research methods booklet 1 Flashcards
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what is an experimental method?
manipulation of an IV to measure the effect on the DV -> can be lab, field, natural, or quasi
what is an aim?
a general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate (purpose of the study).
what is a hypothesis?
a clear, precise testable statement that states the relationship between the variables to be investigated (outset)
what is a directional hypothesis?
states the direction of the difference or relationship
what is a non directional hypothesis?
does not state the direction
what are variables?
any ‘thing’ that can vary or change within an investigation. Generally used in experiments to determine if changes in one thing result in changes to another.
what is the independent variable?
some aspects of the experimental situation that is manipulated by the researcher- or changes naturally- so the effect on the DV can be measured.
what is the dependent variable?
variable that is MEASURED by the researcher. Effect on the DV should be caused by the change in IV.
what is operationalisation?
clearly defining variables in terms of how they can be measured
what are extraneous variables?
any variable, other than the IV, that may have an effect on the DV if it is not controlled.
what are confounding variables?
any variable, other than the IV, that may have affected the DV so we cannot be sure of the true source of changes to the DV. These vary systematically with the IV.
what are demand characteristics?
any cue from the researcher or from the research situation that may be interpreted by ppts as revealing the purpose of the investigation- ppt may change their behaviour within the research situation.
what are investigator effects?
any effect of the investigator’s behaviour (conscious or unconscious) on the research outcome (the DV). This may include everything from the design of the study to the selection and interaction with ppts.
what is randomisation?
use of chance in order to control for the effects of bias when designing materials and deciding the order of conditions.
what is standardisation?
using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for all ppts in a research study
what is an experimental design?
the different ways in which the testing of ppts can be organised in relation to the experimental conditions
what is an independent group design?
ppts are allocated to different groups where each group represents one experimental condition
what is a repeated measures design?
all ppts take part in all conditions of the experiment
what is a matched pairs design?
pairs of ppts are first matched on some variable(s) that may affect the DV. Then one member of the pair is assigned to condition A and the other to condition B
what is counterbalancing?
an attempt to control for the effects of order in a repeated measures design: half the ppts experience the conditions in one order, and the other half in an opposite order
what is random allocation?
an attempt to control for the effects of order in a INDEPENDENT GROUPS DESIGN which ensures that each ppt has the same chance of being in one condition than any other.
what is a lab experiment?
an experiment that takes place in a controlled environment within which the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV, whilst maintaining strict control of extraneous variables.
what is a field experiment?
an experiment that takes place in a natural setting within which the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effects on the DV
what is a natural experiment?
an experiment where the change in IV is not brought about by the researcher but would have happened even if the researcher had not been there. The researcher records the effect on the DV.
what is a quasi-experiment?
a study that is almost an experiment but lacks key ingredients. The IV has not been determined by anyone- the ‘variables’ simply exist e.g being old and young. =basically not an experiment.
define population
a group of people who are the focus of the researchers interest, from which a smaller sample is drawn.
define sample
a group of ppl who take part in a research investigation- drawn from a target population and is presumed to be representative of that population.
define bias
in context of sampling, when certain groups may be over or under- represented within the sample selected. E.G. there may be too many younger ppl or too many ppl of a certain ethnic origin in a sample.
define generalisation
the extent to which findings and conclusions from a particular investigation can be broadly applied to the population. This is made possible if the sample of ppts is representative of the population.
define ethical issues
these arise when a conflict exists between the rights of ppts in research studies and the goals of research to produce authentic, valid and worthwhile data.
define BPS code of ethics
A quasi-legal document produced by the British Psychological Society (BPS) that instructs psychologists in the UK about what behaviour is and is not acceptable when dealing with ppts
4 major principles: respect, competence, responsibility and integrity.
define pilot study
a small-scale version of an investigation that takes place before the real investigation is conducted. The aim is to check that procedures, materials etc work and allow the researcher to make changes or modifications if necessary.
