Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

ALEVEL Psychology Edexcel > ⭐ • Research Methods > Flashcards

⭐ • Research Methods Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® Psychology flashcards Psychology 101 flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

What is Quantitative Data

A

Numerical Data

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the advantages to Quantitative Data?

A
  • Easy to take an analyse as data in numbers so can easily be summarised via statistics
  • Much more objective, no interpretation, no bias possible, high creditability
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the disadvantages to Quantitative Data?

A
  • may not convey participants precise thoughts/ explanation due to fixed & objective answers, therefore low validity as no explanation
  • Oversimplification of human experiences to simple answers can be consdiered reductionist as it reduces human experiences to Quantities
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is Qualatitave Data?

A

Descriptive, explanatory data

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the advantages to Qualitative Data?

A
  • Representable of true human reasoning & complexities as dont reduce to numbers; a hollistic approach
  • Provides detail due to free range to allow participant to explain themsevles verbally or in writing, therefore inc. vailidity
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the disadvantages to Qualitative Data?

A
  • Much harder to detect patterns in data due to large ammount of information gathered, so many words cannot be simplifed into a few numbers - techniques such as Thematic Analysis are required
  • Completely subjective to researcher consequently lowering creditability
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Describe Questionnaires

A
  • When participants record their own individual answers to predetermined questions
  • provided in written form to negative face to face bias/ demand characteristics + to maintain standardisation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the advantages to Questionnaires?

A
  • can easily be repeated e.g. standardisation
  • respondants more willing to reveal personal information due to confidentiality
  • Self-report allows for true records of individuals’ opinions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the disadvantages to Questionnaires?

A
  • People dont always tell the truth can be influenced due to social desirability
  • Literacy dependancy and temporal investment
  • Susceptible to situational influences e.g. if person hungy it may influence results
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are Closed Questions?

A
  • Fixed response questions, a closed set of responses to choose from
  • Commonly answers predetermined e.g. numerical or Yes/No = Closed Questions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What type of data do Closed Questions gather?

A

Qualititative Data

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the advantages to Closed Questions?

A
  • Easy to analyse due to data being numerical e.g. easy to make graphs/ averages
  • Answers very objective so will be interpreted identically by any researcher
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the disadvantages to Closed Questions?

A
  • Doesnt allow for expression of reasoning for answers due to predetermined/ limited answers
  • Oversimplification of human emotions, limiting responses, people may want to answer with an option/ opinion that isn’t present
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are Open Questions?

A

Invites participants to give their own individual answers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What type of data do Open Questions gather?

A

Qualitative Data

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the advantages to Open Questions?

A
  • Provides heavy detail due to freedom to express own opinion, can express what really think rather than being restricted
  • Can provide answers to unexpected theories due to open answer pool, this has 0% chance of happening in closed Qs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the disadvantages to Open Questions?

A
  • Much more difficult to draw conclusions due to wide range of answers
  • Interpreting what others are inferring leads to subjectivity, lowering validity as each researcher may have differing view
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Describe Ranked Scale Questions?

A

A type of closed question where respondants are asked an assessment of their view via placement on a ranked scale e.g. 1-5

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Give two examples of types of Ranked Scale Questions + define them

A
  • Likert Scales - options ranked from 1 - 5
  • Semantic Differentials - scale that uses bipolar/ contrasting adjectives e.g. strong-weak, least likely- most likely
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are the advantages to Ranked Scale Questions?

A
  • objective way to represent feelings and attitudes
  • Produces quantitative data which is easily analysed e.g. graphs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the disadvantages to Ranked Scale Questions?

A
  • Social desirability bias may lead to unjust results/ misleading data & overall a lower validity
  • Participants may want to respond identically to all questions e.g. pressing middle rank in scale each time to be quick and get survey done quickly
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Name all 5 sampling techniques

A
  • random sampling
  • stratified sampling
  • opportunity sampling
  • volunteer sampling
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

List things not to do on a questionnaire

A
  • Make it too long, risking disengagement
  • Having the researcher in close proximity
  • Poorly designed Questions e.g. leading questions, ambiguous questions or repetitive questions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What are Leading Questions?

