Research Methods

Question 1

What is self selected sampling?

Answer 1

Participants volunteer to be part of the study

Question 2

What is snowball sampling?

Answer 2

One member of the target population is asked to take part then they recruit another until the desired number is reached

Question 3

what is opportunity sampling?

Answer 3

using people who happen to be available at the time and place the study is occuring

Question 4

what is random sampling?

Answer 4

Everyone in the target population has an equal chance of being chosen

Question 5

what is an extranious variable?

Answer 5

Variables other than the dependant variable which could affect the independant variable

Question 6

What are four types of extranious variables?

Answer 6

Participnt variables
Demand characteristics
Experimental bias
Participants variables

Question 7

What is the definition of a lab experiment?

Answer 7

Where the experimentor manipulates one or more independant variables and measures the effects on the dependant variables under controlled conditions

Question 8

what is a strength of a lab experiment?

Answer 8

Precise control of extranious variables
Easy to replicate

Question 9

What is a weakness of a lab experiment?

Answer 9

May produce unnatural behaviour - low ecological validity
Demand characteristics could result in bias

Question 10

Define feild experiment

Answer 10

Experiment that takes place in a natural real life setting

Question 11

What are somme strengths of a feild experiment?

Answer 11

Behaviour is more likely to reflect real life
Demand characteristics are less likely

Question 12

What are some weaknesses of a feild experiment?

Answer 12

Less control over extranious variables which may bias results
Can be unethical if the participant is unaware they are being studied

Question 13

What is a quasi experiment?

Answer 13

An experiment where participants cannot be randomly assigned to the independant variable
EG having autism or being in a natural disaster

Question 14

What are some strenghs of a quasi experiment?

Answer 14

Useful for conducting ethical socially sensitive research or researching rare cases

Question 15

What are some weaknesses of a quasi experiment?

Answer 15

Difficult to replicate
Hard to control participant variables

Question 16

What is Independant measures design?

Answer 16

All participants take part in one condition

Question 17

What is repeated measures design?

Answer 17

All participants take part in all conditions

Question 18

What is matched pairs design?

Answer 18

Every person in one group is paired with a similar person in the other group

Question 19

What are some strengths of an independant measures design?

Answer 19

Demand characteristics are less likely
No chance of order effects eg practice fatigue boredom

Question 20

What are some weaknesses of an independant measures design?

Answer 20

Characteristics such as age and gender could affect the dependant variable
A larger sample is needed so there is a risk of not collecting as much data as with other designs

Question 21

What are some strengths of using repeated measures design?

Answer 21

Reduces the effects of participant variables
Fewer participants are needed so it’s possible to collect more data than with other designs

Question 22

What are some weaknesses of using repeated measures design?

Answer 22

Order effects can be a problem eg practice (being better at condition 2 because they have already done condition 1)
Demand characteristics are more likely

Question 23

What are some strengths of using matched pairs design?

Answer 23

Participant variables are reduced
Demand characteristics are reduced

Question 24

What are some weaknesses of using matched pairs design?

Answer 24

Participant variables are not eliminated
Time consuming to matc participants