research methods Flashcards

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1
Q

what is the investigator effect

A

researcher bias when a researcher somehow influences the outcome of research

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2
Q

what is social desirablility

A

occurs whena ppt changes their behaviour or answers in order to look good

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3
Q

what are demand characteristics

A

ppt changing their behaviour due to a subtle cue that makes them aware of what the experimenter wants that changes the outcome of the results

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4
Q

what are order effects and how can you control them

A

occur often when a ppt is asked to do a task more than once and creates fatigue or boredom

it can be counterbalanced which is when you change the order of the tasks purposefully like planning it ABBA or by randomisation when the tasks are decided randomly e.g flipping a coin

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5
Q

how can you have control over situational factors

A

standardisation by keeping everything the same for all ppt

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6
Q

what is reliability

A

how consistent results of the test/ procedure are

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7
Q

what is inter-rater reliablility

A

consistency of measurement between different observers and it must be at least 80% concordance rate

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8
Q

what is validity

A

when measurements and findings are accurate

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9
Q

what are the 5 types of validity

A

face validity- does it make common sense

predicative validity- predicting future performance

concurrent validity- compares 2 methods of testing too see if they are similiar

ecological validity- can they be generalised to real life situations

temporal validity- are the results still valid or are they outdated

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10
Q

what is a situational variable

A

outside influences on the experiment like weather and time of the day

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11
Q

what are the six ethical guidelines

A

informed consent- consent must be given and it must be informed

deception- should be avoided when possible or be revealed

protection from harm- primary responsibility is to protect ppts

confidentiality- answers are treated in confidence adn participants must be kept anonymous in publishing

debrief- telling ppts all of the info after the investigation

right to withdraw- ppts have the right to withdraw at any time and they should know it

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12
Q

what are the 4 implications of psychological research for the economy

A

memory research: researh showing the cognitive interview improves accuracy of EWT enables better use of police and resources

forensic psychology: effective treatments and costs of them

psychopathology reseach- helps people get back to work and be an effective part of society contributing to the economy

attatchment research- the idea of monotropy causing women to quit their jobs and stay at home

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13
Q

what are the types of hypothesis

A

one tailed and two tailed
one tailed- predicts direction change is expected to occur
two-tailed predicts there will be change but doesnt imply any direction

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14
Q

what do correlations show and evaluate how useful they are

A

show us the relationship between 2 variables

+ quick and easy
+ useful starting point for reseacrh

  • dont tell us the cause of changes
  • validity is vunerable is method of measurement is floored
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15
Q

what is ordinal data

A

data put into an order

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16
Q

what is interval data

A

gaps or intervals between a particular feature of the data

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17
Q

what is nominal data

A

data put into categories

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18
Q

what is primary data and evaluate it

A

data collected directly by the researcher

+ accurate
- time consuming

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19
Q

what is secondary data and evaluate it

A

data that already exists and is then analysed by the researcher

+ easier
- less accurate

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20
Q

what is a type 1 error

A

a false positive
when you reject the null hypothesis when you shouldn’t

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21
Q

what is a type 2 error

A

false negative
when you accept the null hypothesis when you shouldn’t

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22
Q

what is the mean and evaluate it

A

finding the average of all the data

+ sensitive
+ includes all data
+ general impression given

  • suceptimal to anomolies
  • may not be representative
23
Q

what is the median and evaluate it

A

the middle value of the data

+ ignores anomalies
+representative
+ focus on the middle value

  • doesnt include all the data
  • anomalies can be important for us to know about
24
Q

what is the mode and evaluate it

A

the most common value in the data

+ easy to calculate
+ useful in nominal data

  • less accurate
  • simplistic
  • multiple modes can distort data
  • there may not be a mode
25
Q

what is standard deviation

A

a measurement of dispersion and tells us how far on average each score is from the mean

