research methods 2 Flashcards
cons to cat scans
- high radiation
- no info on activity
cons to PET scans
- interpretation difficulties
- can’t pinpoint locations
- may damage tissues
cons to FMRI scans
- expensive
- person has to stay very still
- time lag may cause interpretation difficulties
CAT scan
Structure
- Xrays beams creat cross sectional images of the brain
- 20-30 mins on scanner table
- Injection, black dye to highlight blood vessels
PET scan
Function
- Scanner detects radioactive material
- Oxygen and glucose accumulate in metabolically active parts
- Radioactive material breaks down and gives off positron and neutron
- When positron hits electron gamma rays released and detected by gamma ray detectors as it moves to the part fo the brain that are working at that moment
FMRI scan
function
- Detects change in blood oxygenation
- Increased activity = increased o2 levels
- Shows which part of the brain is involved in particular process’
- head may be placed in brace to steady
case studies
- descriptive research fro analysis of group or person
- good/specific/detailes
- not generalisable
- does not conduct empirical research
cross sectional data
- ppts diff age same time
- less time consuming
- individual differences
- cohort effect
longitudinal data
- measured over specific time period at certain intervals
- time consuming
- high attrition rates
meta-analysis
statistical data from multiple studies
- identify common effect
- improves estimates
- only selection of studies (bias)
- research aims and methodologies can be somewhat different
cross cultural
- study of behaviour and mental processes under different cultural conditions
- establish behaviour patterns
- highlights bio cause of AN
- subjectivity so lacks validity
order effects
differences in research participants’ responses that result from the order in which the experimental materials are presented to them
spearman
- relationship
- ordinal
mann whitney U
- independant groups design
- difference
- ordinal
chi2
- independant
- difference/relationship
- nominal
wilcoxon
- repeated/matched pairs
- difference
- ordinal
nathaniel 2007 - grounded theory
Glaser and Strauss 1960s
- gathered info from nurses
- codes and categories were drawn from data
- researchers code everything in the same way until patterns are seen
- as more patterns are discovered the codes become more specific
- researchers memo their work adding comments to try and develop an idea of what research is
- this helps identify links between different concepts that are emerging
- once a clear theoretical concept has emerged researchers will conduct more research around that theory
Evaluate grounded theory
evidence integrated into a theory so increased validity
- long time
- researchers biased if based off subjective opinion and not actually grounded
- by selectively sampling data researchers are forcing data to support this theory and may unintentionally miss crucial evidence
- reliability issue as same person may come to a different conclusion
inductive method for grounded theory
research is conducted to gather info about something and theory emerges gradually from data as it is gathered and analysed
objectivity
= researchers remain natural and unbiased when investigating a topic
field and lab = quantitative = objective
case study = qualitative = subjective
credibility
= research is credible if it is valid and objective and reliable
conventions of published psychological research
Abstract
summary of the study covering aims hypothesis, method, results, conclusions
introduction
outlines what a researcher intends to investigate
review of related research
aims and hypothesis
focus of the review should lead logically to the aims so reader is convinced of the reasons for this particular research
method design sample apparatus procedure
results
what researchers found, includes descriptive statistics (tables, graphs, significance level)
discussion
include;
summary of results
consideration of relationship to previous research
possible methodological problems and improvements
suggestions from future research
applications to real world
references
list of other articles, books and or websites referred to
appendices
contains examples of materials e.g. questionnaire, standardised instructions, calculations
peer review
assessment of scientific work by others who are experts in the same field
- to ensure any research that is conducted and published is of high quality
the decision about whether to publish a research article depends on:
- the article being seen to make significant contribution to knowledge
- the strength of the methodology and results analysis
- usefulness of the conclusion that are drawn
- whether the study follows ethical guidelines
pros and cons of peer review
- allows for replication by other researchers
- criticisms of methodology mean original researchers revise their producers and enhance validity
- anonymous to honest and objective
- anonymous so researchers may try to bury or sabotage rival research
ethics in criminological
protection of participants
real life crimes = unethical so use film clip however, film clip can remind them of past similar experience
deception and consent
- deception minimises demand characteristics which increases validity
- when there is deception there is lack of informed consent as not aware of nature and consequences
right to withdraw
- less of an issue in field exp as they are likely to experience the situation in their everyday life
- lab and case studies studies should always offer R2W
animal legislations
- researchers use species most suited (as little as possible)
- housed in naturalistic environments
- supplied from breeding establishments
- after care maintained
practical issues with animals
- small and easy to handle
- short lifespan
- similar brain structure
- human lives are complex and do not occur in isolation
ethical issues with animals
- not in natural surroundings so distressed
- ethical guidelines try to limit this
skewed distribution
when the values in data do not conform to a normal distribution
