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Aqa A-level Psychology > Research methods > Flashcards

Research methods Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an independent variable?

A

A variable a researcher manipulates (changes).

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2
Q

What is a dependent variable?

A

a variable a researcher measures

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3
Q

Define operationalisation.

A

it is when variables are clearly specified to make them precise. e.g. aggression is too vague to could be operationalised by counting the number of times a person punches another person.

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4
Q

Why is operationalisation important?

A

It ensures the research is objective, and also assesses the replicability of the findings.

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5
Q

What is an extraneous variable

A

It is any variable other than the IV that could affect the DV e.g. if participants had less sleep at night.

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6
Q

What is a confounding variable

A

A variable that varies with the IV and effect the DV. e.g. age

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7
Q

Why is it important to control extraneous variables

A

To prevent them from affecting the results. This would prevent the researcher from being able to establish cause and effect.

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8
Q

What is the purpose of counterbalancing

A

Used in repeated measure design to equally distribute the impact of order effects across conditions

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9
Q

What is the purpose of random allocation.

A

Ensure each participant has an equal chance of being placed into each condition. It also removes researcher bias.

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10
Q

What is the purpose of randomisation

A

Helps to reduce any predictable order in the presentation of stimuli. It therefore reduces the possibility that one condition will be easier than another

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10
Q

What is the purpose of standardisation

A

Ensure all participants have the same experience.

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11
Q

What is the procedure of counterbalancing

A
  1. Participants are grouped
  2. One group complete condition A first then condition B
  3. The other group complete condition B then condition A
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12
Q

What is the procedure of random allocation

A
  1. All participants names are written on a sperate piece of paper
  2. They are then placed in a hat and shuffled
  3. The researcher blindly picks out who will be assigned to the first condition
  4. The next name is then assigned to the second condition etc.
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13
Q

Discuss the procedure of randomisation

A
  1. All stimuli are printed on separate pieces of paper and placed into a hat
  2. The researcher then shuffles the hat and blindly picks out a stimuli one at a time
  3. The order it is pulled out is the order the stimuli’s are presented
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14
Q

Discuss the procedure of standardisation

A

Keeping same task, researcher, instructions etc.

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15
Q

What are the experimental designs

A

Independent groups design, Repeated measures design, Matched pairs design

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16
Q

Describe the procedure of a matched pairs design

A

Obtain a large enough sample, match participants on variables that could effect the DV, randomly allocate each member of a matched pair to a condition, place 2 names from a matched pair into a hat, the first name would go to condition A and the second name would go to condition B. Repeat this for all matched pairs

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17
Q

What experiments does the experimenter manipulate the IV

A

Lab and Field experiments

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18
Q

What experiments does the experimenter not manipulate the IV

A

Natural and Quasi experiment

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19
Q

What is an Aim

A

A statement about the purpose of the study i.e. what it it aiming to investigate

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20
Q

What is a hypothesis

A

A precise and testable prediction about the expected outcome of a study

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21
Q

What is the difference between a directional hypothesis and a non directional hypothesis

A

In a directional hypothesis there will be a difference or relationship and states the direction . In a non directional they know there will be a difference or relationship but doesn’t state the direction

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22
Q

When are directional hypothesis and no directional hypothesis used

A

Directional is used when there is previous research and non directional is used when there is no previous research

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23
Q

What are behavioural categories

A

they refer to specific/ operationalised behaviours that represent the general behaviour being observed.

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24
Q

What is event sampling

A

When behavioural categories are recorded every time they happen throughout the entire observational period

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25
Q

What is time sampling and what is the equation to find out the time sample

A

When behavioural categories are recorded at specific time intervals
Total observation time in minutes / number of observations made

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26
Q

What are al the types of observations

A

Naturalistic, controlled, overt, covert, participant and non-participant observations

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27
Q

What is a naturalistic observation

A

It is when the observer watches and records the behaviour of participants in a natural environment where it would usually occur

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28
Q

What is a controlled observation

A

It is when the observer watches and records the behaviour of participants in a highly controlled environment e.g. in an observation room

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29
Q

What is Overt observation

A

It is when the observer is clearly visible. This means that the people being observed are aware they are being observed

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30
Q

What is covert observation

A

It is when the observer is not clearly visible. This means that the people being observed are not aware of being observed.

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31
Q

What is participant observation

A

It is when the observer becomes a member of the group whose behaviour they are watching and recording

32
Q

What is non participant observation

A

The observer watches and records the behaviour from a distance and therefore does not interact with the participants

33
Q

What is the self report method

A

The self report technique involves participants responding to a series of questions. They do this to provide the researcher with details regarding their feelings thoughts or behaviour

34
Q

What is the difference between a structured interview and a non structured interview

A

A structured interview is when the questions asked by the interview are predetermined and in order. A non structured interview is when the interviewer sets the topic but the questions are based off the participants responses

35
Q

What is the difference between open and closed questions in a questionnaire

A

Closed questions refers to questions where participants are limited to chose from options provided by the researcher. On the other hand open questions refers to questions where participants are provided with the opportunity to respond freely

36
Q

What 5 points make up a case study

A
  • Study of one person or a small group
  • carried out in the real world
  • Longitudinal (carried out over a period of time)
  • Conducted by a single researcher
  • Uses a range of methods to collect data eg observations, interviews etc
37
Q

