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OCR A Level Psychology > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

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1
Q

What are ethics?

A

Ethics are moral guidelines used by psychologists studying human behaviour to protect their participants

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2
Q

Who provided the ethical guidelines?

A

The British Psychological Society (BPS)

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3
Q

What does the ‘Deception’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants shouldn’t have information withheld from them

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4
Q

What does the ‘Consent’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Permission of participant should always be given

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5
Q

What does the ‘Confidentiality’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants’ data shouldn’t be shared

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6
Q

What does the ‘Observation’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants should only be observed covertly, in a public place

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7
Q

What does the ‘Withdrawal’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants should be allowed to drop out at any time

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8
Q

What does the ‘Protection’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants should be protected from psychological and physical harm

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9
Q

What does the ‘Advice’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants should be offered advice if needed

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10
Q

What does the ‘Debrief’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants should always have a debrief after the study has taken place to let them know the full research aim

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11
Q

Which areas of DCCOWPAD come under ‘Respect’?

A

Consent
Withdrawal
Confidentiality

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12
Q

Which area of DCCOWPAD comes under ‘Competence’?

A

Advice

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13
Q

Which areas of DCCOWPAD come under ‘Responsibility’?

A

Protection

Debrief

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14
Q

Which areas of DCCOWPAD come under ‘Integrity’?

A

Deception

Observation

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15
Q

What are the 4 categories of DCCOWPAD?

A

Respect
Competence
Responsibility
Integrity

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16
Q

What is a sample?

A

The group of people you’re studying

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17
Q

What is sampling?

A

How you recruit participants for a study

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18
Q

What is Random Sampling?

A

When the target population has an equal chance of being chosen

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19
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Random Sampling?

A

Strengths: Unbiased

Weaknesses: Time consuming,
Some people might not want to participate

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20
Q

What is Target Population?

A

The group of people you’re investigating

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21
Q

What is Snowball Sampling?

A

When participants recruit other participants for a study

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22
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Snowball Sampling?

A

Strengths: Can find people with rare characteristics

Weaknesses: Time consuming,
Biased,
Have to use another method of sampling to find the first participant

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23
Q

What is Opportunity Sampling?

A

Selecting people who are readily available at the time

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24
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Opportunity Sampling?

A

Strengths: Quick,
Cheap,
Convenient

Weaknesses: Usually biased,
Unrepresentative

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25
Q

What is Self-selecting (Volunteer) Sampling?

A

When participants volunteer themselves to participate

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26
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Self-selecting (Volunteer) Sampling?

A

Strengths: Participants are willing (less likely to drop out)

Weaknesses: Time consuming,
May have biased sample

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27
Q

What is Ethnocentrism?

A

When a sample is taken from one culture/area

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28
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Ethnocentrism?

A

Strengths: Easier to recruit participants

Weaknesses: Limited to generalising data

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29
Q

What is the opposite of Ethnocentrism?

A

Culturally representative

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30
Q

What is a Structured Observation?

A

When researchers know what they want to research and therefore create a structure (checklist)

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31
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Structured Observation?

A

Strengths: More scientific,
More reliable,
All data is relevant

Weaknesses: Can only record behaviours that are on your checklist

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32
Q

What is an unstructured Observation?

A

When the researcher records all behaviours they witness (don’t have a checklist)

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33
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of an unstructured Observation?

A

Strengths: More detail

Weaknesses: Missing behaviour (too much to write down)

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34
Q

What is a Naturalistic Observation?

A

Observations in a natural environment

The researcher doesn’t interfere

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35
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Naturalistic Observation?

A

Strengths: Normal behaviour (high ecological validity)

Weaknesses: Very little control (anything can happen)

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36
Q

What is a Controlled Observation?

A

When the observation situation is staged

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37
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Controlled Observation?

A

Strengths: Won’t get things interfering with the observation (more accurate)

Weaknesses: High amount of control causes situations to feel artificial (might not get real behaviour)

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38
Q

What is a Participant Observation?

A

When the researcher becomes part of the group being observed and takes an active role in the observation

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39
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Participant Observation?

A

Strengths: Provides in-depth knowledge (good vantage point),
Avoids researcher bias,
Greater insight

Weaknesses: Researcher joining group may alter behaviour,
Easy to become emotionally involved

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40
Q

What is a Non-Participant Observation?

A

When the researcher is not part of the group being observed and does not take an active role

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41
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Non-Participant Observation?

A

Strengths: Can remain more objective

Weaknesses: Distance means you might not see everything

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42
Q

What is a Covert Observation?

A

When the researcher observes participants in secret

Participants are not aware that they’re being observed

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43
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Covert Observation?

A

Strengths: More likely to get natural behaviour

Weaknesses: Less ethical

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44
Q

What is an Overt Observation?

A

The researcher informs participants that they’re being observed

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45
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of an Overt Observation?

A

Strengths: More ethical

Weaknesses: Might not get natural behaviour

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46
Q

What are Behavioural Categories?

A

Clearly defined behaviours that can be observed and recorded

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47
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Behavioural Categories?

