Research Methods Flashcards
Face validity
Whether the test appears to measure what it says on the face of it.
Concurrent validity
When scores that have been compiled on a new test are compared to scores from an old test that has established validity
Ecological validity
External validity, extent psychologists can apply findings to everyday life.
Temporal validity
The extent to which findings can be applied across time
Ways to improve internal and external validity.
Internal: standardised procedures, operationalise variables, control group.
External: more natural setting, representative sample.
Empirical method
Scientific knowledge should be based on evidence from experience or measurement.
NOT beliefs, intuition, personal opinion.
Falsifiability
Theory that we should generate hypothesis that can be disproved.
Paradigms
Set of shared assumptions and methods in a particular discipline.
Paradigm shift
Scientists challenging existing paradigm. When this paradigm becomes popular to other scientists it becomes the new paradigm.
Minority-majority
Test-retest reliability
Whether a test conducted on 2 or more different occasions with highly similar conditions gives highly positively correlated results (+0.8)
Inter-observer reliability
Whether 2 observers are consistent in their observations. A correlation coefficient of (+0.8) tells you if observers are observing categories correctly.
Ways of improving reliability
Rephrase questionnaire questions (more closed qs)
Operationalise
Use more structured interviews
Standardised procedures
Pilot study
Case study
Detailed establishment of real life event which doesn’t often occur. Data can be collected on something psychologists know little about. (E.g HM, Phineas Gage, Little Albert).
Case study evaluation
+: Unveils detailed info that would otherwise be unethical to discover.
-: Low external validity as hard to generalise, researcher bias and subjectivity.
Content analysis
Qualitative into quantitative so can analyse trends systematically.
Familiarise, code, review, present patterns/trends
Content analysis evaluation
+: High ecological validity as based on people’s thoughts and actions.
-: Researcher bias (observers might have different interpretations).
-: A cause and effect can’t be established.
Controlled/lab observation
Researchers watch someone in a controlled environment (e.g. lab), used for controlling certain aspects of a situation.
Controlled observation evaluation
+: Extraneous variables are decreased meaning easy to replicate.
-: Lacks external validity as hard to apply to everyday life.
Naturalistic observation
Observation that takes place in the environment the target behaviour would normally occur.
Naturalistic observation evaluation
+: Can be generalised so high external validity.
-: Can be difficult to replicate and there might be response bias.
Covert and overt observations
Covert: behaviour that’s recorded with the participant unaware (undercover).
Overt: Behaviour recorded with the participants knowledge and consent.
Covert observations evaluation
+: Demand characteristics are removed.
-: Ethics of being undercover are questionable as no consent is given.
Participant and non-participant observations.
Ppt: Researcher becomes part of group being studied.
Non-ppt: Researcher remains separate from group being studied.
What is a Questionnaire?
Pre-set of written questions where a self-report technique is used to respond to the questions.
Questionnaires evaluation
+: Cost-effective, can gather data quickly, saves time, stats analysis easy.
-: Not always truthful responses, response bias (e.g. always ticking same box)
What is a structured interview?
Pre-determined set of questions asked in a fixed order. Interviewer is not allowed to deviate from these questions.
Structured interview evaluation
+: Easy to replicate due to standardised nature.
-: Unexpected information gathered is limited, response bias
What is a semi-structured interview?
Falls between structured and unstructured. List of fixed questions but interviewee can ask follow up questions. (e.g. job interview)
Semi-structured interview evaluation
+: More practical, key data isn’t missed, easier to analyse than unstructured.
-: Time-consuming, hard to carry out.
What is an unstructured interview?
Like a conversation as it has no set questions. It is free flowing with the general aim that a certain topic will be discussed.
Unstructured interview evaluation
+: Much more flexible
-: Researcher bias, complex to analyse
What is a correlation and its types?
An association between 2 co-variables. (represented on scattergram)
+ve: When 1 variable increases so does the other.
-ve: When 1 variable increases the other decreases.
No correlation: 0 relationship between 2 variables.
What is a lab experiment?
Experiment in high controlled environment where conditions can be well controlled.
Lab experiments evaluation
+: Replicability, high internal validity
-: Lacks external/ ecological validity
What is a quasi experiment?
Where the IV isn’t manipulated as its already pre-existing. (e.g. age, gender)
Quasi experiment evaluation
+: Can compare different groups of people
-: Cannot randomly allocate to conditions so confounding variables may be a factor.
What is a field experiment?
Researcher goes to the natural environment of where the target behaviour usually takes place to carry out an experiment and see how the IV is manipulated in everyday life.
Field experiment evaluation
+: High external validity as its more natural, valid behaviours.
-: Control over EVs lost, harder to establish cause and effect.
Pilot studies
Small-scale trial run of investigation before the actual investigation.
Pilot study aims
Assess any potential issues (material, procedure) and modify for the real investigation. Ways of looking to improve actual experiment.
Psychological research implications on the economy.
Attachment research has found both parents are capable of providing caring support for child’s upbringing. Means mother can be seen as a higher earner more often.
Development of mental health drugs and therapies (SSRI’s and SD) will aid the economy as mental health is a cause of 1/3 of absences from work.
Informed consent
Letting ppts know research aim, procedure, rights as well as what their data will be used for. Give a consent form to sign.
Debriefing
Ppts should be given a full debrief of the study at the end with any details they didn’t have at the start of the study.
Deception
Misleading or withholding info from ppts at any stage of investigation. Can be justified sometimes.
Protection of ppts
Ppts should be protected from physical and psychological harm.
Right to withdraw
Ppts should have the right to stop the study whenever they want and withdraw their data at the end.
Privacy and confidentiality
Privacy- ppts have the right to control info about them.
Confidentiality- ppts have the right to have any personal data protected.
Behavioural design
Components broken down that can be observed and measured (behaviour checklist).
Event sampling
Counting the number of times a particular event/behaviour occurs in a target.
What is the acronym for: carrots should come mashed with swede under roast potato?
Chi-squared
Sign test
Chi-squared
Mann-Whitney
Wilcoxon
Spearman’s rho
Unrelated t-test
Related t-test
Pearson’s r