A
  • Subtly influencing respondant to give certain asnwer via certain phrasings of questions or giving example answers e.g.
  • Do you experience shaking ❎LEADING
  • What do you experience ✅NOT LEADING
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Describe Random Sampling

A
  • When every member of population has equal chance of being selected for the sample
  • can be done via picking names out of a hat or using random number generator
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What are the advantages of Random Sampling?

A
  • Unlikey sample would be biased as sample has no control over who is included
  • All members of population have an equal chance of being chosen
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What are the disadvantages of Random Sampling?

A
  • Time consuming as have to get target pop then identify sample and then contact to ask if willing to take part
  • Once selected participants may not want to actually take part which can turn sample bias
  • Target population may not be represenative e.g. all caucasian
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Describe Stratified Sampling

A
  • Sample is proportional represenation of target population as the population is broken down into smaller groups e.g. gender/ age/ school house
  • Sample is taken from subgroups of target population e.g. if 30% of target pop = male then 30% of sample should be male
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

What are the advantages of Stratified Sampling?

A
  • Can be very represenative of population if done correctly as whole population should be equallty represented as all subgroups represented in proportion to target population
  • Particular subgroups can be chosen by researcher to include, increasing control over extraneous variable
30
Q

What is an extraneous variable?

A

An variable that isnt being investigated but has the possiblity to affect outcome of study

31
Q

What are the disadvantages of Stratified Sampling?

A
  • Time consuming + pnce identifed participants may choose not to take part
  • Descision in what subgroups to include may lead to biased sample, reducing representivity
32
Q

Describe Opportunity Sampling

A

Sample is selected by researcher, sample consists of whomever is readily avainable at the present time e.g. whomever happends to be in cafe when you wan to conduct a questionnaire

33
Q

What are the advantages of Opportunity Sampling?

A
  • Very convinient as sample is just whomever is present
  • Takes little preparation and less time to locate sample
  • May be only method as entire population is unable to be listed
34
Q

What are the disadvantages of Opportunity Sampling?

A
  • Sample tends to be less representative as it was taken from small selection of population
  • People can refuse to take part, demand characteristics can occur
35
Q

Describe Volunteer Sampling

A

Participants put themselves forward for the sample e.g. Milgram’s study with his newspaper advertisement

36
Q

What are the advantages of Volunteer Sampling?

A
  • Participants would be motivated
  • Convinient way to find participants
  • Less likely to drop out of study due to motivation
  • Good way to get particular/ specialised sample e.g. Purposive Sampling
37
Q

What is Purposive Sampling

A

When researchers manipulate volunteer sample by placing advertidsement in particular area that will theoretically attract desired participants e.g. placing ad for study on med students behaviour on noticeboard of med school rather than shopping center

38
Q

What are the disadvantages of Volunteer Sampling?

A
  • Sample would be biased (Volunteer bias) as sample perhaps has more free time and is more motivated than mundane individual therfore not representative
  • Volunteers may be common volunteers for studies, therefore increased chance of guessing aim of study, leading to demand characteristics
39
Q

Label this graph placing the 5 sampling techniques in order of most representitive and the most ammount of effort to carry out

A
40
Q

What is Raw data?

A

Original data that hasnt been analysed or tampered with, data straight from experiment/ study

41
Q

What are the 3 Measures of Central Tendency?

A
  • mean
  • median
  • mode
42
Q

What is the Mode?

A

The most frequently occuring value; most ‘popular’ value

43
Q

What are the advantages to the Mode?

A
  • easy to work out
  • useful when data in categories
44
Q

What are the disadvantages to the Mode?

A
  • not 100% useful way to describe data when there are multiple modes e.g. bi-modal
45
Q

What is the Median?

A

The middle value of the scores; value that is directly in the middle when values are listed in numerical order

46
Q

What are the advantages to the Median?

A
  • Not affect by extreme scores/ anomalous results
47
Q

What are the disadvantages to the Median?

A
  • Not as ‘sensitive’ as mean due to not all values being reflected/ included in calculation of median
48
Q

What is the Mean?

A

The average; adding up all values and dividing that by the ammount of values present

49
Q

What are the advantages to the Mean?

A
  • Quite ‘sensitive’ measure as it reflects/ includes all values including anomalies in final calculation
50
Q

What are the disadvantages to the Mean?

