Research Methods

Question 1

What is the ‘aim’

Answer 1

A general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate

Question 2

What is a null hypothesis

Answer 2

A hypothesis that states there will no change in DV

Question 3

What’s a directional hypothesis

Answer 3

States the direction of the difference

Question 4

What’s an extraneous variable

Answer 4

Any variable, other than the IV that may have an effect on the DV
No not Vary systematically with the DV

Question 5

Confounding variable

Answer 5

Same as extraneous variable but varies systematically with DV

Question 6

What’s a demand characteristic

Answer 6

Any cue from the researcher/ situation that may reveal the purpose of the investigation

Question 7

What investigator effects

Answer 7

Any effect of the investigators behaviour on the outcome (DV)

Question 8

What’s randomisation

Answer 8

The use of chance in order to control for the effects of bias

Question 9

What’s standardisation

Answer 9

Using the exact same formalised procedures and instructions for all participants in a research study

Question 10

Name the 3 experimental designs

Answer 10

• Independent groups
• repeated measures
• matched pairs

Question 11

What’s the problem with independent groups, how can it be overcome

Answer 11

• participants in each group are not the same so if there is a mean difference on the DV this may be due to individual differences
• This can overcome with Radom allocation

Question 12

What’s an advantage f using independent groups

Answer 12

There are no order effects and participants are less likely to guess the aim

Question 13

What’s the issue with repeated measures

How can it be overcome

Answer 13

Each participant has to do at least 2 tasks and the order of these tasks may be significant
This can be overcome by counterbalancing (ABBA)