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GCSE Psychology > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

The foundation of psychology.

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1
Q

Alternative Hypothesis

A

-States a relationship/correlation between variables.

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2
Q

Null Hypothesis

A

-States no relationship/correlation between variables.

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3
Q

Hypothesis

A
  • A clear testable statement that is written at the beginning of an investigation.
  • It states the relationship of the variables being tested.
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4
Q

Dependent Variable (DV)

A
  • The thing that the researcher measures in an investigation.
  • Any changes in the DV should depend on the IV, and the IV alone.
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5
Q

Independent Variable (IV)

A
  • The thing that is varied in an investigation- either deliberately changed by the experimenter or varies naturally.
  • There are different levels of the IV which are called conditions.
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6
Q

Variable

A

-Any ‘thing’ that can vary or change within an investigation.

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7
Q

Extraneous Variable (EV)

A
  • Any variable apart from the IV that could have an effect on the DV.
  • If an EV is not controlled, the researcher won’t know what truly changed the DV.
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8
Q

Randomisation

A

-Using chance to control the effects of bias when designing a research study.

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9
Q

Standardised procedures

A

-Using exactly the same methods and instructions for all participants in a research study.

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10
Q

Field Experiment

A
  • An experiment that takes place in an natural setting.
  • The researcher deliberately changes the IV, and measures the effect of the IV on the DV.
  • It is more difficult to control EVs in an field experiment than a laboratory experiment.
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11
Q

Laboratory Experiment

A
  • An experiment that takes place in a controlled environment.
  • The researcher deliberately changes the IV, and measures the effect of the IV on the DV.
  • It is easier to keep control of EVs in a laboratory experiment than a field experiment.
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12
Q

Natural Experiment

A
  • An experiment where the IV is not manipulated by the experimenter but would have changed whether the experimenter is interested or not.
  • The experimenter records the effect of the change on the DV.
  • Natural experiments can take place in natural settings or in a laboratory.
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13
Q

Qualitative method

A

-Using data that is expressed in words and is non-numerical.

(Although qualitative data may be converted into numbers for the purpose of analysis).

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14
Q

Quantitative method

A

-Using data that can be counted, usually given as numbers.

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15
Q

Allocations to conditions

A

In an independent groups design, each groups receive -one level of the IV.

  • Random allocation is an unbiased method used to control for participant variables.
  • If random methods are used, this ensures that each participant has the same chance of being in one group as any other.
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16
Q

Control group

A
  • A group of participants who receive no ‘treatment’.

- Their behaviour acts as an baseline against which the effect of the IV may be measured.

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17
Q

Control condition

A

-The condition in a repeated measures design that provides a baseline measure of behaviour without the experimental treatment (IV).

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18
Q

Counterbalancing

A
  • Used in repeated measures design to control for order effects.
  • Half the participants complete the conditions in one order, and the other half in the opposite order.
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19
Q

Experimental design

A

-The different ways in which the participants can be organised in relations to conditions in an experiment.

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20
Q

Independent groups

A
  • Participants are allocated to different groups where each group represents one experimental condition.
  • E.G condition A and condition B.
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21
Q

Matched pairs

A
  • Pairs of participants are matched in terms of variables relevant to the study, such as age or IQ.
  • One member of the pairs takes part in condition A and the other takes part in conditions B.
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22
Q

Order effects

A

-In a repeated measures designs, an EV arising from the order in which conditions are present.

23
Q

Repeated measures

A

-When all participants take part in all the conditions of the experiment.

24
Q

Opportunity sample

A

-Produced by selecting people who are willing and available at the time.

25
Q

Random sample

A

-Produced by using a random technique in which every member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected.

26
Q

Sample

A

-A subset of the target population which aims to be representative of that population.

27
Q

Sampling method

A

-The system used to produce a sample.

28
Q

Stratified sample

A

-Produced by selecting participants in proportion to their frequency in the target population.

29
Q

Systematic sample

A

-Produced by selecting every nth person on a list of the target population.

30
Q

Target population

A

-The group that the researcher is interested in studying, from which a smaller sample is selected.

31
Q

British Psychological Society (BPS) guidelines

A
  • A code of conduct that every professional psychologist has to follow.
  • It explains how participants should be dealt with, and is based on four main principles: respect, competence, responsibility and integrity.
32
Q

Ethical issue

A

-When there is conflict between the rights of participants to be safe and the goals of research to produce valuable data.

33
Q

Closed question

A

-One that has a fixed range of possible answers. They produce quantitative data.

34
Q

Interview

A

-A interaction between an interviewer and an interviewee.

35
Q

Open Question

A
  • Allows people to give their own answer, rather than selecting one.
  • They tend to produce qualitative data.
36
Q

Questionnaire

A

-A set of written questions, used to find out a persons thoughts.

37
Q

Observation studies.

A
  • A researcher watches or listens to participants engaging in whatever behaviour being studied.
  • Observation methods are often used to measure the DV in an experiment.
38
Q

Correlation

A

-A mathematical technique used to investigate the relationship between two variables.

39
Q

Scatter diagram

A

-A type of graph that measures the strength and direction of a relationship between co-variables in a correlation.

40
Q

Case study

A

-An in-depth investigation of a single individual, group, institution or event.

41
Q

Reliability

A
  • Concerns the consistency of a measurement.

- Every time a thing is measured the result should be the same- unless the thing has changed.

42
Q

Validity

A
  • Concerns whether a result is ‘true’.

- Valid research represents something that is real.

43
Q

Primary data

A

-Information that has been obtained first hand by the researcher for the purpose of a research project.

44
Q

Secondary data

A

-Information that has been gathered by someone other than the researcher before current investigation.

45
Q

Descriptive statistics

A

-The use of graphs, tables, and summary statistics to identify trends and analyse sets of data.

46
Q

Mean

A
  • The mathematical average.

- Calculated by adding up all of the numbers and diving by the amount of numbers there are.

47
Q

Median

A

-The middle value in a set of data when they have been put in order from highest to lowest.

48
Q

Mode

A
  • The lowest common value/values in a set of data.
49
Q

Range

A

-The lowest score subtracted from the highest score.

50
Q

Bar chart

A

-A type of graph in which the frequency of each variable is represented by the height of a bar.

51
Q

Frequency table

A

-A table that represents data in rows and columns.

52
Q

Histogram

A

-Similar to a bar chart but there is no gaps between the bars.

53
Q

Normal distribution

A
  • A symmetrical spread of frequency data that forms a bell-shaped curve.
  • The mean,median and mode are all at the highest peak.

GCSE Psychology (2 decks)

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