Define reliability

A

Refers to the extent to which results are consistent

38
Q

What does inter-observer reliability test

A

The extent to which multiple observers agree on their tallied recordings

39
Q

How do researchers assess inter observer reliability

A
  1. Two observers watch the same people at the same time but tally their recordings independently
  2. The observers recordings are then correlated on a scattergram to identity if there is a positive correlation
  3. The strength of the correlation is then assessed by calculating a correlation coefficient
  4. A statistical test is used to assess whether the correlation is significant
40
Q

What does test retest reliability test

A

The extent to which the results of a study are consistent when replicated

41
Q

What does test retest reliability test

A

The extent to which the results of a study are consistent when replicated

42
Q

What are the 4 types of validity

A

Ecological, Temporal, Face and concurrent

43
Q

What does Ecological validity test

A

Whether the setting of the research is natural and so likely for ppt to behave naturally

44
Q

What does temporal validity test

A

Whether the findings of previous research would reflect what researchers would find in todays society

45
Q

What does face validity test

A

Checks whether the behaviour being investigated at first sight represents what’s being measured

46
Q

What does concurrent validity test

A

A way of assessing the validity of a new test.

47
Q

How would researchers check for face validity

A

The researcher would ask other researchers whether the specific behaviour is a good representation of what is being measured. If they say yes the research is considered to have face validity.

48
Q

How would researchers check for concurrent validity.

A

The researcher instructs the participants to complete both the new test and already existing test that measures the same thing. Then the data from the new test would be correlated on a scattergram to see if there is a positive correlation. A correlation coefficient would also be calculated to identify whether the correlation is strong for eg 0.8. The researcher would then use a statistical test to assess whether the correlation is significant.

49
Q

What is the difference between a population and a sample

A

A population is the people the researcher is intrested in investigating and a sample is a group of people drawn from the population who take part in the research.

50
Q

What are the 5 sampling techniques

A

Stratified, systematic, random, opportunity and volunteer

51
Q

How is stratified sampling carried out

A
  1. identify the strata
  2. Calculate the proportion of the strata
  3. Calculate how many people for each starts
  4. Randomly select people using the hat method
52
Q

How is systematic sampling carried out

A
  1. Get every participants name in the population
  2. Put the names in a randomly ordered list
  3. Calc the nth term
  4. Work through the list selecting every nth number
53
Q

How is random sampling carried out

A
  1. Write the names of the people in the population on a separate piece of paper
  2. Without looking pick them out the number needed for this study
54
Q

How is opportunity sampling carried out?

A
  1. Researcher goes to a place they can find people in the population
  2. Researcher approaches people and asks them participate
  3. Those who agree are in the study
55
Q

How is volunteer sampling carried out

A
  1. Researchers advertise their study with their contact details in a place their population are gonna see it
  2. Participants respond to the ad
  3. Those who volunteered take part
56
Q

What is the role of the british psychological society’s code of ethics

A

Outlines ethical guidelines that researchers must follow when designing and conducting research

57
Q

What are the ethical guidelines (5)

A

Informed consent, deception, Confidentiality, Debrief, right to withdrawl, protection from harm

58
Q

What is a pilot study

A

When a researcher conducts a small scale investigation with a few participants before the full scale research takes place

59
Q

What’s the purpose of conducting a pilot study

A

Pilot studies allow researchers to check procedures of their investigation and ask a few ppt about their experience. Helps them avoid wasting time and money

60
Q

What is quantitative data

A

numerical data

61
Q

What is qualitative

A

descriptive data

62
Q

What is primary data

A

data collected directly from the pptfor the purpose of the study

63
Q

What is secondary data

A

data collected from a pre existing source that was not initially collected for the purpose of the current study

64
Q

Is meta analysis primary data or secondary data. Explain what it is

A

It is a form of secondary data. Refers to when other researchers findings from a series of studies are collected and analysed for an overall result

65
Q

What is nominal data

A

nominal data is categorical data

66
Q

What is ordinal data

A

Data that is ranked in order on any
non-standardised scale

67
Q

What is interval data

A

data which is measured along a pre existing standardised scale with equal intervals

68
Q

What are the measures of central tendency

A

Mean mode and median

69
Q

What are the measures of dispersion

A

Range and standard deviation

70
Q

When is standard deviation used

A

used when examining how clustered the data is around the mean. the higher the sd the less clustered the data is around the mean

71
Q

What are the 3 types of distribution

A

normal, positively skewed and negatively skewed

72
Q

What is normal distribution

A

it is when the spread of the data is symmetrical.
mosf scores fall in the middle
the mean median and mode are the same or very similar

73
Q

What is positively skewed distribution

A

The spread of data is not symmetrical and skews to the right
majority of the scores are at the lower end of the data set
mode > median > mean (mean is the highest)

74
Q

What is negatively skewed distribution

A

The spread of data is not symmetrical and data skews to the left
The majority of the scores are at the higher end
Mean < median < mode (mean is the lowest figure )

75
Q

When are tables used

A

used to display raw data, totals or descriptive statistics

76
Q

When are scattergrams used

A

used for correlational research and shows the relationship betweeen two co variables . data must be continuous

77
Q

When are bar charts used

A

used to make comparisons and are therefore appropriate for experimental research.

78
Q

When are histograms used

A

used to examine the frequency of scores in a continuous data set

Aqa A-level Psychology (2 decks)

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