research methods Flashcards
what measurements is probability measured in
percentage
what is probability
is a numerical value that represents the likelihood of an event happening
used to decide whether or not a result is significant
what letter is used to represent probability
p
in psychology research probability is measured on a scale of
0-1
probability scales
0=
1=
0= it will never happen 1= will defiantly happen
what is not an acceptable significance level
10%
how is 10% significance written
p<0.10
describe 5% significance levels
- 0.05% level is the minimum level that psychologists use. if results are not significant at this level or higher the null has to be accepted and the experimental rejected
- if a set of results are said to be significant at the 5% level it means that the results would have occurred by chance less than 5 x out of the 100 . this means the results would have occurred by chance less than 0.05%
- 95% confidence results have not occurred by chance . the likelihood of the results occurring by chance is less than 5 times in a 100
describe 1% significance levels
this means that a set of results would occur by chance less than once in 100
- p<0.01
- 99% confidence results have not occurred by chance . the likelihood of the results occurring by chance is less than 1 time in 100
are one tailed hypotheses directional or non directional
directional
describe null hypothesis
predicts there will be no significant difference or relationship between results
describe alternative/ experimental hypotheses
predicts there will be a significant difference or relationship between two sets of results
describe one tailed hypotheses
predicts the direction of the hypothesis
describe two tailed hypotheses
does not predict the direction of the hypotheses
you should use a one tailed hypotheses if there is ….
previous research
what are the two types of errors
type 1
type 2
describe type 1 errors
when researchers finds a significant difference but results occurred by chance
null wrongly rejected , alternatively wrong accepted due to accepting a 10% significance level
describe type 2 errors
researcher fails to find any significant difference although one does exist
null is wrongly accepted and alternatively wrongly rejected , could be due too poor sampling , using a 1% significance level
the calculated t value is …….. the ……. and therefore ……
less than or equal to /equal or exceed
critical value
is significant/ is not significant
what are the levels of measurements
nominal
ordinal
interval
fixed
describe nominal scales
one simply names or categorises responses eg gender, fave colour , religion are examples of variables measured on a nominal scale.
they do not imply any ordering among the responses
responses are merely categorised
lowest level of measurements
describe ordinal scales
a scale or rank which does not have exact intervals
difference between adjacent scale values do not necessarily represent equal intervals
describe interval scales
numerical scales in which intervals have the same interpretation throughout.
same difference between intervals
describe ratio scales
an interval scale but with the additional property that its zero position indicates the absence of the quantity being measured
independent groups and nominal =
chi2 test
independent groups and ordinal
mann whitney u
independent groups and interval
unrelated t test
repeated measures/ matched pairs and nominal
binominal sign test
repeated measures/ matched pairs and ordinal
Wilcoxon test
repeated measures/ matched pairs and interval
related t test
correlation and nominal
x
correlation and ordinal
spearmans rank order
correlation and interval
pearsons product moment
how to reference books
author surname, initials. (year publication) titles, , edition. place of publication; publisher
how to reference a journal
author surname , initials . ( year of publication) title of article . journal title. volume.( part/ issue) , page number
how to reference a online journal
author , date , title, source, online, volume number/ edition, page numbers, available from and date accessed .
Describe peer review
- Other psychologists check the research report before deciding whether it could be published
- ensures , accuracy and quality
- projects psychology
- useful to wider population
- work is considered in terms if its validity , significance and originality
Describe the implications on the economy
- attachment
- schizophrenia
- psychopathology
Attachment
- nursery jobs
- jobs in building nurseries
- mother’s have gone back to work and therefore more jobs and skills
Schizophrenia
- token economy is inexpensive
- specialist are costly
- created drug treatment which is giving chemist jobs and pharmacists however is long term expensive
Psychopathology
-specialist are costly , CBT long term cheap
what are the 7 features of a science
- has a definable subject matter
-having theory and hypothesis
-uses empherical evidence
-replicable
-falsifiable
-objective
paradigm and paradigm shift
has a definable subject matter
- define it
- examples where there is evidence for features of a science
- example of where there is evidence against a feature of a science
- ??????
