Research Methods : Aims, Hypothesis, sampling and ethics

Question 1

Define a research question

Answer 1

this is what you wish to answer and explore in your research

Question 2

Define an aim

Answer 2

This outlines what the research is going to investigate

Question 3

Define a hypothesis

Answer 3

This is a testable statement that predicts what the researcher expects their study to find

Question 4

Define an alternate hypothesis

Answer 4

This is a statement of prediction between variables that can include a prediction of direction or no direction

Question 5

Define a null hypothesis

Answer 5

A statement of prediction which suggests that there will be no difference or relationship found

Question 6

Define a one tailed hypothesis

Answer 6

This predicts a direction of results

Question 7

Define a two tailed hypothesis

Answer 7

Predicts a difference will be found, but is non directional so doesn’t specifically state what will be found

Question 8

How do you write a one tailed hypothesis

Answer 8

‘participants who’
Talk about the IV
‘significantly more’ than …

Question 9

How do you write a two tailed hypothesis

Answer 9

There will be a significant difference
Then talk about the DV
Between the two IV

Question 10

How do you write a null hypothesis

Answer 10

no difference
Then talk about DV
the ‘any any difference found will be due to chance’

Question 11

How do you structure an evaluation

Answer 11

Point = eg one strength is …

Example = eg for example ( context) …

Comment = eg this is a strength because ( context ) …

Question 12

Define a target population

Answer 12

the group of people a psychologist wants to be able to generalise their findings to

Question 13

Define a sample

Answer 13

Group of people selected to represent the target population

Question 14

Define sampling

Answer 14

method/process of selecting participants from the population

Question 15

Name the four methods of sampling plus their definitions

Answer 15

Volunteer = People who want to take part in research and put themselves forward usually via an ad that a psychologist has posted

opportunity = making use of the people readily available to you and willing to participate at the time

Random = When Every member in the target population has an equal chance of being selected, usually via a draw/ random number generator

Snowball = This is used when a population is hard to contact , and is achieved by asking participants to suggest someone else who may be willing or appropriate for the study

Question 16

Give a strength and weakness of opportunity sampling

Answer 16

Strength = Easy, quick and economical way of gathering participants as psychologists simply use people they have access to

Weakness = Likely to produce a bias sample as certain types of people are selected from a limited area - may not be very representative. Researcher may also look for a specific type of people causing researcher bias

Question 17

Give a strength and weakness of volunteer sampling

Answer 17

Strength = Gives a wide range of access to potential participants , its convenient and more ethical as you are more likely to gain informed consent

Weakness = Often unrepresentative as it can lead to a bias sample. The people likely to respond to adverts may have a similar ‘motivated’ disposition therefore, more likely to display demand characteristics

Question 18

Give a strength and weakness of Random sampling

Answer 18

Strength = Least bias method of sampling as all members have an equal chance of being selected

Weakness = Difficult and time consuming to do if you have a large target population

Question 19

Give a strength and weakness of Snowball sampling

Answer 19

Strength = Possible to include members of groups where there are no lists/ identifiable clusters

Weakness = No way of knowing whether your sample is representative of the population

Question 20

Define ethics

Answer 20

The science of morals or rules of behaviour

Question 21

Name The four ethical principles and their definitions

Answer 21

Respect = Respecting a person’s individual rights eg their privacy / informed decisions

Responsibility = Responsibility to keep participants safe within research

Integrity = Being honest and truthful with participants in research

Competence = As a competent researcher, have we followed guidelines properly / made suitable adjustments to overcome any that are broken

Question 22

Name and define the ethical guidelines that come under the principle of respect

Answer 22

Informed consent = Where participants need to know the aim before agreeing to take part in a study

Confidentiality = No names or personal information should be publishes about a participant

Right to withdraw = Making participants aware that they can leave at any point in the study and withdraw any data gathered about them

Question 23

Name and define the ethical guidelines that come under the principle of responsibility

Answer 23

Protection of participants = not causing any psychological or physical harm to participants - ensuring they leave the study the same way they entered

Debriefing = Telling participants exactly what happened to them and why at the end of the study , also ensuring no harm has come to participants

Question 24

Name and define the ethical guidelines that come under the principle of integrity

Answer 24

Deception = being lied to at any part during research/ a study

Question 25

Name and define the ethical guidelines that come under the principle of competence

Answer 25

ALL SIX OF THE GUIDLINES

Question 26

Describe the benefits of breaking informed consent

Answer 26

• We can see more natural behaviors to increase ecological validity . Decrease the likelihood of participants succumbing to demand characteristics or social desireability

Question 27

Describe the benefits of breaking confidentiality

Answer 27

• We can only give treatment, help or therapy to participants if they are indentifiable to us

Question 28

Describe the benefits of breaking right to withdraw

Answer 28

• As researchers we gain more data, increase our insight into behavior and have more representative data the more participants we have

Question 29

Describe the benefits of breaking protection of participants

Answer 29

• By breaking this we may be able to increase our knowledge/ insight into behavior
• More ground breaking research can take place
• Possibly beneficial to finding treatments/ helping people

Question 30

Describe the benefits of deceiving participants

Answer 30

• So we can see more natural behaviors (ecological validity), and a decreased likelihood of demand characteristics

Question 31

Describe the costs of breaking all the guidelines

Answer 31

• Damage the reputation of psychology, causing decreased funding
• decreased number of participants in future research
• You may harm participants long term, possibly irreversible harm

Question 32

How to structure a paragraph on ethical considerations

Answer 32

On ethical consideration in this study is …
This was broken in the study because …
One way to address this is …