A
  • As it uses all the data one single anomalous result can skew the data/ result which can lead results to be unrepresentative
51
Q

What are the 3 Measures Of Dispursion?

A
  • range
  • interquartile range
  • standard deviation
52
Q

What is the Range?

A

The area of variation between highest and lowest values; the biggest - the smallest

53
Q

What are the advantages to the Range?

A
  • Convenient method of showcasing dispersion of data set/ how spread out data is
54
Q

What are the disadvantages to the Range?

A
  • Anomalous results will skew the data, it is affected by extreme values
  • Doesnt indicate exact distribution of data set e.g. if results are close to mean or spread out
55
Q

What is the Interquartile Range?

A

Shows the range in values form the central 50% of the data; you subtract value of lower quartile (25%) from upper quartile (75%)

56
Q

What are the advantages to the Interquartile Range?

A
  • Cuts out anomalies/ extreme values
  • Highlights particular areas/ findings within the data
57
Q

What are the disadvantages to the Interquartile Range?

A
  • Doesnt display all the data, only particular quarter, we need all data to get an overall view of results
58
Q

What is a Rapport?

A

Someone you communicate with truthfully; a relationship commonly invloved in therapy, not personal and certainly not intimate to negate chances of bias

59
Q

What is a Structured Interview?

A
  • Predetermined questions, determined by interviewer
  • Interviewer doesnt prob beyond the answers recieved
60
Q

What are the advantages to a Structured Interview?

A
  • easily repeated
  • easier to analyse than unstructured interviews as answers more predictable
  • interviewer can provide extra information e.g. explaining what particular question means
61
Q

What are the disadvantages to a Structured Interview?

A
  • Interviewers expectations may influence answers interviewee gives (Interviewer Bias)
  • Participants may feel reluctant to reveal personal information when face-face with an interviewer
62
Q

What is a Semi-structured Interview?

A

Some questions pretedermined but new questions can be developed during interview proceedure

63
Q

What is an Unstructured Interview?

A

When no questions are predetermined, all spontaenous and created whilst interview is taking place

64
Q

What are the advantages to a Semi-structured & Unstructured Interview?

A
  • Allows for more detailed information can be obtained as subsequent questions are shaped to participants & the interview/ conversation
  • Can acess information that may not have been revealed in pretermined questions
  • PROPERTIES INCREASE FOR UNSTRUCTURED
65
Q

What are the disadvantages to a Semi-structured & Unstructured Interview?

A
  • Affected more by interviewer bias than structured due to developing questions/ not predetermined therfore can be prone to inadvertently asking leading questions
  • Will require well-trained interviewers to spontaneously come up with adequate interview questions without ‘script’ which = increased price as can be difficult to train
  • PROPERTIES INCREASE FOR UNSTRUCTURED
66
Q

The more ____________ an interview becomes, the ____________ the level of validity due to the ____________ in more ____________ responses

A

The more unstructured an interview becomes, the higher the level of validity due to the increase in more explained responses

67
Q

What is Thematic Analysis?

A

When qualitative data can be ‘translated’ to quantitative data to allow for analysis/ calculations e.g. averages

68
Q

How does Thematic Analysis work?

A
  1. Have ‘artefact’ e.g. transcript/ record of an interview
  2. Come up with a theme you want to analyse
  3. List/ create codes for that theme
  4. Tally the frequency the codes appear in artefact
  5. Now the qualitative data has become numerical and therefore quantitative
69
Q

What does the researcher need to come up with in order to carry out thematic analysis + explain

A
  • A theme & codes for that theme
    Simply: If artefact was transctript/ record of interview
    And the themme were to be: Anxiety
    Codes would be events such as: crying, twitching, apologising, stuttering, filler words
    Researcher would then just tally frequency of codes to turn into numerical values and therfore Quantitative data
70
Q

Write down a simplified list of order of operations for a thematic analysis

A
71
Q

What is the negative to Thematic Analysis/ switching data from Qualitative to Quantitative?

A

By switching from Qualitative to Quantitative you are loosing the explanation behind the results and simplifying them to numerical values

ALEVEL Psychology Edexcel (26 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions