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A LEVEL PSYCH > Research methods > Flashcards

Research methods Flashcards

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1
Q

what are the 4 types of experiments

A
  • lab
  • field
  • natural
  • quasi
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2
Q

description of lab experiments

A
  • a research method where the experiment manipulates one or more IV
  • measures the effects on the dependent variable, under controlled condition
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3
Q

strengths of lab experiments

A
  • tighter control of variables
  • easy to comment on cause and effect
  • easy to replicate as highly controlled
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4
Q

limitations of lab experiments

A
  • lacks ecological validity
  • demand characteristics might also become a problem
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5
Q

description of field experiment

A
  • a natural setting away from a lab
  • researcher has less control and can only control the environment to some extent
  • collects quantitative data
  • extraneous variables are included in the experiment
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6
Q

strengths of field experiments

A
  • higher ecological validity
  • participants less likely to show demand characteristics
  • high levels of mundane realism
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7
Q

limitations of field experiments

A
  • harder to randomly assign p’s so more likely to be a change
  • hard to control extraneous variables
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8
Q

description of natural experiments

A

the study of a naturally occurring situation as it unfolds in the real world so the researcher does not exert any influence

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9
Q

strengths of a natural experiment

A
  • high ecological validity
  • the IV cannot be manipulated for ethical or practical reasons
  • little bias from sampling or demand characteristics
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10
Q

limitations of natural experiments

A
  • difficult to create cause and effect relationship due to lack of control
  • difficult to replicate
  • many extraneous variables
  • p’s could become aware of the study causing demand characteristics
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11
Q

description of quasi experiment

A
  • research that resembles experimental research but is not true experimental research
  • the IV is manipulated but the p’s are not randomly assigned to conditions or order of conditions
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12
Q

strengths of quasi experiemnts

A
  • high external validity as they involve real-world interventions
  • higher internal validity than other types of non-experimental research as it allows more control over confounding variables
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13
Q

limitations of quasi experiments

A
  • use of retrospective data that has already been collected for other purposes could be inaccurate
  • lower internal validity than true experiments
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14
Q

key point of lab experiments

A

highly controlled conditions

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15
Q

key point of field experiments

A
  • it takes in a real-world setting
  • the experimenter manipulates one or more IV to get a change in DV
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16
Q

key point of natural experiments

A
  • happens without the effect of a researcher
  • ecologically valid
  • many extraneous variables that cannot be controlled
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17
Q

key point of quasi experiments

A
  • it does not rely on random assignment
  • it aims to establish a cause and effect relationship between IV and DV
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18
Q

what is a research aim

A

the stated intention of what questions are planned to be answered

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19
Q

what is an operational definition

A

a description of a variable given in terms of how it is actually measured

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20
Q

what is an experimental hypothesis

A

a statement which makes certain predictions about what results will be during the investigation

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21
Q

what is a null hypothesis

A

a prediction that nothing will happen

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22
Q

what is a one tailed/directional hypothesis

A

when a hypothesis predicts the direction of the results

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23
Q

what is a two-tailed or non-directional hypothesis

A

a hypothesis that does not state a direction but states that there will be a difference between 2 sets of scores

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24
Q

what are extraneous variables

A

all other variables which may affect the results and therefore give us a false set of results - not looking to explain or control they are just part of it

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25
Q

what an confounding variables

A

if extraneous variables are failed to be controlled and they have impacted the results

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26
Q

what is experimental design

A

how participants are allocated to different conditions in an experiment

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27
Q

what is the most common way to design an experiment

A

experimental group and a control group

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28
Q

what are the three types of experimental design

A
  • independent groups
  • repeated measures
  • matched pairs
29
Q

what are independent groups

A

different people in each condition

30
Q

+ves and -ves of independent groups

A

+ demand characteristics of less of a problem
+ order effects are less of a problem
- participant variables

