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A-Level Psychology Year 1 > Research methods (Aims & hypoth, experimental method &design, sampling) JK > Flashcards

Research methods (Aims & hypoth, experimental method &design, sampling) JK Flashcards

1
Q

What is an aim?

A

Stating the specific purpose of their research in a clear and precise way

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2
Q

What is a hypothesis?

A

A prediction of what the researchers will find

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3
Q

What do you need to write an experimental/ alternative hypothesis?

A

1) Predicting a difference or an effect
2) Predicting a relationship/ correlation

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4
Q

What is a conceptual variable?

A

A theoretical concept or construct e.g. happiness, anxiety, capacity of STM

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5
Q

What is an operationalised variable?

A

Clear definition of what we will take as a measurement of the conceptual variable so it can be measured more concretely e.g. number of digits correctly recalled

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6
Q

What is the independent variable?

A

The variable that the researcher manipulates- the conditions the participants are assigned to

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7
Q

What is the dependent variable?

A

The variable that is measured

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8
Q

What should the IV & DV be?

A

Operationalised

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9
Q

What is a directional hypothesis?

A

A hypothesis that predicts the specific direction of results

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10
Q

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

A

A hypothesis where you just predict a difference, or that one variable will affect another

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11
Q

What is a null hypothesis?

A

A hypothesis that states there is no significant relationship

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12
Q

What is an experimental method?

A

Consists of the manipulation of variables to establish cause and effect relationships

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13
Q

What are 2 conditions in a basic experiment?

A

1) Experimental (treatment) group that receive particular treatment that the researchers intends to study
2) Control group that don’t receive particular treatment

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14
Q

For an experiment to occur what are three criteria points?

A

1) An independent variable
2) Random allocation
3) Control

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15
Q

What is a laboratory experiment?

A

A highly controlled environment where the IV is deliberately manipulated- conducted within an artificial environment

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16
Q

What is/isn’t in a laboratory experiment?

A

1) Researchers manipulates IV
2) Random allocation of groups
3) Control over variables

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17
Q

What are 3 strengths of laboratory experiments?

A

1) High internal validity- Highly controlled environment
2) Replicability- High control
3) Casual effects- Cause & effect due to high control

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18
Q

What are 3 weaknesses of laboratory experiments?

A

1) Ecological validity- Artificial environment
2) Demand characteristics- Participants are aware they’re being researched
3) Deception (ethical issue)- Not aware of aim of studies

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19
Q

What is an extraneous variable?

A

A variable that isn’t being investigated, that may affect the outcomes of the study

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20
Q

What are demand characteristics?

A

Behaving differently to suit the experiment (not natural behaviour)

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21
Q

What is ecological validity?

A

A measure of how test performance predicts behaviours in real world settings

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22
Q

What is a field experiment?

A

An experiment conducted in a natural (ordinary) environment

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23
Q

What is/isn’t in a field experiment?

A

1) Researcher manipulates IV
2) Less control over variables

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24
Q

What are 3 strengths of a field experiment?

A

1) Less demand characteristics- more natural as participants dont know they’re being researched
2) Less artificial- higher ecological validity
3) Casual relationships- cause & effect

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25
What are 2 weaknesses of a field experiments?
1) Less control over extraneous variables 2) Ethical issues- no debrief as not aware
26
What is a natural experiment?
An experiment where the IV isn't directly manipulated by the researcher, but the researcher takes advantage of the naturally occurring IV
27
What is/isn't in a natural experiment?
1) Researcher doesn't manipulate IV 2) No random allocation of groups 3) No control over variables
28
What are 3 strengths of a natural experiment?
1) Ethical- naturally occurring 2) Less demand characteristics- natural 3) Ecological validity- less artificial
29
What are 3 weaknesses of natural experiments?
1) No cause & effect relationships- extraneous variables 2) Deception- ethical issue, no informed consent made 3) Confidentiality- ethical issue, participants may be identifiable
30
What is a quasi experiment?
'Almost an experiment'- Independent variable doesn't vary, but is a difference between people that exists e.g. gender, age etc.
31
What is/isn't in a quasi experiment?
1) Researcher doesn't manipulate IV 2) No random allocation of groups 3) No control over variables
32
What is a strength of a quasi experiment?
High ecological validity- naturally occurring variables
33
What are 2 weaknesses of a quasi experiment?
1) No cause & effect- other variables may effect findings 2) Random allocation- other variables may affect the IV
34
What are 3 types of experimental designs?
1) Independent groups design 2) Repeated measures design 3) Matched pairs design
35
What is an independent group design?
When different participants do separate conditions
36
What is a repeated measures design?
When the same participants take part in every condition
37
What is matched pairs design?
When different but similar participants take part in separate conditions
38
What are 2 advantages of Repeated Measures design?
1) Eliminates participant variables 2) Fewer participants required
39
What are 3 disadvantages of Repeated Measures design?
1) May not be able to complete 2nd condition immediately 2) Order effects (boredom, fatigue) 3) Increased chance of demand characteristics
40
What are 2 advantages of Independent Groups design?
1) No order effects 2) Reduced chance of demand characteristics
41
What are 3 disadvantages of Independent Groups design?
1) Possible to use both stimulus materials for both/all conditions 2) Little control over variables 3) More participants required
42
What is an advantage of Matched Pairs design?
Partially controls participant variables
43
What are 2 disadvantages of Matched Pairs design?
1) Some participant variables may be present 2) Difficult to match participants exactly
44
What is experimental design?
A set of procedures used to control the influence of factors such as participant variables in an experiment
45
What is counterbalancing?
A technique to overcome order effects- so that each condition is tested 1st or 2nd in equal amounts
46
What is a pilot study?
A small-scale trial run of an experiment- ensuring it works well
47
What is primary data?
Data collected from a study that has been designed by the researcher with his/her specific aims & hypothesis- data is collected first hand
48
What is secondary data?
Information originally collected for a purpose other than what the current researcher is investigating- a different study (often government statistics or a meta-analyisis)
49
What is a confounding variable?
A variable that interferes with results as it hasn't been controlled that cannot be separated from the IV
50
What is an extraneous variable?
Any variable that could affect results if it hasn't been controlled- not in a systematic way
51
What is an observation?
Relying on what one observes as a means of knowing about the world
52
What is a naturalistic observation?
Where the researcher doesn't manipulate the situation
53
What is a controlled observation?
Where the researcher controls the conditions
54
What is a 1) Covert & 2) Overt observation?
1) Researcher's presence is unknown to the participants 2) Researchers presence is obvious to the participants
55
What is a 1) Participant & 2) Non-participant observation?
1) Researcher participates in the activity under study 2) Researcher observes the activity without getting involved in it
56
What are 2 sampling procedures?
1) Event sampling 2) Time sampling
57
What is event sampling?
Where the observer counts the number of times a particular behaviour occurs by a target individual/s
58
What is time sampling?
Recording a particular set of behaviour within a specific time frame
59
What is an unstructured observation?
When the researcher doesn't use a checklist and instead records all relevant behaviour is written down in as much detail as possible
60
What is a structured observation?
When a researcher uses various systems to organise observations such as behaviour categories and sampling procedures

A-Level Psychology Year 1 (13 decks)

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