Research Methods Flashcards
What method do psychologists often use for their research?
What are the three types of experiments for this?
What does this method involve and explain?
What do aims of psychological research develop from usually?
What are aims of research?
What is the definition of a hypothesis?
What must both the DV and IV be?
Experimental method
Laboratory, field or quasi
Involves the manipulation of an independent variable (IV) to measure the effect on the dependent variable (DV)
Usually develop from theories
Aims are general statements that describe the purpose of an investigation
A hypothesis is a clear, testable statement that states the relationship between the variables to be investigated.
The IV and DV must be clear and measurable
What is the directional hypothesis?
When is this hypothesis used?
What is the non-directional hypothesis?
When is this hypothesis used?
What type of hypothesis is this if the hypothesis includes “there’s a difference”?
States the direction of the difference or the relationship (eg greater, positive or negative)
Used when previous research suggests a particular outcome
Doesn’t state the direction of the difference or the relationship
Used when there is no previous research or previous studies contradictory
Non-directional
What is the full definition of the independent variable (IV)?
What is the full definition of the dependent variable (DV)?
What should any change to the DV be caused by?
What is the control condition?
What is the experimental condition?
What two things are essentially the independent variable?
What two things are essentially the dependent variable?
What happens when the psychologists hypothesis is wrong?
What must they therefore then accept?
Some aspect of the experimental situation that can be manipulated by the researcher (or changes naturally) so the effect on the dependent variable (DV) can be measured
The variable that is being measured
Any change to DV should be caused by the IV
Something to compare to
Essentially the use of the IV
Input and cause
Output and effect
What was hypothesised would happen, didn’t happen
Accept the null hypothesis (alternative).
What does to operationalize a variable mean?
What will there always be in any experiment?
What are the three factors of extraneous variables?
What are situational variables?
What are participant variables?
What are examples of situational variables?
What are examples of participant variables?
What are confounding variables?
Where are confounding variables usually within?
What could an extraneous variable become?
To define them in terms of how they could be measured
A number of factors that can potentially affect the relationship between the IV and DV
- Unwanted and may have an effect on the DV
- Outside of research (eg noise, lighting)
- Need to control these
Any features of the experimental situation that may affect the DV
Any individual differences between participants that may affect the DV
Noise, temperature
Age, personality
Any variable other than the IV that may have affected the DV- again needs to be controlled
Usually within the research
An extraneous variable that has not been accounted for that could confound the results and therefore become a confounding variable.
What are demand characteristics (full definition)?
What are investigator effects (full definition)?
What can this include for the investigator effects?
Any cue that may be interpreted by the participant as revealing the purpose of the research and so they change their behaviour during the research situation
Any effect of the investigator’s behaviour (conscious or unconscious) on the outcome of the DV
This can include design stage, sample or interaction stage (leading questions etc).
What is randomisation?
What is standardisation?
The use of chance in order to control the effects of bias when designing materials and deciding the order of conditions
Using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for all participants in the research study.
What are independent measures?
How should this be done by?
What does this method involve?
What is the advantage of independent measures and why?
What are the main disadvantages of independent measures?
What differences is a disadvantage of independent measures and give examples?
What are repeated measures?
What does this mean?
What is the advantage of repeated measures?
What is a disadvantage?
Where different participants are used in each condition of the experiment
Should be done by random allocation
Involves using two separate groups of participants; one in each condition
Avoids order effects (such as practice or fatigue) as people participate in one condition only
More participants are required and therefore the design is more costly and time consuming
Differences between participants may affect results, for example variations in age, sex or social background
The same participants take part in each condition of the experiment
Each condition of the experiment includes the same group of participants
Fewer participants are required (ie it saves time)
There may be order effects (practice/boredom effects).
What are order effects?
What is counter balancing?
What happens in matched pairs design?
What is experimental condition?
What is control condition?
What are the two advantages of the matched pairs design?
What are the three disadvantages of the matched pairs design?
What happens if this design is done properly?
The order of the conditions having an effect on the participants behaviour
To combat the order affects the researcher counter balances the order of the conditions for participants
The participants are matched to control the variable being matched, by evening it out in each condition
Experimental condition (group)- receives the independent variable
Control condition (group)- Receives a placebo or nothing
- Reduces participant variables
- Avoid order effects
- Very time consuming
- Difficult to find exact matches
- If one participant drops out you lose his partner’s data, too
If done properly this is the best design.
