research methods

Question 1

what is primary data?

Answer 1

• gathered first hand from a source directly by the researchers
• questionnaires, observations, content analyses and experiments
• data collected is specifically related to the aims / hypotheses of study

Question 2

what study uses primary data?

Answer 2

• Rosenhan 1973

Question 3

what is secondary data?

Answer 3

• already gathered by researchers and used by others for further research

Question 4

meta-analysis and secondary data

Answer 4

• researchers pool data on a particular topic uses secondary data as the data being studied had not been studied first hand

Question 5

relative cost of primary data

Answer 5

• expensive to obtain as each researcher has to start from the beginning of a study finding ppts. , running the study etc.

Question 6

relative cost of secondary data

Answer 6

• cheaper as data already exists

Question 7

validity of primary data

Answer 7

• gathered first hand following careful operationalisation of variables and carefully chosen procedures

Question 8

validity of secondary data

Answer 8

• has been gathered for some other purpose or an unclear purpose has already been analysed bringing subjectivity

Question 9

what are longitudinal designs?

Answer 9

• studies same ppts. over long period of time
• development or time based changes can be seen through patterns in measurements of symptoms expression / severity of disorder at a certain interval over time
• best for seeing how a disorder develops

Question 10

strengths of longitudinal designs

Answer 10

• ppt. variables are controlled for (validity)
• mundane realism (validity)
• useful for studying development of mental illness

Question 11

weaknesses of longitudinal designs

Answer 11

• practical issues
• ethical issues may arise (could be considered intrusive)
• research can become outdated

Question 12

what are cross-sectional studies?

Answer 12

• offers a ‘snapshot’ of behaviour within a population at that specific time
• the sample is studied in a single instance and often involves comparing an individual with an clinical condition against a healthy control

Question 13

what is an example of a cross-sectional study?

Answer 13

Mynard & Joseph (1997) - investigated whether peer victimisation is positively related to psychosocial maladjustment.
- compared psychosocial maladjustment between victims and bullies

Question 14

strengths of cross-sectional studies

Answer 14

• practically more time efficient and cost effective
• more ethical than longitudinal studies (less intrusive)
• high validity

Question 15

weaknesses of cross-sectional studies

Answer 15

• cohort bias
• ppt. variables (lowers validity)
• may not be useful beyond snapshot time

Question 16

what are cross-cultural studies?

Answer 16

• takes samples from different cultural groups and compares to assess similarities and differences
• aims to remove ethnocentric views within psychology
• useful for researching the diagnosis and treatment of mental health patients

Question 17

emic approach

Answer 17

• study a culture from within to find out about cultures and norms

Question 18

etic approach

Answer 18

• study a culture from outside, looking at norms and ideas between them

Question 19

what is an example of a cross-cultural study?

Answer 19

Mandy et al - tested DSM-V’s diagnosis of ASD by comparing 130 young people with ASD and 100 people with the autism phenotype in Finland to 488 young people with ASD to the autism phenotype in the UK
- they found that the DSM-5 fitted well with Finnish ASD but not with the autism phenotype
- fitted for autism phenotype in UK
- therefore may be cultural diff. in the milder autism diagnosis

Question 20

strengths of cross-cultural designs

Answer 20

• allows psychologists to see if behaviours are universal
• enable generalisations between cultures to build on clinical knowledge
• same procedures are replicated across diff. cultures

Question 21

weaknesses of cross-cultural designs

Answer 21

• communication difficulties may arise
• over bias can be a problem
• many research procedures have been developed in the US