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Research Methods Flashcards

0
Q

Correlation

A

When co-variables are measured for a relationship
Can be done with large sets of data, easily replicable
Extraneous variables, lower external or internal validity

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1
Q

Aims

A

The topic of investigation

Starts with ‘to investigate’

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2
Q

alternative hypothesis

A

Predictive statement, could be directional or non-directional

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3
Q

Random sampling

A

Every participant had an equal chance of being selected
Potentially unbiased because all members of the target population have an equal chance of selection
A researcher may still end up with a biased sample if some decide not to take part for example.

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4
Q

Directional hypothesis

A

Statement that predicts exactly what the outcome will be

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5
Q

Field experiement

A

In a real world setting, IV is manipulated
High ecological validity so generalisable, experimenter effects are reduced as participants are often unaware they’re being studied
Lots of extraneous variables so harder to control, demand characteristics may still be problematic as the way the IV is operationalised may give away the hypothesis

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6
Q

Validity

A

Accuracy

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7
Q

Opportunist sampling

A

When readily available people are used in research
Easy to collect sample
Biased as all the same type of people

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8
Q

Sampling frame

A

Used in random sampling - list of names that the sample is then drawn from

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9
Q

Null hypothesis

A

Statement that predicts there will be no difference

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10
Q

Independent variable

A

The thing that is manipulated

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11
Q

Operationalisation

A

Explaining exactly how the variables could be measured or changed

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12
Q

Quasi experiement

A

Another name for a natural experiment - In a real world setting, IV is naturally occurring
High ecological validity, is the only way to study certain behaviours and characteristics such as privation
Causal conclusions cannot be drawn from a natural experiment, lower internal validity

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13
Q

Stratified sampling

A

When the same proportions from the population are used in the sample
Representative
Time-consuming

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14
Q

Non-directional hypothesis

A

Statement which predicts a difference but not what the difference will be

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15
Q

Volunteer sampling

A

Advertise for participants and people put themselves forward to be in research
Easy to collect a sample, already have their consent as they’re putting themselves forward
Volunteer bias - all have lots of time or are motivated or interested in psychology

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16
Q

Reliability

A

Consistency

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17
Q

Systematic sampling

A

When every nth name is selected
Potentially random
May not be entirely random if the participants in the list are categorised i.e. Alphabetically

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18
Q

Dependent variable

A

The thing that is measured

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19
Q

Hawthorne effect

A

Hawthorne effect (added attention of being studied affects participant behaviour)

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20
Q

Demand characteristics

A

Participants change their behaviour because they think they’ve worked out the aims

21
Q

Social desirability bias

A

Try to look good by answering or behaving in a socially acceptable way

22
Q

Experimenter bias

A

Effects the result as they know the aims, facial expressions, back-channelling, the way they speak

23
Q

Interviewer bias

A

Interviewer affects the responses of the interviewee

24
Green spoon effect
Formative noises after certain answers which affects the way the participant responds
25
Order effects
Repeated measures design - order of the conditions effects results e.g. Bordem or learning
26
Placebo conditions (Hawthorne effect)
Thinks they're receiving the experimental condition but aren't to see if their expectations and added attention affect the outcome or if it's the drug itself
27
Single blind design (demand characteristics)
Deception - the participant doesn't know the aims
28
Double blind design (experimenter bias/green spoon effect)
Experimenter and participants don't know the Aim of the study
29
Standardised instructions (experimenter bias)
Written or recorded instructions used
30
Standardised procedures (experimenter bias)
Set time limits, order everything is conducted in
31
Random allocation (experimenter bias)
Participant names are drawn out of a hat when assigning which group they should go in
32
Counterbalancing (order effects)
Half do condition one, half do condition two and then they swap - still repeated measures but done in different orders
33
Independent groups
Separate groups for each condition No order effects Individual Differences
34
Matched participants
Separate groups matched on various traits e.g. Gender Reduced Individual Differences Order effects/demand characteristics and still there will be individual Differences
35
Repeated measures
Every participants completes all conditions No individual differences Order Effects/demand characteristics
36
Pilot study
Conducted to test the design and ensure variables are operationalised, a small practice run of the study, tests for reliability, ensure ethical issues are dealt with
37
Questionnaire
Written Questions Could be closed (set categories to respond to) or open (participants can write anything they like in response to Q) Easily replicable, closed questions are easy to analyse, open questions are very detailed and give insight into a person Social desirability bias, unexpected open question answers are hard to analyse, honesty is questionable
38
Case study
In-depth investigation of a single person, group, event or community Typically data are gathered from a variety of sources and by using several different methods (e.g. Observations and interviews) Uses a variety of methods, in-depth analysis of things that are hard to study or are unethical to do so Not generalisable due to small sample size, lacks validity as you often don't know if you're testing what you set out to test
39
Interview
Spoken Questions Could be structured (questions pre-set) or non-structured (questions thought up in the spur of the moment) Easily replicable if structured, structured interviews are easy to do, lots of data if open questions and qualitative Social desirability bias, unexpected answers that are hard to analyse
40
Mean
Add up all the results and divide by the number of results there are Affected by extreme values e.g. Average age of people in a classroom, teacher is an extreme value giving an 'incorrect' average
41
Mode
Most frequent/common You have to use the mode for qualitative data Can't work out if there is only one of the same number for example
42
Median
Put the results in order and find the middle number | Not affected by extreme values because you're just finding the middle
43
Range
Biggest number minus the smallest number | Affected by extreme values
44
Standard deviation
How far each bit of data is from the average Not affected by extreme values Complicated to work it out
45
Correlation co-efficient
Number between 0 and 1 e.g. 0.85 Nearer to 1 = stronger correlation Has a plus or minus sign in front of the number e.g. - 0.85 The sign tells you whether the correlation is positive or negative
46
Content analysis (step-by-step)
Transcribe data Break down into themes (line by line) Code themes (so that you can collect all the information more easily) Combine the themes into larger categories Collect more data to see if the categories fit Report - describe the categories discovered and back these up with quotes Conclusions drawn and new theories produced
47
Content Analysis (evaluation)
Represents the true complexity of human behaviour, gains access to thoughts and feelings, rich in detail and high in validity Difficult to detect patterns and draw conclusions, subjective (interpretation of data can be biased), cannot generalise to the population
48
Triangulation
We cannot generalise from it but if other studies using different research methods have Found the same then this adds to the validity and reliability
49
Reflexivity
Because the interpretation of the data is subjective, the researcher needs to reflect on their own views and values and how these may have led to bias
50
Inductive
Usually there is no hypothesis or theory to test. Instead, data is analysed for themes and a theory emerges from it (bottom-up)

Psychology (4 decks)

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