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Psychology - Paper 1 > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an independent variable ?

A

The variable which changes or is manipulated

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2
Q

What is a dependant variable ?

A

The variable that is measured

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3
Q

What does operationalising mean ?

A

To be specific and clear when defining the independent and dependant variable in an experiment, to make it easier to measure

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4
Q

What is a lab experiment ?

A

An experiment conducted in a highly controlled environment where the researcher manipulated the independent variable and measures the effect on the dependant variable

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5
Q

What is a field experiment ?

A

Takes place in a natural environment such as an office or a school where the researcher manipulates the independent variable and measures the effect on the dependant variable

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6
Q

What is a natural experiment ?

A

A naturally occurring IV (event)

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7
Q

What are the strengths of a lab experiment ?

A
  • High level over extraneous variables eg. Light. Cause and effect can be established which increases internal validity
  • High in reliability as the experiment can be easily repeated in the same conditions to check for consistent results
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8
Q

What are weaknesses of a lab experiment ?

A
  • lacks ecological validly as its carried our in an artificial setting. It is difficult to generalise the finding beyond the settings of the study, lowering its external validity.
  • prone to demand characteristics where the participants behaviour changes according to clues given off by the researcher, reducing the internal validity
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9
Q

Strengths of a field experiment ?

A
  • Less prone to demand characteristics. People might not know they are ring watched so are less likely to guess clues given off by the researcher and change their natural behaviour, increasing the internal validity
  • high ecological validity as its based in a Real life setting therefore its easier to generalise the finding beyond the setting of the study, increasing the external validity
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10
Q

Weaknesses of a field experiment ?

A
  • low in reliability as the environment is natural. It is difficult to repeat it with exactly the same conditions to check for consistent results
  • could create an ethical issue with lack of informed consent as people may not be aware they are being studied. If they become aware of this they may become upset and wish to withdraw their data from the research
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11
Q

Strengths of a natural experiment ?

A
  • Provides opportunities for research that may not be undertaken for practical or ethical reasons
  • high ecological validity as the natural experiments are often base in a real life setting. It’s easier to generalise the findings beyond the setting increasing the external validity
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12
Q

Weaknesses of a natural experiment ?

A
  • Naturally occurring event may only happen very rarely which limits the opportunities for research
  • low control ver extraneous variables as natural experiment take place in a natural environment. It is difficult to establish cause and effect between the IV and DV lowering the internal validity
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13
Q

Describe an independent group design experiment

A

Participants take part in one condition only. Each condition has a different group of participants

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14
Q

How do you conduct an independent group design experiment ?

A
  • Participants are recruited
  • They are split into equal sized groups
  • A different group is allocated each condition
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15
Q

What are advantages of an independent group design experiment ?

A
  • No order effects because participants only take part in one condition so they wont get fatigued, bored or better at the task
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16
Q

What are dis-advantages of an independent group design experiment ?

A
  • individual differences may affect the DV as there are separate groups of participants in each condition.
  • more participants are needed as two different groups are required for different conditions
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17
Q

Describe a repeated measures design for an experiment

A

All participants take part in all/both conditions of the experiment

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18
Q

How can you conduct a repeated measure design in an experiment

A
  • participants complet one condition
  • after a specific time lapse they will repeat the other condition
  • the task should be different but matched on difficulty/measuring the same thing
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19
Q

What are advantages of a repeated measure design in an experiment ?

A
  • Requires fewer participants
  • same participants take part in all conditions. The researcher can be more sure that any changes in the DV are due to the IV and not any other variable
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20
Q

What are dis-advantages of a repeated measure design in an experiment ?

A
  • order effects may occur when participants take part in more than one condition
  • increase chances of demand characteristics as participants take part in all conditions
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21
Q

Describe a matched pairs design in an experiment

A

Participants are matched on important characteristic and then each pair is randomly allocated across each condition

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22
Q

How can you conduct a matched pairs design in an experiment ?

A
  • choose a variable to match the participants on
  • test the ppt on this variable before the study
  • match the ppts with the same scores
  • randomly allocate each member of the pair to one condition
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23
Q

What are advantages of matched pairs design in an experiment ?

A
  • reduces individual differences between participants
  • no order affects because ppts only take part in one condition
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24
Q

What are dis-advantages of matched pairs design in an experiment ?

A
  • very time consuming to match up and find similar ppts. You would need a very large pool of people
  • individual differences could not be fully eliminated
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25
Q

How do you find the mean of a set of numbers ?

A

Add all of them together and divide them by the amount of numbers added together

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26
Q

How do you find the mode of a set of numbers ?

