Research methods

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

A statement of a study’s purpose

Question 2

When are aims stated?

Answer 2

Before the research begins - to make it clear what the study intends to hypothesis

Question 3

One-tailed hypothesis

Answer 3

States the direction of a difference or a relationship e.g. more/Less, higher/lower, faster/slower

Question 4

Examples of one tailed hypothesis

Answer 4

People who drink Red Bull become more hyperactive than people who don’t

Question 5

When would you use a one-tailed hypothesis?

Answer 5

When pre-existing research supports aim

Question 6

Two tailed hypothesis

Answer 6

The nature of a difference between conditionals/groups is not specified

Question 7

Example of two tailed hypothesis

Answer 7

There will be a difference in memory recall for chocolate and no chocolate.

Question 8

When would you use a two-tailed hypothesis?

Answer 8

When there is no pre-existing research to support an aim

Question 9

Null hypothesis

Answer 9

When we assume there’s no difference in between variables

Question 10

Null hypothesis key features

Answer 10

We assume there’s no difference in between variables.
Any data collected will either back this assumption or not: If it doesn’t, you reject it and go with your alternative hypothesis

Question 11

Example of null hypothesis

Answer 11

No difference on a person’s memory between eating chocolate and not eating chocolate

Question 12

Operationalisation

Answer 12

How we intend to measure our independent and dependent variables

Question 13

Extraneous variables

Answer 13

Any variables impacting the dependent variables that aren’t independent variables

Question 14

Repeated Measures design

Answer 14

There’s only one group of participants. This group takes part in both conditions

Question 15

When is a repeated measures design used?

Answer 15

Mostly when you have a small number of participants

Question 16

Advantages of repeated measures design

Answer 16

1. No individual differences - the same person does both conditions
2. Less participants are needed

Question 17

Weaknesses of repeated measures design

Answer 17

1. Order effects - either boredom, or practice. Can be helped by counter-balancing.
2. Demand characteristics - participants know what the experimenters are expecting and may perform to meet that expectation

Question 18

Independent Groups Design

Answer 18

There are two separate groups of participants. One group takes part in condition A, the other takes part in condition B.

Question 19

Advantages of experimental design

Answer 19

1. No order effects - only take part in one condition - so don’t get bored or practiced
2. Fewer demand characteristics - participants may only know their condition

Question 20

Disadvantages of experimental design

Answer 20

1. Individual differences as the people taking part in each condition are different - one group might simply be better at that task.
2. More participants are needed

Question 21

Matched pairs

Answer 21

There are two separate groups, but this time they’re matched into pairs for certain qualities, such as age or intelligence. One of each pair takes part in condition A, the other takes part in condition B.

Question 22

Matched pairs design advantages

Answer 22

1. No order effects
2. Controls for individual differences - can be more sure the IV caused differences in DV rather than big differences between the 2 groups

Question 23

Matched pairs design disadvantages

Answer 23

Can be difficult to make perfect matches and is costly on money and time

Question 24

Counterbalancing

Answer 24

Half of the participants participate in Condition A before condition B and vice versa - the first and second condition is not the same for every participant

Question 25

Randomisation

Answer 25

Materials presented in a random order to avoid order effects

Question 26

Random allocation

Answer 26

An attempt to control for participant variables in an independent groups design which ensures each participant has the same chance of being in one condition as any other.

Question 27

Standardisation

Answer 27

Using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for all participants in a research study

Question 28

Disadvantages of Hawthorne effect

Answer 28

Results are artificially high: invalid conclusions
If participants are uninterested - opposite occurs(screw you)

Question 29

Laboratory experiment nature and use

Answer 29

Controlled artificial environment
Independent variable is manipulated

Question 30

Lab experiment advantages

Answer 30

1. Controlled environment:
2. Minimises problems with extraneous variables:
3. High internal validity

Question 31

Lab experiment disadvantages

Answer 31

1. Artificial environment(low mundane realism)
2. Demand characteristics - participant behaves differently to normal or may be affected by the environment
3. Low external validity - lack of generalisability

Question 32

Field experiment nature and use

Answer 32

These take place outside of the lab, in a natural environment, but the basic scientific procedures are still followed as far as possible.
The independent variable is manipulated
The effect of the dependent variable is measured.

Question 33

Example of a field experiment you’ve studied

Answer 33

Bushman/Bickman

Question 34

Field experiments advantages

Answer 34

Less artificial than a lab, but still an experiment(mundane realism)
Avoids participant effects(if not aware of study), therefore it should produce behaviour which is more natural and valid, less demand characteristics

Question 35

Field experiment weaknesses

Answer 35

Extraneous variables are less easy to control, therefore less able to show cause and effect:
Ethical issues - participants unlikely to know they’re being studied

Question 36

Natural experiment nature and use

Answer 36

Natural environment: Independent variable not manipulated taking advantage of a naturally occurring event

Question 37

Natural experiment advantages

Answer 37

High ecological validity - opportunities for research which otherwise might not be available
Enables psychologists to study real problems
Few ethical issues

Question 38

Natural experiments weaknesses

Answer 38

A naturally occurring event may happen very rarely
Many extraneous variables which are a threat to ‘cause-effect’ conclusion
Some bias - participants not randomly allocated to conditions

Question 39

Quasi experiment nature and use

Answer 39

In quasi experiments, the IV is a naturally existing characteristic(e.g. biological sex, eye colour) between people, and has not been changed by anyone or anything.

Question 40

Quasi experiment advantages

Answer 40

Often carried out under laboratory conditions, so therefore high in controls: enables psychologists to study ‘real’ problems

Question 41

Disadvantages of quasi experiments

Answer 41

Like natural experiments, participants cannot be randomly allocated to conditions, therefore they may be confounding variables:
This means we cannot establish cause and effect