Research Methods - AS Flashcards
What is the scientific process?
1) Aim
2) Hypothesis
3) Method
4) Results
5) Conclusion
What are the features of science?
1) Hypothesis testing
2) Empirical evidence
3) Falsifiability
4) Replicability
5) Control
6) Objectivity
What is hypothesis testing?
Using the scientific process to test the hypothesis. If the results of the experiment don’t match the original hypothesis, you adjust the hypothesis to fit the results.
What is empirical evidence?
Having direct observation to therefore prove that the hypothesis is correct. If an experiment doesn’t have empirical evidence it wouldn’t work
What is falsifiability?
To test a hypothesis it must be possible to be proven wrong
What is replicability?
repeating the study to re-test the hypothesis
What is control?
A level at which the IV is not being manipulated
What is objectivity?
Not letting personal bias affect the way the experiment is being carried out
What are extraneous variables?
Another variable other than the IV that can have an effect on the DV
What can you do to limit the number of extraneous variables?
Control the extraneous variables however this will not completely eliminate them and therefore can still have an impact on the results of the experiment
What is a confounding variable?
An EV that varies according to the level of the IV
What is validity?
something is said to be valid if measures what it says it will measure
How can a study lack validity?
- if the test doesn’t measure what it says it will measure
- if there is an extraneous/confounding variable
What is face validity?
looking at the test to decide whether It claims to measure what you want it to measure
What is concurrent validity?
Comparing the results obtained from a previous test of the same behaviour to the current test - If the result is the same it is said to be valid
What is said to be reliable?
If the results of the study are consistent ever time it is repeated
How can a study lack reliability?
- EV’s affecting the measurements
- the test or questionnaire used to measure the DV is unreliable itself
What is internal reliability?
how consistent they are within each other - individual items in the test/questionnaire. High = same/similar results, Low = different results. - talked about mainly with questionnaires
What is external reliability?
results of a study consistent everytime it is repeated
How does someone test for internal reliability?
Split half method
What is the split-half method?
Where the test into split into two and given to two groups of people and then compared to see whether the results between the two groups are the same/similar or different
How do you know if it is or isn’t internally reliable through the split-half method?
If the results are consistent within the groups = internally reliable
if the results are different within the groups = not internally reliable
How does someone test for external reliability?
Test re-test method
What is the test re-test method?
getting the same participants to take the same questionnaire or test on two different occasions and comparing them
What are the three types of EV?
- Participant variables
- investigator effects
- situational variables
What are participant variables?
when personal characteristics of the participant may affect the DV
What are investigator effects?
the researcher may influence the participant’s behaviour and therefore influence the results