A

Strengths: Easier to record the same behaviours,
Higher inter-rater reliability

Weaknesses: Time consuming

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48
Q

What are Coding Frames?

A

Sub-categories among Behavioural Categories (in coded form) to allow for more specific behaviours to be recorded

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49
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Coding Frames?

A

Strengths: More precise

Weaknesses: Time consuming

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50
Q

What is Time Sampling?

A

When researchers record data within specified time intervals

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51
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Time Sampling?

A

Strengths: Researchers may stay more focused,

Weaknesses: Miss behaviours that could occur when you’re not recording

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52
Q

What is Event Sampling

A

When researchers record every occurrence of behaviours within a specified period of time

53
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Event Sampling?

A

Strengths: Allows you to record all behaviours

Weaknesses: Time consuming

54
Q

What is Inter-rater Reliability?

A

The extent to which researchers- observing the same behaviour, in the same way- agree on the results

55
Q

What are Observer Effects?

A

Participants may change their behaviour if they know they’re being observed

56
Q

What is Observer Bias?

A

A tendency for the researcher to see what they’d expect to see

57
Q

What are Independent Variables?

A

The thing the researcher changes/manipulates to see the effect it has on something else

58
Q

What are Dependent Variables?

A

The thing the researcher measures

59
Q

What are Extraneous Variables?

A

A factor that could influence the researcher’s results (Control Variable)

60
Q

What are Confounding Variables?

A

A variable that the researcher cannot control (usually individual differences)
These variables will interfere with the results

61
Q

What are the 3 types of Research METHODS?

A

Lab
Field
Quasi

62
Q

Describe a Lab experiment

A

IV is manipulated

Controlled and artificial setting

63
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Lab Experiments?

A

Strengths: High control- less interference,
More ethical

Weaknesses: Demand Characteristics,
Lack of ecological validity

64
Q

Describe a Field experiment

A 
IV is manipulated
Natural environment (realistic setting)
65
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Field Experiments?

A

Strengths: Fewer demand characteristics,
High ecological validity

Weaknesses: Low control -more interference
Less ethical

66
Q

Describe a Quasi experiment

A

IV is naturally occurring (cannot be manipulated)

Can be in either natural or artificial environment

67
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Quasi Experiments?

A

Strengths: High ecological validity

Weaknesses: Less control (no manipulation)

68
Q

What is an Independent Measures Design?

A

Participants complete only one condition in the experiment

69
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Independent Measures Designs?

A

Strengths: No chance of order effects,
Less chance of participants changing their behaviour

Weaknesses: Individual differences make it difficult to compare,
More participants required

70
Q

What is a Repeated Measures Design?

A

Participants complete all conditions

71
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Repeated Measures Designs?

A

Strengths: No individual differences,
Fewer participants are needed

Weaknesses: Chance of order effects,
Higher chance of demand characteristics

72
Q

What is a Matched-Pairs Design?

A

Participants only complete one condition but they’re matched to other participants who share a characteristic

73
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Matched-Pairs Designs?

A

Strengths: No order effects,
Can compare on participants with similar characteristics,
Less chance of demand characteristics

Weaknesses: Individual differences,
More participants needed

74
Q

Which hypothesis states that there WILL be a significant difference?

A

Alternate hypothesis

Also known as experimental hypothesis

75
Q

Which hypothesis states that there WON’T be a significant difference?

A

Null hypothesis

76
Q

What is a two-tailed hypothesis?

A

A hypothesis that doesn’t state the direction of the experiment

77
Q

What is a one-tailed hypothesis?

A

A hypothesis that states the direction of the experiment

78
Q

How does one write an alternative, two-tailed hypothesis?

A

There will be a significant difference between ________ and ________ out of ___

79
Q

How does one write a null hypothesis?

A

There will be no significant difference between ________ and ________ out of ___

80
Q

What is a Questionnaire?

A

Written form of a self-report

81
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a questionnaire?

A

Strengths:
Have the ability to reach a large number of participants
Often encourages honest answers

Weaknesses:
Low response rates
Cannot be changed at time- less flexible
Cannot gain non-verbal information

82
Q

What is a structured interview?

A

Verbal form of a self-report that has a schedule (pre-prepared questions)

83
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a structured interview?

A 
Strengths:
All questions are relevant 
Easy to compare people's answers
Easy to replicate
Less open to bias

Weaknesses:
Can feel too formal
Participants might not be honest
Less depth

84
Q

What is an unstructured interview?

A

Verbal form of a self-report that DOESN’T has a schedule (researcher creates questions during the interview)

85
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of an unstructured interview?

A

Strengths:
Interview feels less formal- participants more likely to open up

Weaknesses:
More open to bias
Hard to compare people's answers
Hard to replicate
Researcher could go off topic
86
Q

What are closed questions?

A

Questions that have forced choice answers

87
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a semi-structured interview?

A

Strengths:
Interview feels less formal- participants more likely to open up
Relevant answers and some interesting ones

Weaknesses:
Can be time-consuming
Can be biased

88
Q

What is a semantic differential rating scale?

