Research Methods Booklet general

Question 1

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 1

Testable statement, prediction

Question 2

When would you use a One-tailed (directional hypothesis)?

Answer 2

Experiment/ observation. It is based on previous research Eg. Half under going flooding, half systematic desensitisation. (Flooding was better).

Question 3

When would you use a two-tailed (non directional) hypothesis?

Answer 3

Experiment/observation
No previous research
Mixed findings

Question 4

How is a bar chart different from a histogram?

Answer 4

There are spaces in between the bars

Question 5

What is correlational analysis?

Answer 5

Looking at a relationship between 2 variables

Question 6

What is positive correlation?

Answer 6

As a variable increases so does the other

Question 7

Distributions

Answer 7

Positively skewed- hill is towards the left
Negatively skewed- hill is towards the right
Atypical- is a normal distribution hill is in the middle

Question 8

What is a independent variable?

Answer 8

The variable that we manipulate

Question 9

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 9

The variable that we measure

Question 10

What is operationalisation?

Answer 10

Where we clearly define the variables so they are measurable

Question 11

What are extraneous variables and how can they be controlled?

Answer 11

External factors that affect research, therefore reducing the validity of results
Can be controlled by eliminating participants that would effect the study in a unnatural way. Eg. A participant that is taking another drug, whilst testing one in the study

Question 12

What are confounding variables?

Answer 12

They cannot be controlled and affect the study’s result. Eg. When doing I memory test I have a migraine, meaning i do poorly on the test

Question 13

What is ecological validity?

Answer 13

How well behaviour is represented in the real world eg. Low ecological validity may not represent behaviour in the real world

Question 14

What is low population validity?

Answer 14

Does not represent the whole population. The person involved in the experiment is not representable for everyone

Question 15

What is face validity?

Answer 15

On the surface it looks like a true explanation eg. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Question 16

What is a laboratory experiment?

Answer 16

An experiment carried out in a controlled environment. You manipulate the independent variable and measure the dependent variable

Question 17

What are demand characteristics?

Answer 17

When participants try to guess the aim of the study and change their behaviour accordingly

Question 18

How does social desirability affect validity?

Answer 18

The participants would give untruthful responses so they do not upset the researchs

Question 19

What is a case study?

+ weakness

Answer 19

An in depth analysis on a unique person

Weakness
The analysis of that person is subjective

Question 20

What is a Aim?

Answer 20

Purpose of the study

Question 21

What is a One-tailed (directional hypothesis) ?

Answer 21

Predicts the direction in which results are expected to go

Question 22

What is a two-tailed (non-directional) hypothesis?

Answer 22

Although the researchers expect that the independent variable will affect the dependent variable- they are not sure how

Question 23

What is a negative correlation?

Answer 23

As one variable increases as the other decreases

Question 24

Pros and cons of a lab experiment

Answer 24

Pros
Easier to replicate
Easier to control extraneous variables

Cons
Artificial seating may produce demand characteristics which would not reflect real life. This results in low ecological validity

Question 25

Implications of psychological research for the economy

Answer 25

Role of the father

• important economic implications
• gender pay gap may be reduced if parental roles are seen as more equal