Research Methods

Question 1

Longitudinal study

Answer 1

Study carried out to show how behaviour changes over time

Question 2

Case study

Answer 2

An in-depth investigation of an individual or a small group of an organisation

Question 3

BPS guidelines

Answer 3

British Psychological society guidelines

Govern work of practising and research psychologists and psychology students in U.K.

Question 4

Debriefing

Answer 4

At end of investigation researchers must make sure participants fully understand true aim of research & that they are happy to still be included

Question 5

Mean

Answer 5

Add altogether and divide by how many there are

Question 6

Mode

Answer 6

Most frequent occurring

Question 7

Median

Answer 7

Middle value of set arranged in smallest to biggest

Question 8

Range

Answer 8

Difference between lowest and highest

Question 9

Anomalous result

Answer 9

A extremely high or low result which doesn’t match the other results

Question 10

Percentage

Answer 10

Proportion expressed as a fraction of 100

Question 11

Ethical issues

Answer 11

Points of concern about what is morally right

• informed consent
• protection from harm
• deception
• right to withdraw
• privacy
• confidentiality

Question 12

Informed consent

Answer 12

Participants should be told about aim of study before they agree

U16 = permission from parent/guardian

Question 13

Protection from harm

Answer 13

Physical and mental health of participants must not be at risk

Question 14

Deception

Answer 14

Must not be misled about research

Participants must be informed asap

Question 15

Right to withdraw

Answer 15

Participants must be able to stop taking part at any stage of investigation

Question 16

Privacy

Answer 16

If being observed participants must be in a public place

Question 17

Confidentiality

Answer 17

Must be impossible to identify participants from results

Must not know name, address, dob

Question 18

Raw data

Answer 18

Scores collected in a study that have not been analysed or summarised

Question 19

Ecological validity

Answer 19

Results of an investigation can be said to apply to real life behaviour

Question 20

Objectivity

Answer 20

Not affected by personal biases

Question 21

Randomisation

Answer 21

Using chance to produce an order for procedure

Question 22

Instructions

Answer 22

Written/verbal info given to participants during experiment

Question 23

Control

Answer 23

Way of making sure procedures are the same when necessary

Question 24

Counterbalancing

Answer 24

Procedure for evening out the order in which participants complete both conditions of experiment

Question 25

Random allocation

Answer 25

Procedure for putting participants into conditions by chance

Question 26

Standardised procedures

Answer 26

Set order of carrying out a study that's applied to all participants when necessary

Question 27

Participant variables

Answer 27

Differences between people who take part in study | May affect results of experiment

Question 28

Generalised

Answer 28

Results from sample can be applied to target population

Question 29

Representative

Answer 29

Sample of participants is made up of people who have the same characteristics and abilities as target population

Question 30

Repeated measures

Answer 30

One group of participants Same participants take part in every condition

Question 31

Matched pairs

Answer 31

Participants pre tested then marched into groups according to abilities One member of pair takes part in one condition and other member of pair takes part in other condition

Question 32

Order effect

Answer 32

This occurs when participant's performance in second condition of experiment is affected because they have already done first condition

Question 33

Participant

Answer 33

Person who is selected to take part in study

Question 34

Sample

Answer 34

Small group who represent target population and who are studied

Question 35

Target population

Answer 35

Where sample in selected from: - random - opportunity - systematic - stratified

Question 36

Random sampling

Answer 36

Every member of target population has equal chance of being selected

Question 37

Opportunity sampling

Answer 37

People who are members of target population who are available and willing to take part

Question 38

Systematic sampling

Answer 38

Every nth member of target population selected from a list

Question 39

Stratified sampling

Answer 39

Different subgroups in target population are identified Then people are randomly selected from subgroups

Question 40

Cause and effect

Answer 40

Ability to establish a link between the independent variable and the dependent variable

Question 41

Population validity/generalisation

Answer 41

Ability to apply results to the target

Question 42

Practical application

Answer 42

When a psychological concept has been applied to the real world to help people. This can be a treatment or help them recall info.

Question 43

Practical implication

Answer 43

When psychological concept has been applied to the real world to help people, but has issues surrounding it, this can include broken ethical guidelines

Question 44

Repeated groups

Answer 44

Participants take part in both conditions

Question 45

Independent groups

Answer 45

Two or more groups - each group experiences one condition once

Question 46

Matched pairs

Answer 46

Very similar pairs assigned different treatments

Question 47

Laboratory experiment

Answer 47

Carried out in an artificial setting, the independent variable is manipulated

Question 48

Field experiment

Answer 48

Carried out in a natural setting but the independent variable is still manipulated

Question 49

Natural experiment

Answer 49

Carried out in a natural setting, the independent variable is naturally occurring