31
Q

what are repeated measures

A

the same people in both conditions

32
Q

+ves and -ves of repeated measures

A

+ participant variables are controlled
- demand characteristics
- order effects (can be controlled by counterbalancing)

33
Q

what are matched pairs

A

different but similar participants in each condition

34
Q

+ves and -ves of matched pairs

A

+ demand characteristics not a problem
+ order effects are not a problem
+ participant variables can be controlled better
- no two participants are exactly the same so always going to be some participant variables

35
Q

what are demand characteristics

A

people change their opinions on what they think people want rather than what they actually think

36
Q

what are order effects

A

keeping the difficulty of the task the same but changing what they are doing

37
Q

what is counterbalancing

A

changing the order of the groups to reduce order effects

38
Q
A
39
Q
A
40
Q

what is the target population

A

a subgroup of the general population

40
Q

what is the population

A

the large group of individuals who the researcher may be studying

41
Q

what is the sample

A

the group of people who take part in the research drawn from the target population and presumed to be representative of the population

42
Q

what happens if the sample is not representative of the population

A

the data is not generalisable

43
Q

why is representation difficult to achieve

A

due to the diverse nature of individuals in a sample so is likely some bias

44
Q

what is a random sample

A

all participants have an equal chance of being selected

45
Q

+s and -s of random sampling

A

+ is free from research bias
- time consuming
- difficult to conduct
- no guarantee it is representative

46
Q

what is systematic sampling

A

every nth member of the target population is selected and a sampling frame is produced

47
Q

+s and -s of systematic sampling

A

+ avoids researcher bias, as once the system has been established the research has no influence
- difficult to achieve
- time consuming
- no guarantee it will representative

48
Q

what is a stratified sample

A

the researcher identifies the different types of people that make up the target population and workout the proportion needed for the sample to be representative

49
Q

+s and -s of a stratified sample

A

+ avoids researcher bias
+ designed to be representative of the population
- stratification is not perfect

50
Q

what is volunteer sampling

A

ps put themselves forward to be part of a sample

51
Q

+s and -s of volunteer sampling

A

+ it is easy and requires minimal input, so is less time-consuming
- volunteer bias

52
Q

what is opportunity sampling

A

people who are available and willing to take part

52
Q

+s and -s of opportunity sampling

A

+ it is quick and easy way of choosing ps
- research bias
- unrepresentative of the target population

53
Q

most to least representative sampling type

A
54
Q

most to least time consuming sampling type

A
54
Q

most to least biased sampling type

A
55
Q

what are the types of observations

A
  • lab
  • natural
  • overt
  • covert
  • participant
  • non-participant
56
Q

what is a lab observation

A

observation carried out in an artificial setting

57
Q

+s and -s of lab observation

A

+ can be replicated as researcher control variables
- low ecological validity
- potential outside influence from researcher
- possibility of demand characteristics

58
Q

what is a natural observation

A

observation carried out in the ps own environment (can be covert or overt)

59
Q

+s and -s of natural observation

A

+ high ecological validity
+ no outside inference
- hard to replicate situation so cannot check reliability

60
Q

what are covert and overt observation

A

overt - ps know they are being watched
covert - ps do not know they are being watched

61
Q

+s and -s of overt observations

A

+ it is possible to inform ps in advance and obtain informed consent
- demand characteristics

62
Q

+s and -s of covert observation

A

+ no problems of demand characteristics
- less ethical as participants cannot give fully informed consent

63
Q

what is participant observation

A

where the researcher becomes involved in the group they are observing

64
Q

+s and -s of participant observation

A

+ researcher can obtain in depth data as they are in close proximity
- the researcher presence might influence the ps behaviour

65
Q

what is non-participant observation

A

where there is no direct contact between the observer and those being observed

66
Q

+s and -s of non-participant observations

A

+ demand characteristics are less likely to occur
- researcher might overlook behaviour due to lack of proximity

A LEVEL PSYCH (20 decks)

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