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PSYCHOLOGY > RESEARCH METHODS. > Flashcards

RESEARCH METHODS. Flashcards

1
Q

What is an extraneous variable?

A

Something that may impact the experiment but is not supposed to.

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2
Q

What is an aim?

A

A general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate. The purpose of the study.

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3
Q

What is a hypothesis?

A

A testable statement that states the relationship between the variables to be investigated.

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4
Q

What is operationalisation?

A

Explaining precisely how IV can be manipulated and how DV can be measured.

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5
Q

What are the 4 types of experiments?

A

Lab, field, natural, quasi.

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6
Q

What is a lab experiment?

A

High levels of control.
Artificial environment.
IV created by the researcher.
IV manipulated to measure its effect on the DV.

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7
Q

Strength of lab experiments:

A

P= high levels of control.
E= can control extraneous variables.
E= increases validity.

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8
Q

Weaknesses of lab experiments:

A

P= artificial environment.
E= cannot be applied to everyday life. Behaviour may be unnatural.
E= decreases ecological validity.

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9
Q

What is a field experiment:

A

Real life environment.
Limited level of control.
IV is still manipulated to observe effects on DV.

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10
Q

Strengths of field experiments:

A

P= behaviour is more natural as they will show more natural behaviour than in a lab.
E= findings and conclusions can be applied to everyday life.
E= higher ecological validity than a lab.

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11
Q

Weaknesses of field experiments:

A

P= lower levels of control compared to lab experiments. Cannot control all variables.
E= means we cannot establish a standardised procedure and repeat to see consistent findings.
E= decreases reliability.

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12
Q

What are natural experiments?

A

If occurs naturally and is out of control of the researcher.
Limited control.
Conducted in a natural environment.

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13
Q

Strengths of natural experiments:

A

P= takes place in a natural setting, can be applied to everyday life.
E= familiar surroundings- show natural behaviour and reflective of everyday life.
E= increases ecological validity.

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14
Q

Weaknesses of natural experiments:

A

P= lack of control maenads we cannot control all variables.
E= means we cannot establish a standardised procedure and repeat to see if the findings are consistent or not.
E= decreases reliability.

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15
Q

What are quasi experiments?

A

Type of natural experiment where the researcher has no control over the IV.
IV is based on existing differences between participants.

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16
Q

Strengths of quasi experiments:

A

P= allows the researcher to investigate variables that would be unethical to manipulate directly.
E= investigate the effects without causing harm.
E= reduces ethical issues.

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17
Q

Weaknesses of quasi experiments:

A

P= the cause and effect relationship between the IV and DV is weakened.
E=

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18
Q

What is reliability?

A

How consistent findings of an experiment are.

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19
Q

What are the 3 experimental designs?

A
  1. Independent group.
  2. Repeated measures.
  3. Matched pairs design.
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20
Q

What are Independent groups designs?

A

Participants are divided into two groups
Each group participates in one condition of the experiment.

21
Q

Strength of independent groups:

A

P= only partake in one condition- no order effects.
E= performance will not decrease as they wont become bored or fatigued.
E= increased validity in the results.

22
Q

Weaknesses of independent groups:

A

P= participant variables that affect the results.
E= 2 groups are being compared and open might be better than the other.
E= Decreases the validity. Factors such as gender and IQ should be taken into account.

23
Q

What are repeated measures?

A

Participants are all in one group.
Same group takes part in all conditions of the experiment.

24
Q

Strength of repeated measures:

A

P= no participant variables that affect the results.
E= this i is because- only one group of participants so one group wont be better than the other.
E= increases validity.

25
Q

Weaknesses of repeated measures:

A

P= order effects.
E= performance in the second condition may be worse due to boredom or fatigue.
E= decreases validity.

26
Q

What are matched pair designs?

A

Participants are tested on a trait. (E.g depression)
Others with similar scores from the test are paired up.
One participant is allocated to condition 1 and other is condition 2.
Each participant only completes one condition of the experiment.

27
Q

Strengths of matched pairs:

A

P= only partake in one condition- no order effects.
E= participants performance in the second condition will not be worse as there is no boredom or fatigue.
E= increased validity- order effects will not impact participants performance.

28
Q

Weaknesses of matched pairs:

A

P= matching is difficult.
E= it is time consuming.
E= cannot address all participant variables.

29
Q

What is counterbalancing? (Method of control)

A

One group will do condition 1 then condition 2 and the other group will do condition 2 then condition 1. This balances out the order effects between both conditions.

30
Q

How do you do random allocation? (Method of control)

A

Put names into a hat, and randomly pick.

31
Q

Why do we do standardisation? (Method of control)

A

To ensure that one condition doesn’t have an unfair advantage.

32
Q

What are investigator effects?

A

When the investigator knowingly/ unknowingly demonstrates behaviour that influences the behaviour of participants.
Can be eye contact, voice, etc.

33
Q

What are pilot studies and why do they help?

A

A small scale trail run using participants from the target population.
Help= aims to improve the quality of the research.

34
Q

What is deception?

A

When participants have been deliberately misled about aspects of the method.

35
Q

How can deception be dealt with?

A

After the study, the researcher should debrief the participants.
The researcher outlines the aims of what they just took part in.
They are given the chance to withdraw.
All their data collected must be deleted.

36
Q

What is informed consent?

A

Ensuring participants have been well informed about the research and given consent to the basis of reasonable knowledge of what the research entails.

37
Q

How do we deal with informed consent?

A

Participants should be given a consent form detailing information about the experiment.
Should be informed about all aspects of the study, then ask if they wish to are part.

38
Q

What is protection from harm?

A

Where participants should leave the experiment in the same state they arrived in. Physically and psychologically.

39
Q

How do we deal with protection from harm?

A

If harm is caused, participants should be offered psychological help.
If they take the offer, the researcher should follow up on them to ensure they have recovered from an harm.

40
Q

What is confidentiality?

A

Participants personal details should be kept confidential and cannot be released to the public under the name of the participant.

41
Q

How to deal with confidentiality:

A

Use initials or number instead of the participants real names.
Refer to them by there numbers.

42
Q

What is the right to withdraw?

A

Where all participants have the right to withdraw at any point.

43
Q

How to deal with the right to withdraw:

A

Remind participants before, during and after the experiment they they can whenever they wish to.
If so, they should be allowed to without the researcher manipulating their decision.

Delete participants data after they leave.

44
Q

What is a directional hypothesis?

A

When the researcher makes it clear what difference is anticipated between the 2 conditions or groups.
(One tailed)

45
Q

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

A

It simply states that there is a difference but not what the difference will be.

46
Q

What is a null hypothesis?

A

Where there will be no relationship between the 2 variables.

47
Q

What are demand characteristics?

A

Any cue from the researcher that can be interpreted by participants.
It can lead them to changing their behaviour.

48
Q

What are order effects?

A

A confounding variable arising from the order which participants take pace in the different conditions. E.g boredom.

PSYCHOLOGY (16 decks)

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