlled observation?

Answer 14

Observing behaviour in a controlled environment for example a lab.

Question 15

What is a Naturalistic observation?

Answer 15

Observing behaviour in a natural setting for example a supermarket.

Question 16

What is inter-observer reliability?

Answer 16

Using 2 or more observers to make sure results are objective, thus increasing the reliability of an observation.

Question 17

What is the difference between event sampling and time sampling?

Answer 17

Event sampling records the number of times a specific action is recorded during a period of time.

On the other hand, time-sampling records what behaviour happened over a specific time period.

Question 18

What is the difference between open and closed questions?

Answer 18

Closed questions have a yes or no answer or a Likert scale, on the other hand, open questions do not have a fixed range of answers allowing the participant to answer as they please.

Question 19

What is the difference between positive and negative correlations?

Answer 19

Positive correlations- as one variable increases or decreases the other does the same.

Negative correlations- as one variable increases the other decreases.

Question 20

What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative data?

Answer 20

Quantitative- Numerical, measurable.

Qualitative- Broader, detailed, rich, in-depth.

Question 21

What is primary and secondary data?

Answer 21

Primary Data is data collected specifically for that study, collected first-hand for the researcher.

Secondary data is pre-existing data the researcher has found e.g. government census information.

Question 22

What is Standard deviation?

Answer 22

Standard deviation is how far away the scores in data are from the mean, the larger the deviation the larger the SD.

Question 23

What is the difference between a bar chart and a histogram?

Answer 23

Bar charts are used when the data is not discrete (related) and the bars do not touch.

Histograms are used when data is discrete (related) and the bars do touch (should be used for things such as test scores) (0-10, 11-20).

Question 24

What is the difference between a double and single-blind experiment?

Answer 24

A single-blind experiment is when participants will not be told the aim of the research but researchers know, this is used to control demand characteristics.

A double-blind experiment is when neither the participants or the researchers know the aim of the research this is used to eliminate demand characteristics and investigator bias, this requires a 3rd party to conduct the experiment.