research methods exam questions

Question 1

Discuss the purpose of counterbalancing (3)

Answer 1

• it controls the impact of order effects (practice, fatigue or boredom)
• allows order effects to be distributed evenly across both conditions
• making each condition of the IV occur as the first task and the second task equally
• counterbalancing does not eliminate order effects which will be present because there are two separate tasks to be completed by each person.

Question 2

What is meant by a Type II error? Explain why psychologists usually use the 5% level of significance in their research? (3)

Answer 2

A Type II error would occur where a real difference in the data is overlooked as it is wrongly accepted as being not significant, accepting the null hypothesis in error (a false negative).
The 5% level is used as it strikes a balance between the risk of making the Type I and II errors (or similar).

Question 3

WHEN ARE THESE USED:
MEDIAN
MODE
MEAN

Answer 3

MEDIAN - SKEWED DATA, ORDINAL DATA
MODE - NOMINAL DATA
MEAN - MOST SENSITIVE, CONTINOUS DATA, MOST REPRESENTATIVE

Question 4

EVALUATE THE MEAN

Answer 4

+ TAKES INTO ACCOUNT ALL SCORES
+ ONLY HAS ONE VALUE
- SUCEPTIBLE TO EXTREME SCORES

Question 5

EVALUATE THE MEDIAN

Answer 5

+ UNAFFECTED BY EXTREME SCORES

- CAN GET A VERY DIFFERENT MEDIAN WITH THE CHANGING OF JUST ONE VALUE

Question 6

EAVLUATE THE MODE

Answer 6

+ ALWAYS A REAL VALUE FOUND IN THE DATA SET

- SMALL CHANGES IN DATA CAN HAVE AN EXTREME IMPACT

Question 7

Why do researchers use statistical tests in research?

Answer 7

researchers use statistical tests to determine the likelihood that the effect/difference/relationship they have found has occurred due to chance.

Question 8

A researcher used content analysis to investigate how the behaviour of young children
changed when they started day care.
He identified a group of nine-month-old children who were about to start day care.
He asked the mother of each child to keep a diary recording her child’s behaviour every
day for two weeks before and for two weeks after the child started day care.
(a) Explain how the researcher could have used content analysis to analyse what the
mothers had written in their diaries.

Answer 8

use the recordings to make a transcription of the interview
• use coding to initially analyse the transcripts
• review the transcriptions/codes looking for emergent themes/ideas that might
be linked to later aggressive behaviour, eg family violence, parental argument,
alcohol misuse.

Question 9

He asked the mother of each child to keep a diary recording her child’s behaviour every
day for two weeks before and for two weeks after the child started day care.
(a) Explain how the researcher could have used content analysis to analyse what the
mothers had written in their diaries.
(4 marks)

Answer 9

Create a checklist / categories
Relevant example(s) of behaviours eg aggression, crying
Read through the diaries / mothers’ writing / reports
Counting behaviours or tallying
Compare before and after day care

Question 10

After analysis of the data the researchers obtained a calculated value of rs= 0.808.
Using the information in the table above, what conclusion can the researchers draw
about the relationship between the map reading and driving skills of the motorists?
Explain your answer. (4 marks)

Answer 10

WHAT TO INCLUDE

• WHETHER THE NULL HYPOTHESIS SHOULD BE ACCEPTED OR REJECTED
• THE RELATIONSHIP OF VARIABLES AND EXPLANATION
• IS IT SIGNIFICANT - WHY

Question 11

IF IT’S NOT THE SIGN TEST

Answer 11

DO NOT NEED TO CONSIDER THOSE WHO GOT EQUAL RESULTS

Question 12

What is peer review?

Answer 12

Peer review is the process by which psychological research papers, before publication,
are subjected to independent scrutiny by other psychologists working in a similar field who
consider the research in terms of its validity, significance and originality.

Question 13

Why is peer review important in psychological research? (5 marks)

Answer 13

• Peer review is an important part of this process because it provides a way of checking the
  validity of the research, making a judgement about the credibility of the research…..
• to judge the importance or significance of the research in a wider context. They can also assess how original the work is and whether it refers to relevant research by other psychologists…
• to ensure that any research paper published in a
  well-respected journal has integrity and can, therefore, be taken seriously by fellow
  researchers and by lay people.