Research Methods and experiments Flashcards
Explain informal consent:
When the participants are told the aim and what will happen in the study. If told this they may change their mind and behaviour
Problem with informal consent and name study to back it up
They don’t fully understand what it takes to participate in the study that’s why not many drop out
Epstein and lasagna(1969) found that only a third of volunteers understood what they had agreed to participate in
Explain deception:
Participants are told the aim of the study but they are told the false aim in order to gain other results
Deception can lead to no trust In the psychologist and may lead the participant to
Withdrawing from the study
Explain right to withdraw:
Participants have the right to withdraw at any point in the study
By the participant withdrawing during the study it could lead to
Bias results
How would we get bias results from participants withdrawing during the study
People who stay are more likely to be obedient and hardy so the study only affects them
Why might confidentiality be hard
Because the researcher is likely to want to publish the results
Where’s might participants want privacy
Not to be observed in their homes or in public places
Name the ethical issue of Zimbardo et Al study
Participants weren’t informed they would be arrested at their own homes. They weren’t also aware of the psychological harm
How are ethical issues dealt with now
- Ethical committees set up
- ethical guidelines
- punishment
name a way of dealing with deception
Debriefing
What is a lab experiment?
An experiment carried out in a specialised environment for the purpose of the study
Strengths of a lab study(3)
- study and results are repeatable
- easy to get informed consent as they know they are taking part
- easy to control all variables
Weakness of a lab experiment
- demand characteristics
2. No real life application
What is a field experiment?
An experiment done in a natural environment
Strength of field experiment
More real life application and higher internal validity because no participant effect
Weakness of field experiments
- Less control of variables as its out in the open
2. ethical issues as its hard to get informal consent
What is a natural experiment
An experiment conducted in a natural environment and the independent variable is naturally manipulated
Strength of a natural experiment
1.honest behaviours (no demand characteristics)
Weaknesses of natural experiment
- Ethical issues such as privacy,confidentiality and informed consent
- cant manipulate variables
What is the independent variable
What you are trying to measure
What is the dependent variable
What will change in the study
What’s a directional hypothesis
A hypothesis which announced which way the results are expected to swing
E.g people who do more homework without the tv on get better results than people who do homework with the tv on
What is a non directional hypothesis
When the result predicts a difference but won’t announce which direction of the results
E.g people who do homework with the tv on will get different results to people who do homework without the tv on
What is a null
When there is no difference between the results
E.g the results between people who do homework with or without the tv on are unrelated
What is a pilot study
a small scale study done before to see if there are any problems with the study
What is a confederate
An individual in a study who is not a real participant and is instructed by the investigator
Name 3 ethical issues:
- informal consent
- deception
- the right to withdraw
- protection for psychical and mental harm
- privacy and confidentiality
What are independent experiments?
Participants put into 2 groups. These participants are picked at random
Strengths of an independent experiment groups
- Avoids order effects
- Aims are less obvious( less chance demand characteristics)
- Less time consuming as can be done at the same time
Disadvantages of independent experiment Groups
- Can’t control participant
- Need twice as many people
- Expensive to run two groups
What are repeated measure groups
When the same participants take part in each confirm of the iv. Each group contains the same group of participants
Strengths of repeated measures
- No individual differences
2. Few people needed so it saves time
Weaknesses of repeated measures
- One condition may be harder than the other
- Easier to guess purpose of the experiment
- The order of the conditions may have affect on participants behaviour
What is matched pairs
Mated up with partner who has same characteristic as you and you are
Split up to do separate experiments
strength of match pairs
- Groups more precise as they both have relevant characteristics. This would work best in groups such as memory experiments
disadvantages of matched pairs
- Very time consuming
2. Would need a large groups
