Research Methods and experiments

Question 1

Explain informal consent:

Answer 1

When the participants are told the aim and what will happen in the study. If told this they may change their mind and behaviour

Question 2

Problem with informal consent and name study to back it up

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Explain deception:

Answer 3

Participants are told the aim of the study but they are told the false aim in order to gain other results

Question 4

Deception can lead to no trust In the psychologist and may lead the participant to

Answer 4

Withdrawing from the study

Question 5

Explain right to withdraw:

Answer 5

Participants have the right to withdraw at any point in the study

Question 6

By the participant withdrawing during the study it could lead to

Answer 6

Bias results

Question 7

How would we get bias results from participants withdrawing during the study

Answer 7

People who stay are more likely to be obedient and hardy so the study only affects them

Question 8

Why might confidentiality be hard

Answer 8

Because the researcher is likely to want to publish the results

Question 9

Where’s might participants want privacy

Answer 9

Not to be observed in their homes or in public places

Question 10

Name the ethical issue of Zimbardo et Al study

Answer 10

Participants weren’t informed they would be arrested at their own homes. They weren’t also aware of the psychological harm

Question 11

How are ethical issues dealt with now

Answer 11

1. Ethical committees set up
2. ethical guidelines
3. punishment

Question 12

name a way of dealing with deception

Answer 12

Debriefing

Question 13

What is a lab experiment?

Answer 13

An experiment carried out in a specialised environment for the purpose of the study

Question 14

Strengths of a lab study(3)

Answer 14

1. study and results are repeatable
2. easy to get informed consent as they know they are taking part
3. easy to control all variables

Question 15

Weakness of a lab experiment

Answer 15

1. demand characteristics

2. No real life application

Question 16

What is a field experiment?

Answer 16

An experiment done in a natural environment

Question 17

Strength of field experiment

Answer 17

More real life application and higher internal validity because no participant effect

Question 18

Weakness of field experiments

Answer 18

1. Less control of variables as its out in the open

2. ethical issues as its hard to get informal consent

Question 19

What is a natural experiment

Answer 19

An experiment conducted in a natural environment and the independent variable is naturally manipulated

Question 20

Strength of a natural experiment

Answer 20

1.honest behaviours (no demand characteristics)

Question 21

Weaknesses of natural experiment

Answer 21

1. Ethical issues such as privacy,confidentiality and informed consent
2. cant manipulate variables

Question 22

What is the independent variable

Answer 22

What you are trying to measure

Question 23

What is the dependent variable

Answer 23

What will change in the study

Question 24

What’s a directional hypothesis

Answer 24

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

Question 25

What is a non directional hypothesis

Answer 25

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

Question 26

What is a null

Answer 26

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

Question 27

What is a pilot study

Answer 27

a small scale study done before to see if there are any problems with the study

Question 28

What is a confederate

Answer 28

An individual in a study who is not a real participant and is instructed by the investigator

Question 29

Name 3 ethical issues:

Answer 29

1. informal consent
2. deception
3. the right to withdraw
4. protection for psychical and mental harm
5. privacy and confidentiality

Question 30

What are independent experiments?

Answer 30

Participants put into 2 groups. These participants are picked at random

Question 31

Strengths of an independent experiment groups

Answer 31

1. Avoids order effects
2. Aims are less obvious( less chance demand characteristics)
3. Less time consuming as can be done at the same time

Question 32

Disadvantages of independent experiment Groups

Answer 32

1. Can’t control participant
2. Need twice as many people
3. Expensive to run two groups

Question 33

What are repeated measure groups

Answer 33

When the same participants take part in each confirm of the iv. Each group contains the same group of participants

Question 34

Strengths of repeated measures

Answer 34

1. No individual differences

2. Few people needed so it saves time

Question 35

Weaknesses of repeated measures

Answer 35

1. One condition may be harder than the other
2. Easier to guess purpose of the experiment
3. The order of the conditions may have affect on participants behaviour

Question 36

What is matched pairs

Answer 36

Mated up with partner who has same characteristic as you and you are
Split up to do separate experiments

Question 37

strength of match pairs

Answer 37

1. Groups more precise as they both have relevant characteristics. This would work best in groups such as memory experiments

Question 38

disadvantages of matched pairs

Answer 38

1. Very time consuming

2. Would need a large groups