Research methods Flashcards
What is a naturalistic observation?
Watching and recording a behaviour in the setting which it would usually occur
What is a controlled observation?
Watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment
What is a covert observation?
Participants behaviour is watched and recorded without their knowledge or consent
What is an overt observation?
Participants behaviour is watched and recorded with their knowledge and consent
What is a participant observation?
The researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour is being watched
What is a non participant observation?
The researcher remains outside the group whose behaviour is being watched
Strength/weakness of Naturalistic observation
High external validity
Replication difficult
Strength/weakness of controlled observation
Confounding/extraneous variables controlled
Cannot be applied to life
Strength/weakness of covert observations
High internal validity
Ethics are questioned
Strength/weakness of overt observations
More ethical
Demand characteristics may be an issue
Strength/weakness of participant observations
Strong insight into the situation
May loose objectivity
Strength/weakness of non participant observations
Objective
Loose insights
What is an unstructured observation?
When a researcher writes down everything they see
What is a structured observation
Simplifying target behaviours into behavioural categories
What is a behavioural category
When a target behaviour is broken up into components that are observable and measurable (operationalisation)
What is event sampling?
Counting the number of times a particular event occurs in a target individual or group
What is time sampling?
Recording behaviour withing a pre established time frame
S/W of structured
Quantative data
No depth of data collected
S/W of unstructured
Qualatitve data
Observer bias
S/W of behavioural categories
Structured and objective
Must not require futher interpretation, should not overlap categories
S/W of event sampling
Wont miss behaviours
May overlook important details if complex
S/W of time sampling
Reducing number of observations made
May be unrepresentative
What is an extraneous variable
any variable that may affect the dv if its not controlled
What is a confounding variable
Varies sytematically to the IV, cannot tell if the change is due to the IV
What is randomisation?
The use of chance methods to reduce the researchers unconscious bias when designing an investigation. Controls investigator effects
What is standardisation?
List of exactly what will be done in the study. Non standardised changes do not act as extraneous variables
What is demand characteristics?
Cues from the researcherthat may be interpreted by participants as revealing the purpose. May lead to participants changing behaviour
What are investigator effects?
Any effect of the researchers behaviour on research outcome. May include selection of and interaction with participants.
What is a non directional hypothesis?
Does not state the direction of the difference
What is a directional hypothesis?
States the direction of the difference in the relationship
What is Independent groups design?
Ps in two seperate groups and experience two diff conditions
S/W of independent groups
Order effects not a problem
Lots of time/money as need of more ps
What is a repeated measures design?
All ps take part in both conditions
What is a matched pairs design
Ps paired together based on variables relevant to the experiment, then in seperate groups
What is random allocation
Randomly allocating ps to diff conditions
Even disribution
Used in independant measures
S/w of repeated measures
Participant variables controlled
Demand characteristics
S/W of matched pairs
Order effects/ demand charc
Time consuming and expensive
What is counter balancing
Used in repeated measures, control order effects
ABBA technique
Half ps take part in conditions A-B half B-A
What is nominal data?
Data that is in seperate categories
What is ordinal data
Data with a set order or scale to it (1-10)
What is interval data
Using an ordered scale
What is the mean
Average calculated by adding all values and then dividing by the number of values
What is the meadian
The centeral value when data kis ordered low to high
What is the mode
Most frequently occuring value
What is the range
Spread of scored, biggest take away smallest