- schizophrenia and addiction DSM5
- memory , hard to define
has a definable subject matter
evaluation
- deals with communication, better treatments
- deals with validity of tests
-lots of useful findings from memory research
having theory and hypothesis
- define it
- examples where there is evidence for features of a science
- example of where there is evidence against a feature of a science
-A theory is “a set of propositions which provide principles of analysis or explanation of a subject matter”.A theory must generate a number of hypotheses which can be tested through empirical evidence.
A hypothesis is a premise which is put forward requiring empirical evidence to determine whether it is false or supported by evidence.
These hypotheses can then be tested using scientific procedures or methods of investigation
- memory , WMW, MSM
- Behaviourists, attachment
having theory and hypothesis
evolution
- theory’s help to understand behaviour
- more believable
- people believe it without
uses of empherical evidence
- -define it
- examples where there is evidence for features of a science
- example of where there is evidence against a feature of a science
-The scientific approach in Psychology, as with physics, chemistry and biology attaches significance to gathering and using evidence to support or refute a hypotheses and theory.
Empirical evidence is obtaining knowledge, information and data through observation and through our senses.
There are 3 main features of evidence which make it scientific:
1, Only observable is admissible (objective)
2, Anyone trained in psychological or other scientific methods should be able to make the same observations and collect the same data
3, Scientific evidence in Psychology comes from a number of sources.
- social influence ashs , biological approach genetics and hormones
- psychodynamic , unconscious . memory case studys HM
uses of empherical evidence
evaluation
- more reliable
- replicable
- provides evidence and supports hypothesis
- a lot of the subject matter in psychology is unobservable and therefore cannot be accurately measured
- good knowledge from no empherical evidence
replicable
- define it
- examples where there is evidence for features of a science
- example of where there is evidence against a feature of a science
- Replicability: The findings obtained by researchers need to be replicable or repeatable: it would be hard (or impossible) to base science on inconsistent findings
- ainsworth strange situation, bobo doll
- little hans , HM ,harlows monkeys due to ethics
replicable
evaluation
- test eliminates chance
- can alter theories to get it right
–HM, doesn’t want to be repeated due to trauma but gives us lots of information
falsifiable
- define it
- examples where there is evidence for features of a science
- example of where there is evidence against a feature of a science
-Falsifiability: The notion that scientific theories can be potentially disproven by evidence
- multi store model
- personality theory
-freuds three parts of the mind eg id, ego, superego
a plan must included
- IV, DV and extraneous variables
- hypothesis
- design
- sample
- research method
- materials
- procedure
- ethics
objective
- define it
- examples where there is evidence for features of a science
- example of where there is evidence against a feature of a science
-This is dealing with facts in a way that is unaffected by feelings or opinions.
The importance of this was stated when looking at testing hypotheses.
Scientific observation is always driven by hypotheses and theories and what you observe depends in part on what you expect to see. This is difficult when the subject matter is humans rather than matter like in physics and chemistry
- little albert
- skinner and pavlov
- behavioural and biological
- observations and case studies
- interviews and questionnaires
- psychodynamic
objective
evaluation
- behaviourism and token economy leads to behaviour modification
- humanism, client therapy and bobo doll has given us lots of info
paradigm and paradigm shift
- define it
- examples where there is evidence for features of a science
- example of where there is evidence against a feature of a science
-A paradigm consists of one set of general theoretical assumptions, agreement on how to conduct research and an agreement on the techniques of empirical enquiry.
Each perspective in Psychology however has different methods of empirical enquiry, different assumptions and different ways to conduct research.
- behaviourist approach
- psychologists will give different explanations for different approaches
paradigm and paradigm shift
evaluation
- understanding of behaviour confusing to anyone not a psychologist
- different perceptions help treat people
