Research Methods

Question 1

What is operationalising?

Answer 1

Clearly defining variable that your manipulating and measuring

Question 2

What’s extraneous variable

Answer 2

Variables other than IV that COULD affect dv

Question 3

What’s standardisation

Answer 3

To control for extraneous variables, psychologists keep everything the same other than the IV

Question 4

What’s standardisation

Answer 4

To control for extraneous variables, psychologists keep everything the same other than the IV

Question 5

What’s confounding variable

Answer 5

DOES affect what your measuring

Question 6

What’s a null hypothesis

Answer 6

Predicts NO difference

Question 7

What’s a experimental hypothesis

Answer 7

Predicts there WILL be a difference

Question 8

Directional hypothesis

Answer 8

Predicts the direction results will go in. So increase or decrease

Question 9

What’s a non directional hypothesis

Answer 9

Predicts no direction for results

Question 10

What’s informed consent?

Answer 10

Participants should know what they’re getting into before doing it.

Question 11

Informed consent

Answer 11

Researchers must attempt to get real consent from participant. This is only possible when they understand what they’re agreeing to,consent for children must be obtained from parents

Question 12

Deception in psychological research

Answer 12

Should be avoided whenever possible. Ps should be informed of purpose of study as soon as possible. Not acceptable if deception cause distress- debriefing

Question 13

Right to withdrawal in psychological research

Answer 13

Ps should be told they have right to withdraw from a study at any point and also their data.

Question 14

Protection from harm psychological research

Answer 14

Ps should be protected from physical and psychological harm. They should not be exposed to any risk that they wouldn’t encounter in everyday life

Question 15

Psychological research privacy

Answer 15

If ps observed in place that isn’t public cam be classed lac of privacy

Question 16

What’s debriefing

Answer 16

Used after study to deal with any deception or psychological harm. Fully inform nature and aim of study, offer counselling

Question 17

What are experimental designs

Answer 17

To find out whether the IV affects the DV,We need a comparison condition. A different level of iv
Experimental design refers to how participants are allocated to used in these conditions.
Types is matched pairs, independent groups and repeated measures

Question 18

Repeated measures designs strengths

Answer 18

Fewer participants needed
No individual difference, Ps variables are controlled as the same participants are used in each condition . This makes the research higher in validity

Question 19

Repeated measures limitations

Answer 19

Order effects - Ps may do better on the second test because of a practice effect, or Ps may do worse on the 2nd test because of being bored with doing the same test again
Demand characteristics. Participants may guess the true aims of the study if they take part in both conditions, lowering the internal validity of the study

Question 20

Independent group design strengths

Answer 20

No order effects influencing the results because a different group of participants are taking part in each condition.
Demand characteristics . They only take part in one condition do less likely to guess aim of study

Question 21

Independent group designs limitations

Answer 21

Amount of participants - researchers meed to recruit more as seperate groups needed for each condition
Individual differences. Ps who occupy different groups are not the same in terms of p variables. These can act as confounding variables reducing the validity of the findings

Question 22

Matched pairs design strengths

Answer 22

More balanced groups ps are pre matched on important traits so participant variables are reduced
Demand characteristics. Participants only take part in 1 condition so they’re far less likely to guess the aim of the research and change their behaviour

Question 23

Matched pairs design limitations

Answer 23

Amount of Ps- researchers need to recruit more ps as a seperate group is needed for each condition.
Time consuming and difficult to achieve. Participants may never be matched exactly

Question 24

when should a hypothesis be non directonal?

Answer 24

when previous research is contradictory [or none?}

Question 25

why might open questions in a questionnaire be better?

Answer 25

open questions might give the researcher detailed insight into reasons for behaviour
open questions could lead to ideas for further investigation

Question 27

What’s a questionnaire

Answer 27

Self report text queue with allows ps to directly provice info about themselves

Question 28

Strength and weakness of questionnaire

Answer 28

Strength
Can be easily distributed to ps. Researchers can obtain large sample of ps and generate a lot of data. Very economic
Standardised questions. Easy to replicate, and researcher can check for reliability.
Limitations
Social desirability bias can reduce validity
Misinterpretation. Ps may not understand the Q and guess what the q means

Question 29

Whats social desirability bias

Answer 29

Respondents give answers to questions they believe will make them look good to others, concealing their true opinions

Question 30

How could we reduce social desirability

Answer 30

Make it anonymous questionnaire

Question 31

Closed questions positive and negative

Answer 31

They produce quantitative data which are easier to analyse
Respondents may be forced to select annswrs that doesn’t represent their real, thought

Question 32

Open questions positive and negative

Answer 32

Can provide unexpected answers and rich detail,allowing researchers to gain new insights
Difficult to analyse bc they produce qualilt8tive data

Question 33

What are interviews

Answer 33

Verbal, face to face
Structured interview - rewritten is which they don’t deviate from. All ps asked same qs
Unstructured interview- interview may have few general questions in mind but there are no set qs
Semi Structured interview- mix between 2. It has pre determined qs. Respondent free to expand on their response. Follow up qs

Question 34

Strengths and limitations of interview

Answer 34

Structured strengths
Quick to conduct. Large sample can be obtained resulting In the findings being more representative
Straight forward and easy to replicate as Standardised qs

Structured weakness
Lack flexibility as new qs can’t be asked during interview
Unstructured strengths
Provide greater flexibility as they allow interviewers to ask follow up qs
Qualitative data bc interviewee can talk in depth about situation
Unstructured weakness
Require lots of skill and specialised training. Can be expensive

Question 35

Describe correlations

Answer 35

Measures relationships between co variables
Can’t establish causation
Eg that one variable caused a change in the other variable

Question 36

Describe experimentsv

Answer 36

Manipulates the iv in order to measure the effect on the dv
Can establish cause and effect
That the iv caused change on DV

Question 37

How’s a correlation coefficient measured and what does it measure

Answer 37

Measured from +1 to -1
The correlation coefficient measures the strength of the relationship between 2 variables

Question 38

Strengths and negatives of correlations

Answer 38

Positive- Quantitive data as numbers. And Allows relationship between 2 existing variables to be examined when a controlled experiment may not be possible due to ethical or practical reasons. Good starting point for further research
Negative
The third variable
Not possible to establish cause and effect between 2 co variables as researcher has no control over variables being measured. . Correlations can be missed