Research methods AS Flashcards
(32 cards)
What are the 5 features of the scientific method?
1)Aim
2)Hypothesis
3)Method
4)Results
5)Conclusion
What is the Aim
Aim outlines the purpose of carrying out an experiment
What is a hypothesis
Prediction of what you expect to happen in the experiment
What is an Independent variable
Variable that you change in an experiment, there can be multiple levels of the IV
What is a dependent variable
The variable we measure in an experiment
What is operationalisation
Defining how a variable is going to be measured, expressing a variable numerically
What is the method
The exact procedure researcher follows in study
What are the results and conclusion
Results- changes observed in the study
Conclusion-interpretation of the results whether or not it alligns with the hypothesis
What are the 7 key features of science
1)Hypothesis testing
2)Emperical evidence
3)Falsifiability
4)Replicability
5)Control
6)Objectivity
7)Theory reconstruction
Outline hypothesis testing
we test the hypothesis using the scientific method
if results don’t allign with the hypothesis then you adjust it
Outline Emperical evidence
When information is collected through direct observation
Outline falsifiability
To test a hypothesis it must be falsifiable (can be proven false)
Outline replicability
Repeat study to re-test hypothesis and demonstrate validity of expt
If results are the same we say the results are replicated
outline Control in terms of features of a science
1) control group- level of the IV which has not been manipulated to compare to experimental group
2)Control of extraneous variables
What is objectivity
when researchers are not being objective they have a preference of what results they want
Unbiased
What is theory construction
theory-Comprehensive explanation backed by scientific evidence
Aim to use facts to construct theories that help us understand natural world
Issues of psychological research- validity
validity- when a test measures what it claims to measure
What 2 ways can make a study not valid
If a study uses bad measurement
Extraneous variable and confounding variables are not controlled
What are 2 ways researcher can assess validity
Face validity and concurrent validity
What is face validity
Looking at a test at face value to see if it measures what it claims to be measuring
What is concurrent validity
Comparing our measure, with an already valid measure on the same topic to see if they give similar results
issues in psychological research-reliability
we say a study is reliable if results from study is consistent every time the study is repeated
What are the 2 types of reliability
INTERNAL RELIABILITY- (mostly questionnaires) how consistent the individual items on a test are with each other
EXTERNAL RELIABILITY- how consistent results are every time study is repeated
What 2 factors can affect reliability
Extraneous variables that affect the measurement
If a test is itself unreliable
