Research Methods (A2) Flashcards
Define validity
When it measures what it claims to measure
What’s external validity about
External validity is about applying/generalising the results of a study
What are the 3 types of external validity
- Ecological validity
- Population validity
- Temporal validity
What’s low ecological validity
When results cannot be generalised to behaviour in the real world, as the study environment isn’t reflective of real life
- high ecological validity is the opposite
What’s low population validity
When results cannot be generalised to the target population as the sample isn’t representative enough of the target population
- high population validity is the opposite
What’s low temporal validity
When results cannot be generalised to modern day behaviour
- high temporal validity is the opposite
What’s internal validity about
Whether or not the study has been conducted accurately, whether data has been collected accurately, and whether or not the study has measured what it thought it measured
There are 5 threats to internal validity
- Situational variables
- Participant variables
- Investigator bias
- Demand characteristics
- Social desirability bias
How and why do Situational variables threaten internal validity
How could this be overcome
- E.g. time of day, noise, temperature
- Factors in the environment that affect a condition of the IV. This change caused results rather than the IV. = Low Internal validity
Overcome by all participants having same environment conditions (standardised procedures)
How and why do Participant variables threaten internal validity
How could this be overcome
- E.g. mood, intelligence, gender, age, personality
- Features of Personality In participants account for results rather than the IV. = Low Internal validity
Overcome by using Same participants in both conditions of IV (repeated measures), or match upon certain criteria (matched pairs)
How and why does investigator bias threaten internal validity
How could this be overcome
- Where the researched could have influenced participants in some way so behaviour isn’t accurate
Overcome by using a double blind strategy
How and why do demand characteristics threaten internal validity
How could this be overcome
- Where participants have guessed the aim of the study and changed behaviour to spoil study, therefore accurate behaviour hasn’t been measured
Overcome by using deception- hide aim from participants
How and why does Social desirability bias threaten internal validity
How could this be overcome
- Where participants change answers or behaviour to make themselves look better so accurate behaviour hasn’t been measured
Overcome by making questionnaires anonymous, or study people without their knowledge (covert observations)
What’s the 2 ways of checking validity
- Concurrent validity
- Face validity
What’s concurrent validity
How’s it done
Concurrent validity is a check that the measuring tool you are using is equal to an existing validated measuring tool
- Its checked by comparing a participants scores on your measure with their scores on an existing measure
What’s face validity
How’s it done
Face validity is whether a test, scale or measure appears “on the face of it” to measure the thing it’s supposed to measure
- Checked by examining two measuring tools closely or having tool examined by an expert
Two ways of checking reliability of a study
1) test-retest = doing a study/experiment and then repeating, 2 weeks later for example
2) inter-rater reliability (inter-observer)= having two researchers/observers so they can check each others scores afterwards
What’s the order of a psychology report
8 things
1) Abstract
2) Introduction
3) Method
4) Results
5) Discussion
6) Conclusion
7) References
8) Appendices
What does the abstract include
- IV, DV, hypothesis, aim, method and brief summary of background research and results
- Also, includes the experimental design and type of sample
What does the introduction include
- What was previously done, and what you expect to happen (background research). Aim and hypothesis at the end
What does the method include
- What design you’re using and why, IV and DV, attempts to control confounding variables
- Procedures detailed so a person who’s never done psychology could understand what needs to be done
What does the results include
- Descriptive statistics involves measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode) also measures of dispersion
- Types of data (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio)
- Inferential statistics
- When deciding inferential statistics you take into account design, data and difference
What does the discussion include
- Explaining findings, was the hypothesis supported
- Reference type 1 and 2 errors
- Background research and results for them
- Limitations of your research, what would you do differently, what’s required in further research
What’s a critical value
The values in the statistical tables, which determines significance
- because you compare to observed value