Research methods Flashcards
Describe a lab experiment
Experiment conducted in a controlled environment allowing the establishment of causality
Describe a field experiment
Experiment conducted in a naturalistic environment where the researchers manipulate the independent variable
Describe a natural experiment
Experiment where the independent variable occurs naturally and is an external event, e.g. a tsunami
Describe a quasi-experiment
Where the researcher is unable to freely manipulate the independent variable or randomly allocate the participants to the different conditions because the independent variable is a participant variable, e.g. sex
What is participant observation?
Observers become actively involved in the situation being studied to gain a more “hands-on” perspective
What is non-participant observation?
Researchers not becoming actively involved in the behaviour being studied
What are natural observations?
Surveillance and recording of naturally occurring events
Describe interviews
Self-report methods where participants answer questions in face-to-face situations
Describe controlled observations
Conducted under laboratory conditions and often involve the researcher setting up a situation for the participants to interact with
What are questionnaires?
Self-report method where participants record their own answers to a pre-set list of questions
What are correlational studies?
The factors measured in a correlational study to assess their direction and strength or relationship
What are co-variables?
The variables investigated in a correlational study. The relationship between them is investigated, not cause and effect
What is the difference between experiments and correlations?
Experiments involve variable manipulation
