Research methods Flashcards
What does the Scientific method involve
Uses a formal set of tools and techniques to:
- investigate phenomena
- gain new knowledge
How does the scientific method gather data?
Uses
- observation
- Experiments
Data is measurable which can be assessed through logic and reasoning.
Experimental methods overview
- Research is conducted in a controlled way
* Variable are manipulated and measured - enabling case and effect to be determined.
What does a non-experimental method involve?
- Not a controlled experiment - meaning cause and effect can be difficult to establish.
What data gathering methods are considered non-experimental?
- Correlation
- Observation
- case studies
Advantages of quantitive research
Statistical tests can be run to find out if there are significant differences and patterns.
What sort of data does quantitive research gather?
To gather factual and numerical measurements of behaviour.
What sort of data does qualitative research gather?
Uses descriptive data (rather than numerical stats)
Focusses on thoughts and feeling of people, concerning an aspect of their life or a particular experience.
What types of methods are used to gather quantitative data?
- Experiments
- Correlation studies
- Structured observations
- Structured interviews
- closed questionnaires
What types of methods are used to gather qualitative data?
- Unstructured interviews
- case studies
- open questionnaires
- Some observational studies
Advantages of Qualitative research
A rich and detailed insight into behaviour is gained
Disadvantages of quantitive data
Rich in-depth description can be missed as just numerical data is gathered.
Disadvantages of qualitative data
- Analysing and drawing comparisons between participants or descriptive data can be harder.
- data could be misunderstood and interpreted incorrectly by the researcher; therefore not extracting the correct meaning from data.
- Numerical data is not gathered; cannot be analysed by tables, graphs and tests of difference.
- Statistical tests cannot be run to see significant differences and patterns forming.
Experimental method variables
Independent variable IV
Dependent variable DV
Extraneous variable
How do experimental variables work?
The experimenter manipulates the independent variable to measure the effect on the dependent variable. whilst trying to control extraneous variables
What do experimental variables enable you to establish?
can identify cause and effect
What does the independent variable do?
It has 2 experimental conditions
1. experimental condition
2. control condition
E.g. if a participant has drunk alcohol of not OR if they are young or old
These are manipulated by the experimenter
What is the dependent variable
The main measured outcome of the experiment due to the manipulation of the IV
What is the extraneous variable
other variables that may have an effect on the dependent variable.
They can be controlled to a degree - confounding variable cannot.
What does experimental design refer to?
How participants are allocated to control the experimental conditions.
What are the 3 basic experimental designs?
Independent group designs
The matched pairs design
Repeated/ related measures design
Explain independent group designs
- Different individuals in each condition.
* Randomly assigned to conditions (if a sample is large, * individual differences should cancel each other out)
Explain matched pairs design
Different individuals in each group
participants are paired/matched on variables considered important e.g. age, sex, medication. so they are as close a match with each other as possible.
Explain repeated measures design
Same individuals are used but tested under two or more conditions;
e.g. testing participants in a quiet and noisy room to see if there is a difference.