Research methods Flashcards
What is a Laboratory Experiment?
Controlled environment where the independent variable (IV) is manipulated.
✅ High internal validity; ❌ Low ecological validity.
What is a Field Experiment?
Natural environment where the independent variable (IV) is manipulated.
✅ High external validity; ❌ Less control over extraneous variables.
What is a Natural Experiment?
The independent variable (IV) occurs naturally and is not manipulated.
✅ Ethical; ❌ Low internal validity.
What is a Quasi Experiment?
The independent variable (IV) is naturally occurring (e.g., gender).
✅ Can study variables that can’t be manipulated; ❌ No random allocation leads to confounding variables.
What is Naturalistic Observation?
Behavior is observed in a natural setting.
✅ High external validity; ❌ Lack of control leads to confounding variables.
What is Controlled Observation?
Behavior is observed in an artificially controlled setting.
✅ Control over variables allows for replicability; ❌ May lack ecological validity.
What is Covert Observation?
Participants are unaware they are being observed.
✅ No demand characteristics; ❌ Ethical issues due to lack of consent.
What is Overt Observation?
Participants are aware they are being observed.
✅ Ethical; ❌ Demand characteristics may arise.
What is the difference between Participant and Non-Participant Observation?
Participant observation involves the researcher, while non-participant does not.
✅ Participant observation provides richer insight; ❌ Risk of observer bias.
What are Questionnaires?
Tools with open (qualitative) and closed (quantitative) questions.
✅ Large sample size and easy to analyze; ❌ Prone to social desirability bias.
What are the types of Interviews?
Structured (set questions), Unstructured (flexible questions), Semi-structured.
✅ Provide more depth than questionnaires; ❌ Time-consuming and prone to interviewer bias.
What is a Positive Correlation?
Both variables increase together.
Useful for identifying relationships; ❌ Correlation does not imply causation.
What is a Negative Correlation?
One variable increases while the other decreases.
Useful for identifying relationships; ❌ Correlation does not imply causation.
What is Zero Correlation?
No relationship between the variables.
Useful for identifying relationships; ❌ Correlation does not imply causation.
What is Random Sampling?
Every individual has an equal chance of selection.
✅ Representative; ❌ Difficult to achieve.
What is Systematic Sampling?
Every nth person is selected.
✅ Avoids researcher bias; ❌ Not truly random.
What is Stratified Sampling?
Sampling from proportional subgroups.
✅ More representative; ❌ Time-consuming.
What is Opportunity Sampling?
Participants are selected based on availability.
✅ Quick and easy; ❌ Unrepresentative.
What is Volunteer Sampling?
Participants self-select to be part of the study.
✅ Ethical due to consent; ❌ Volunteer bias may occur.
What is Independent Groups Design?
Different participants are used for each condition.
✅ No order effects; ❌ Participant variables may affect results.
What is Repeated Measures Design?
The same participants are used in all conditions.
✅ Controls participant variables; ❌ Order effects may arise.
What is Matched Pairs Design?
Participants are matched based on certain characteristics.
✅ Controls for individual differences; ❌ Time-consuming.
What is Internal Reliability?
Consistency of results across all items (split-half method).
Part of reliability assessment.
What is External Reliability?
Same results are obtained if the study is repeated (test-retest method).
Part of reliability assessment.
What is Internal Validity?
Measures whether the study measures what it claims to measure.
Part of validity assessment.
What is External Validity?
Generalizability of the study results (ecological, population, temporal).
Part of validity assessment.
What are the Ethical Principles according to BPS Code of Conduct?
Informed Consent, Right to Withdraw, Confidentiality, Protection from Harm, and Deception.
Ethical guidelines for research.
What is Qualitative Data?
Descriptive and in-depth data.
✅ Rich detail; ❌ Hard to analyze.
What is Quantitative Data?
Numerical data that can be statistically analyzed.
✅ Easy to compare; ❌ Lacks depth.
What is the Mean?
Average of all data points.
✅ Uses all data; ❌ Affected by outliers.
What is the Median?
Middle value in a data set.
✅ Not skewed by extremes; ❌ Ignores values.
What is the Mode?
Most frequently occurring value in a data set.
✅ Useful for categories; ❌ Can be misleading.
What is the Range?
Difference between the highest and lowest values.
✅ Quick and easy; ❌ Affected by extremes.
What is Standard Deviation?
Measure of the dispersion of data points from the mean.
✅ More precise; ❌ Complex to calculate.
What is the Sign Test?
Determines if differences are significant.
✅ Useful for repeated measures; ❌ Only used with nominal data.
What is Nominal Level of Measurement?
Categorical data (e.g., yes/no).
One of the levels of measurement.
What is Ordinal Level of Measurement?
Ordered data but with unequal gaps (e.g., rating scales).
One of the levels of measurement.
What is Interval Level of Measurement?
Data with equal gaps but no true zero (e.g., temperature).
One of the levels of measurement.
What is Ratio Level of Measurement?
Data with equal gaps and a true zero (e.g., height).
One of the levels of measurement.