26
Q

what criterias does the gaussian curve have

A
  1. bell shaped
  2. doesnt touvh the x axis
  3. symmetrical
  4. mean, median adn mode all fall on the same point
27
Q

what is a self report study and what are the two forms

A

asking participants q’s
1. questionaire
2. interview

28
Q

evaluate questionaires

A

+ quick and easy
+ large scale of people can do it

  • low validity
  • social desirablility and demand characteristics
29
Q

evaluate interviews

A

+ can build report
+ elaborate on q’s and be specific

  • time consuming
  • investigator effect
30
Q

what are the four types of q’s

A
  1. open: allow ppts to elaborate and generate qualitive data
  2. closed: force ppt to choose an option and gives quantitative data
  3. contingent: depend on the answer on the preceding question
  4. likert scaling: assesing strength of an opinion
31
Q

what is a peer review

A

the evalaution of work by someone of a similar competance to maintain standards

32
Q

evaluate peer review

A
  • reviewers are anonymous so they can be unfair in critisism wihtout consequences
  • only publish stat. significant findings
    + maintains standards and quality
    + provides credibility
33
Q

what is a ppt observation and evaluate

A

researcher is part of the action they are observing

+ more natural
+ less chance of missing things

  • researcher bias
  • difficult to take notes and see everything at the same time
34
Q

what is a covert observation and evaluate

A

ppts are unaware they are being observed

+ reduces demand characteristics
- unethical

35
Q

what is an overt observation and eval

A

ppts are aware they are being observed

+ ethical
- demand characteristics

36
Q

what is an unstructured observation and evaluate

A

reseacher records all of the actions, both qualitative and quantitative data is produced and there are two observers seeking inter-rated reliability of 80% concordance

+ produces both tyes of data
+ records everything
- difficult to accurately record everything
- observers must be trained and get 80% concordance

37
Q

what is a structured observation and evaluate

A

researcher decides a checklist in advance that they are lookign for and generates quantitative data

+ get quantitative data
+ easier to record ans standardize
- difficult to make consistent judgements of what qualifies as a certain behaviour
- researcher bias
- miss behaviours not list

38
Q

what are the 5 types of observations

A
  1. structured
  2. unstructured
  3. overt
  4. covert
  5. participant
39
Q

what is opportunity sampling and evaluate

A

involves selecting anyone who is available from the target pop.

+ quick and easy
- researcher bias
- not representative

40
Q

what is random sampling and evaluate

A

all members of the target pop must stand an equal chance of being selected

+ free from researcher bias
+ everyone has an equal chance of being selected
- doesnt guarenteee representative sample
- might not consent anyway
- difficult to access target pop

41
Q

what is systematic sampling and evaluate

A

ppts are selected from a list at fixed intervals

+ no researcher bias
- time consuming
- might not consent anyway

42
Q

what is self selected sampling and evaluate

A

ppt volunteer or passers by who become involved in field studies
+ no consent issues
+ enagement is better
- demand characteristics
- similar personalities with ppt so not representative

43
Q

what is stratified sampling and evaluate

A

target pop is divided into subsets and a random sample is selected from each

+ representative as possible
+ generalisation is more likely
- time consuming
-difficult to manipulate list

44
Q

what is a snowball sample and evaluate

A

used fro target pop that isnt accesable like drug addicts and starts with one person in the hidden pop that passes the survey on to others in the hidden pop

+ representative
+ helps with hidden pop
+ minimal researcher bias

  • difficult to find
    -no control of responses back
    -could potentially endanger ppts
45
Q

what is the matched pairs design and evaluate

A

involves using different but similat ppts in each condition often twins

+ no issues with order effects
+ controls for individual differences
+ able to see personality difference effects as genes are the same

  • harder to find
    -more time consuming and expensive
46
Q

explain independent measures design and evaluate

A

uses different ppts in each condition of the experiment

+ controls order effects
- doesnt control for individual differences
- more people needed so more costly

47
Q

explain repeated measures design and evaluate

A

involves the same ppts in each condition

+ controls for individual differences
+ need fewer ppts so cheaper

  • no control over order effects
48
Q

what are the 3 design types

A
  1. repeated measures
  2. independent measures
  3. matched pairs
49
Q

what are the four type of experiments and explain them

A
  1. lab: controlled environment and controlled variables
  2. field: natural environment and less control of variables
  3. natural: investigating the aftermath of something
  4. quasi: doesnt control the IV and uses natural differences like age
50
Q

evaluate a lab experiment

A

+ complete control over variables
+ forces pace of research
+ reliable
+ quantitative data
+ able to use technical equipment

  • loss of ecological validity
  • demand characteristics
  • sampling bias
  • ethics
51
Q

evaluate field experiments

A

+ more natural so higher ecological validity
+ decrease demand characteristics

  • difficult to control variables
  • cant control the pace of research
  • somtimes difficult to replicate
  • cant use technical equipment
52
Q

evaluate Quasi experiments

A

+ reduce demand characteristics
+ lack of direct intervention

  • loss of control over variables
53
Q

evaluate natural experiments

A

+ have all the data you need
- cant change variables and have no control