A

Measures a person’s attitude towards something by putting something on a scale between two adjectives

89
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of open questions?

A

Strengths:
Answers more accurately show participants feelings

Weaknesses:
Very hard to analyse and compare
Some answers may be irrelevant

90
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of closed questions?

A

Strengths:
Easy to analyse and compare
All answers are relevant

Weaknesses:
No depth in answers
Might not reflect participants true feelings- forced answers

91
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of rating scales?

A

Strengths:
Allows you to see the strength of the opinion
Easy to analyse

Weaknesses:
Open to response bias
Less meaning

92
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a semantic differential rating scale?

A

Strength:
Gives the scale more meaning
Easy to analyse

Weaknesses:
Open to response bias
Less detailed- doesn’t give a specific number

93
Q

What is a Likert scale?

A

Allows participants to indicate how much they agree or disagree with a statement

94
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Likert scale?

A

Strengths:
Allows you to see the strength of the opinion
Easy to analyse

Weaknesses:
Open to response bias
Less detailed- doesn’t give a specific number

95
Q

What is Response Bias?

A

Participants just selecting the middle option

96
Q

What is Social Desirability Bias?

A

Participants changing their answers to make themselves look more socially desirable

97
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Likert scale?

A

Strengths:
Allows you to see the strength of the opinion
Easy to analyse

Weaknesses:
Open to response bias
Less detailed- doesn’t give a specific number

98
Q

What is Quantitative data?

A

Data in the form of numbers

99
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Quantitative data?

A

Strengths:
Easy to analyse and make comparisons
Can repeat to test for reliability

Weaknesses:
Doesn’t give context

100
Q

What is Qualitative data

A

Data in the form of words

101
Q

What is Primary data?

A

First-hand data

The researcher collects the data themselves

102
Q

What is Secondary data?

A

Second-hand data

The researcher makes use of data collected by someone else

103
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses or Qualitative data?

A

Strengths:
Depth, detail and insight
Have reasons behind results

Weaknesses:
Can be hard to analyse
Difficult to make comparisons
Hard to replicate

104
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Primary data?

A

Strengths:
Data will fit the needs of the experiment

Weaknesses:
Can take a lot of time to collect
Will cost more for the researcher

105
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Secondary data?

A

Strengths:
Saves time and money
Less open to bias

Weaknesses:
Data retrieved may not be appropriate for the study
Researcher could misunderstand data

106
Q

What is the general definition of validity?

A

Whether a test is measuring what it claims to measure

107
Q

What is Internal Validity?

A

How the study was done

How behaviour was defined and measured by the study

108
Q

What is Face Validity?

A

Whether the study appears to measure what it should be

109
Q

What is Construct Validity?

A

How well a test or tool measures the constructs that it was designed to measure

110
Q

What is Concurrent Validity?

A

When a test correlates well with a measure that has been previously validated

111
Q

What is Criterion Validity?

A

The extent to which a measure can predict a future behaviour or attitude

112
Q

What is External Validity?

A

The extent to which you can apply the results to real life

113
Q

What is Population Validity?

A

Whether the results from the study apply to people outside the study

114
Q

What is Ecological Validity?

A

Whether the study reflects real life

115
Q

What are the 8 Threats to Validity?

A 
Ecological Validity
Demand Characteristics
Social Desirability Bias
Response Bias
Order Effects
Individual Differences
Observer Bias
Weak Sample
116
Q

What is the general definition of Reliability?

A

Whether the measure is consistent with how much it is measuring
(the controls put in place to standardise procedure)

117
Q

What is Internal Reliability?

A

How consistent a study is within itself

118
Q

What is Inter-rater Reliability?

A

Where two or more observers observe the same behaviour at the same time using a behaviour checklist
(observations only)

119
Q

What is the Split-half Method?

A

A test/questionnaire/interview questions are split in half and the scores for each half of the test are compared wit hone another
(test for reliability)

120
Q

What is External Reliability?

A

The extent to which a measure varies from one use to another

121
Q

What is the Test re-test?

A

Measure whether a psychological measure is consistent from one testing occasion to the next

122
Q

What are the Measures of Central Tendency?

A

Mean
Median
Mode

123
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Mean?

A

Strengths:
Uses all of the data

Weaknesses:
There can be extreme (anomalous) values

124
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Median?

A

Strengths:
More useful for measuring the average when there are extreme values

Weaknesses:
Not all data is used

125
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Mode?

A

Strengths:
Useful when there are categories of behaviour
Useful to see a pattern in the data

Weaknesses:
Not all data used

126
Q

WHat must one always include when drawing a graph?

A

Title
Labelled (and operationalised) axis
Plotted points

127
Q

What must one always include when drawing a graph?

A

Title
Labelled (and operationalised) axis
Plotted points

128
Q

What must one always include in a 12 mark question?

A

Definition of key term
How you would use the key term in the context of the scenario
A strength of the key term
Your own experience (another strength/an elaboration on the previous strength)

OCR A Level Psychology (8 decks)

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