Research Methods Flashcards
What is an experimental method?
Experimental methods involve the manipulation of an independent variable to measure the effect on the dependant variable.
What is an aim?
A general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate so it is essentially the purpose of the study.
They are developed from theories which are based on research.
eg - To investigate whether drinking energy drinks makes people more talkative.
What is a hypothesis?
A clear, precise and testable statement which shows the relationship between the variables that are being investigated. It is stated at the start of a study.
eg - Drinking energy drinks causes people to become more talkative.
What is a directional hypothesis?
Directional hypothesises are when the researcher makes the difference that is anticipated between conditions clear. This is done by stating the direction of the difference. Therefore, it includes words like more or less and higher or lower.
eg - People who drink energy drinks are more talkative than people who don’t.
When do we use a directional hypothesis?
Psychologists tend to use this when there is past research and when the previous studies suggests a particular outcome.
What is a non-directional hypothesis?
Non-directional hypothesises are when the researcher states the difference between conditions but doesn’t state the direction.
eg - People who drink energy drinks differ in terms of talkativeness to people who don’t
When do we use a non-directional hypothesis?
Psychologists tend to use this when there is no past research or when findings from previous studies are contradictory.
What are variables?
Anything that can vary or change within an investigation. They generally determine if changes in one thing result in changes to another.
What is an independent variable?
Some aspect of the experimental situation that is manipulated by the researcher or that changes naturally so that the effect on the dependant variable can be measured.
What is a dependant variable?
It is what the researcher measures. Any effect on the dependant variable should be caused by the change in the independent variable.
What should happen to other variables in an experiment?
There are other variables can also affect the dependant variable so they most remain constant to prevent them from interfering. This allows the researcher to be confident that the effect on the DV was caused by the IV only.
What do we need to test the effect of the IV?
Different experimental conditions are needed in order to make a comparison.
What are the two levels of the IV?
- Control condition
- Experimental condition
What is operationalisation?
Clearly defining variables in terms of how they can be measured.
What is an extraneous variable?
Any variable other than the IV that may have an effect on the dependant variable if it is not controlled. They are essentially nuisance variables that do not vary systematically with the IV.
An example is age.
Many EV’s are straightforward to control so they just muddy the experiment. However, they don’t confound the findings but make it harder to detect a result.
What should happen to extraneous variables?
They should be identified at the start of the study by the researcher. Then they should either be controlled or removed to minimise their influence.
What are confounding variables?
Any variable other than the IV that may have affected the DV, so we can’t be sure of the true source of changes to the DV. These vary systematically with the IV.
An example is personality.
What are demand characteristics?
Any cue from the researcher or the research situation that may be interpreted by participants as revealing the purpose of the investigation. This may lead to a change in behaviour where participants either over-perform to impress the researcher or under perform to sabotage the experiment.
Why do demand characteristics occur?
Participants aren’t passive in experiments and are likely to spend time trying to understand and figure out the situation. This may lead to participant reactivity, which is very hard to control.
What is participant reactivity?
Participant reactivity is when behaviours and reactions are impacted by participants’ knowledge that they are part of a study. This is similar to social desirability bias in that when participants are being watched, they want to act their best for the researcher.
What leads to investigator effects?
Participant reactivity.
What are investigator effects?
Any unwanted effects of the investigators behaviour, which can be conscious or unconscious, that impacts the DV.
eg - design of the study, selection of/ interaction with participants during research process
What can we use to minimise the effect of extraneous variables?
Randomisation
What is randomisation?
The use of chance in order to control the effects of bias when designing materials and deciding the order of conditions.
What is randomisation an alternative to?
Counterbalancing
What is standardisation?
Standardisation is using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for all participants in a research study. This includes standardised instructions.
Standardisation means that non-standardised changes in procedure don’t act as extraneous variables.
What are experimental designs?
The different ways in which the testing of participants can be organised in relation to the experimental conditions.
