Research Methods

Question 1

What is the function of the experimental method

Answer 1

Allows the psychologist to establish a casual relationship between variable by minipulating the independent variable and measuring the dependent variable

Question 2

What are the 3 criteria for an experimental research method

Answer 2

The effect of the IV on the DV is being tested

Controlled conditions are established ie. using standardised procedures

The possible replication of the procedure in order to test the reliability of the findings

Question 3

What are the 3 types of the experimental method

Answer 3

Lab
Field
Quasi

Question 4

What is a lab experiment

Answer 4

When the experiment takes place in a artificial setting where the environment is strictly controlled

Question 5

What is a field experiment

Answer 5

Where the excitement take place in the place where you would naturally find that behaviour ie, school, prison etc.

Question 6

What is a quasi expirement

Answer 6

Can take place in lab or naturalistic setting, where the IV is naturally occurring as the psychologist is unable to minipulate it ie, age, gender of participants etc.

Question 7

Strength of a lab experiment

Answer 7

High levels of Control in a lab experiment will produce scientific research which ensures that the IV is the only thing affecting the DV.

Question 8

Strength of a field experiment

Answer 8

Can offer a more realistic setting thus having more ecological validity

Question 9

Strength of a quasi experiment

Answer 9

Allows us to study the effects of variables that a psychologist is unable to minipulate

Question 10

Weakness of a lab expirement

Answer 10

Less ecological validity because it takes place in a artificial setting and does not reflect real life.

Question 11

Weakness of a field experiment

Answer 11

Lack of control can mean that it is difficult to assume that the Iv is actually affecting the DV

Ie, cannot be sure their wasn’t a confounding variable

Question 12

Weakness of a quasi experiment

Answer 12

No control over the participant, in terms of social setting, how they were brought up and life style. These variable could confound the data

Question 13

What is a naturalistic observation

Answer 13

Carried out in the field where the observer can record behaviour in its natural setting

Question 14

What is a controlled observation

Answer 14

Where the observation takes place in a artificial setting where the observer controls all possible factors which might alter behaviour

Question 15

What is a participant observation

Answer 15

Where the observers are part of, or are pretending to be part of, the group they are observing and emerges themselves in the behaviour and culture of the group

Ie, living with the native tribe who you are researching

Question 16

What is a non-participant observation

Answer 16

The opposite of a participant observation

The observer is not part of the group they are researching and observing from a distance.

Question 17

What is an unstructured observation

Answer 17

Observer continuously records and reports on behaviour, noting everything that happens

Question 18

What is a structured observation

Answer 18

Impose a structure on their observation to only gather data which relate to the aim of the study (what behaviour they are interested in)

Question 19

What is a covert observation

Answer 19

When the participant does not know he/she is being oberserved as the observer conceals their identity and purpose

Question 20

What is an overt observation

Answer 20

Where the participant is aware they are being studied and has either given consent or aware of the observers presscence

Question 21

Weakness of unstructured observation

Answer 21

Their might be too much stimulus for the observer too record everything so the observation might not be successful also the data gathered is so dense and detailed that its difficult to analyse and find patterns

Question 22

Advantage of the structured observation method

Answer 22

Allows for comparisons to be made across each observation and for trends in the data to be seen more easily

Question 23

Weakness of a structured observation

Answer 23

As you are only noting down relevant behaviour you may risk missing out something important causing skewed data

Say you had a checklist of 6 behaviours but the 7th was happening a lot more frequently then the data would be skewed

Question 24

Strength of naturalistic observations

Answer 24

High in ecological validity

Question 25

Weakness of naturalistic observation

Answer 25

Lack of control may mean that their could be other factors influencing behaviour

Question 26

Weakness of controlled observations

Answer 26

Low in ecological validity

Question 27

Advantage of participant observation

Answer 27

Good vantage point

Question 28

Weakness of participant observation

Answer 28

Difficult to remain turkey objective once you are part of the group therefore it’s open to observer bias

Question 29

Advantage of non-participant observation

Answer 29

You remain more objective

Question 30

Weakness of non-participant observation

Answer 30

You may miss out on behaviours as you don’t have as good vantage point

Question 31

What is event sampling

Answer 31

Where an event is recorded each time it occurrs

Question 32

What is time point sampling

Answer 32

Where the observer is recording the participant at fixed intervals ie 5 seconds every minute

Question 33

What is time event sampling

Answer 33

Where a fixed period of time is set for observation ie, the first ten minutes of every hour is allocated to observing the number of people in a cafe over the working day

Question 34

Advantage of using time sampling

Answer 34

A manageable way of measuring behaviour he researcher is interested in

Question 35

Weakness of time sampling

Answer 35

In the time peroids they are not observing, they may miss behaviours

Question 36

What is the function of coding frames

Answer 36

Enables the psychologist to analyse qualitative data

Question 37

What is a content analysis

Answer 37

When the observer codes written or filmed material