Research Methods Flashcards
Define researcher bias
The researcher ignores behaviour or invents new behaviour to produce desired results
Define validity
Whether a tool/test/study measures what’s its supposed to
What is a structured interview?
An interviewer presents participants with a standardised set of questions to answer.
Strengths of structured interviews
- Easy to analyse
- Standardised way to collect quantitative data - objective
- Replicable
Weaknesses of structured interviews
- Limited by fixed questions
- Lacks detail
- Can’t ask follow up/additional questions
What is a semi-structured interview?
Interviewer uses fixed and closed questions
Strengths of semi-structured interviews
- Flexible
- Detailed
- Reliable
Define generalisability
Results from a study/sample can be applied to the wider target population
Define representativeness
All the features of the target population are included and reflect the characteristics of the target population
Different types of validity
Internal: face, construct, concurrent
External: ecological, population
Define ecological validity
Whether the study/test measures behaviour that is representative of real life (naturally occurring behaviour)
Define operationalisation
What is being measured and how it’s being measured
Define replication
Repeating the study in the same way each time
Objective data
Data can be interpreted in many ways, open to opinion
What is a controlled observation?
An observation that takes place in a situation that has been manipulated in a certain way
What is a structured observation?
Uses a predefined coding system to record data that clearly outlines specific behavioural categories used
What are confounding variables?
Factors that may cause a result; lacks validity
What is opportunity sampling?
Choosing p’s who are available/willing to participate at the time
Hurting your participants would break…
Protection of participants
Strengths of repeated measures
- No individual differences
- Less p’s are needed
Weaknesses of quasi experiments
- Hard to control extraneous variables
- Hard to replicate
- Unique situations
Strengths of independent measures
- No order effects
- Lower demand characteristics
Strengths of snowball sampling
- Convenient
- Easy way to find p’s
Weaknesses of participant observations
- Observer bias
- Ethical issues
Strengths of non-participant observations
- High EV
- More objective
Weaknesses of event sampling
- Lack of detail
- Observer bias
- Reductionist due to behavioural categories
Weaknesses of repeated measures
- Order effects
- Demand characteristics
- Extraneous variables
Strengths of observations
High EV
Weaknesses of observations
- Ethical issues
- Can’t establish cause and effect
Weaknesses of controlled observations
- Low EV
- Demand characteristics
Debrief
P’s made aware of the study
Naturalistic observation
Takes place in p’s natural environment, without researcher interference
Inter rater reliability
The extent to which different observers are able to observe/code behaviour in the same way
Strengths of open questions
- High EV
- Qualitative data
Covert observation
P’s unaware they’re being observed
Strengths of self selected sampling
- Quick
- Easy
- Inexpensive
Strengths of naturalistic observations
- Less demand characteristics
- High EV
Observation
Research method collecting data by watching people. No IV
Coding frame
System for recording behaviours in an observation, using abbreviations to represent behaviour
Weaknesses of independent measures
- Individual differences
- More p’s needed
Sharing p’s results would break…
Confidentiality
Dependant variable
The thing being measured
Weaknesses of unstructured observations
- Important behaviours may be missed
- Subjective
- Low reliability
Weaknesses of structured observations
- Reductionist
- Low validity due to predetermined categories
Things that help reliability
Quantitative data & standardised procedures
Semantic differential questions
P’s rate their responses between an opposing pair of words
Alternate hypothesis
States there will be a difference between the variables
Right to withdraw
P’s can leave the study at any point
Experimental design
How p’s are allocated to conditions in experiments
Face validity
The extent to which a study/test looks like it measures what it says it does
Independent variable
Variable being changed
How to gain informed consent
Consent form
Strengths of matched pairs designs
- No order effects
- No demand characteristics
- Controls for individual differences
Closed questions
Select a response from a choice of predetermined options
Confounding variables
Uncontrollable variable that has affected the results
Random sampling
Every member of the target population has an equal chance of selection
Repeated measures
P’s take part in all conditions of the experiment