A

It is the most common number

27
Q

How do you find the range of a set of numbers ?

A

Subtract the smallest number from the largest number

28
Q

How do you find the median of a set of numbers ?

A

It is the middle value

29
Q

What are investigator effects ?

A

When the researchers behaviours/ characteristics either consciously or unconsciously influences the outcome of the research. For example the researchers gender or tone of voice may influence how the ppt responds

30
Q

How can investigator effects be controlled ?

A
  • train experimenters to use neutral tone of voice
  • ensure the researcher is the same gender as participants
  • use standardised instructions for all participants
31
Q

What are demand characteristics ?

A

Any clues given off by the researcher could lead to the ppts changing their natural behaviour choosing to either help or hinder the researcher

32
Q

How can we controll demand characteristics ?

A

Getting another researcher who does not know the aims to carry out the experiment so they don’t give off any clues to influence to participant

33
Q

What is bias in research ?

A

When the researcher is designing the resources/ experiment or collecting results

34
Q

What methods can we use to control bias in research ?

A

Randomisation
Standardisation

35
Q

How can we control individual differences ?

A

Random allocation

36
Q

How can we control order effects ?

A

Counterbalancing using the ABBA method

37
Q

What is the ABBA method ?

A
  1. Half the ppts complete condition A then B
  2. The other half complete condition B then A
  3. Order effects are balanced
38
Q

What is deception ?

A

When participants are not told the true Aim of the study deliberately to prevent participants from showing demand characteristics

39
Q

What is informed consent ?

A

Where ppts give permission to take part in the study after being informed of the true aims of the research

40
Q

What is protection of participants ?

A

Ppts should be protected psychologically and physically

41
Q

What is confidentiality?

A

Ensuring ppts details and data remain anonymous so they cannot be identifies in the research

42
Q

What is a controlled observation ?

A

The conditions are manipulated by the researcher. It may be carried out in a laboratory eg. Ainsworth

43
Q

What are strengths of a controlled observation ?

A

High in reliability and can be easily checked for consistent results

44
Q

What are disadvantages of a controlled observation ?

A

Low in ecological validity
Prone to demand characteristics

45
Q

What is a neutralistic observation ?

A

Watching natural behaviour in a natural environment where the target behaviour would normally occur. No intervention of manipulation of behaviour eg. Aggression in the playground

46
Q

What are the advantages of a neutralistic observation ?

A

Less prone to demand characteristics
High ecological validity

47
Q

What are the dis-advantages of a neutralistic observation ?

A

Low in reliability (unable to repeat the observation for consistent results)
Ethical issues (lack on informed consent)

48
Q

What is an overt observation ?

A

Ppts are aware their behaviour is being observed, so will be aware of the purpose of the research and the observer is clearly visible to the ppt

49
Q

What are advantages of an overt observation ?

A

Ethically appropriate

50
Q

What are dis-advantages of an overt observation ?

A

Prone to demand characteristic (reduces internal validity)

51
Q

What is a covert observation ?

A

Ppts are not aware they are being observed
It can be done with an observer being hidden, use of secret cameras or from behind a two way mirror

52
Q

What are advantages of a covert observation ?

A

Less prone to demand characteristics (increases internal validity)

53
Q

What are dis-advantages of a covert observation ?

A

Prone to ethical issues

54
Q

What is a participant observation ?

A

The researcher is involves with the group
Data is collected while being a part of a group

55
Q

What are advantages of a participant observation ?

A

Researcher can gain in depth understanding of the groups behaviour

56
Q

What are dis-advantages of a participant observation ?

A

Increase chance of researcher. The researchers own behaviours and thoughts may impact the observation lowering the internal validity

57
Q

What is a non-participant observation ?

A

The researcher is not involved with the group
Data s collected form a distance eg. A camera

58
Q

What are advantages of a non-participant design ?

A

Reduced change of the researcher being bias (increases internal validity)

59
Q

What are dis-advantages of a non-participant design ?

A

Observer is less likely to gain an in depth understanding of the groups bahaviour (lowers internal validity)

60
Q

What are questionnaires ?

A

Asking a large sample of people for information on a specific topic

61
Q

What is qualitative data ?

A

Expressed in words

62
Q

What is quantitative data ?

A

Data that is expressed numerically

63
Q

What is primary data ?

A

Gathered directly form the participants themselves. Specific to the aim of the study

64
Q

What is secondary data ?

A

Previously been collected by a third part. Not specifically for the aim of the study

Psychology - Paper 1 (4 decks)

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