Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Psychology > Research Methods (FON) > Flashcards

Research Methods (FON) Flashcards

1
Q

What is an experimental method?

A

Manipulation of an independent variable to investigate the impact on the dependent variable.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the types of experimental methods?

A

Laboratory
Field
Natural
Quasi

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What’s an independent variable?

A

The factor that is being manipulated in research.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the dependent variable?

A

The factor being measured

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is an extraneous variable?

A

Variables other than the independent variable that may affect the DV (the researcher should try to control these).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are control variables?

A

Anything that is held constant in a study to prevent it from interfering with the results.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are confounding variables?

A

Uncontrolled extraneous variables that affect the outcome being measured as well as, or instead of, the IV.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a lab experiment?

A

An experiment conducted in a controlled environment where the IV is manipulated.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Give an example of a lab experiment

A

Asch (1851)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the strengths of a lab experiment?

A

Less likely to have confounding variables
High level of control allows replication
Ethical - can get consent
Allows isolation of variables

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the limitations of a lab experiment?

A

Lack ecological validity
Not easily generalisable
May have demand characteristics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is a field experiment?

A

An experiment that is conducted in a real world setting where the IV is manipulated.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Give an example of a field experiment.

A

Piliavin (1969)
Bickman (1974)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the strengths of a field experiment?

A

More likely to have higher levels of validity.
Less likely to have demand characteristics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the limitations of a field experiment?

A

More likely to have confounding variables
Can’t get consent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is a natural experiment?

A

An experiment that is conducted in natural conditions however the researcher is unable to manipulate the independent variable.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Give an example of a natural experiment.

A

Charlton (2000)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the strengths of natural and quasi experiments?

A

High ecological validity due to the lack of researcher involvement
Less likely to have demand characteristics
Can be used in situations where manipulating the IV is unethical

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are the limitations of natural and quasi experiments?

A

More likely to have confounding variables
Not replicable - lack of control
Random selection isn’t possible
Lack of control means casual relationships can be questioned

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is a quasi experiment?

A

Contain a naturally occurring independent variable that is a difference that already exists between people (age/gender)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Give an example of a quasi experiment?

A

Baron-Cohen (1985)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is operationalisation?

A

The way in which the IV and DV are specifically measurable.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What are order effects?

A

The order of the conditions affecting participants behaviour.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What are practice effects?

A

Performance improves on second condition as they know what to do. Type of order effect.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What are fatigue effects?
Performance worsens on second condition as they become tired. Type of order effect.
26
What is counterbalancing?
One half of participants complete the conditions in one order then the other half completed conditions in reverse order. Doesn’t remove or reduce order effects but just balances it between groups.
27
What are participant variables?
Any characteristic that could affect the study’s findings.
28
What are demand characteristics?
Participants changing their natural behaviour when they guess the aim of the research.
29
What is random allocation?
Assigning participants to groups randomly.
30
What is the experimental design?
The way the participants are allocated to experimental groups.
31
What is an independent groups design?
Each participant only takes part in one condition of the experiment (2 separate groups).
32
What is a repeated measures design?
Participants take part in both conditions of the experiment (1 group).
33
What is a matched pairs design?
Participants are matched in each condition for characteristics that may have an effect on their performance.
34
What are the possible problems with an independent groups design? How could you deal with these problems?
Participant variables - may be a confounding variable Need more participants Random allocation to reduce bias Use matched pairs
35
What are the possible problems with a repeated measures design? How could you deal with these problems?
Order effects Demand characteristics Counterbalancing Deception to remove / reduce demand characteristics
36
What are the possible problems with a matched pairs design? How could you deal with these problems?
Time consuming Impossible to match people exactly Use standardised test
37
What is a population?
A large group of people you’re interested in studying.
38
What is the target population?
A specific group of people.
39
What is a sample?
An even smaller group of people with the target population.
40
What is random sampling?
Every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.
41
What are the strengths of random sampling?
Potentially unbiased as all ppts have chance of selection.
42
What are the weaknesses of random sampling?
Difficult to be truly random (need to access whole population) Not all those selected will be willing to take part.
43
What is systematic sampling?
Selecting every nth person eg every 5th person from a list.
44
What are the strengths of systematic sampling?
No researcher bias because selection is objective.
45
What are the weaknesses of systematic sampling?
Not truly unbiased - would need to select nth number randomly Not guaranteed to be representative
46
What is opportunity sampling?
Selecting the people who are most easily available at the time eg standing on the street and asking passers by to join the research.
47
What are the strengths of opportunity sampling?
Easiest method of sampling - quick Likely to be biased because selecting from a particular part of the target population.
48
What are the weaknesses of opportunity sampling?
Likely to be biased because selecting from a particular part of the target population.
49
What is volunteer sampling?
Participants select themselves by putting themselves forward to participate in the research eg. responding to an advert.
50
What are the strengths of volunteer sampling?
Access to a variety of participants by advertising broadly. Participants are motivated to take part.
51
What are the weaknesses of opportunity sampling?
Likely to be a particular kind of person eg helpful, inquisitive and eager to please so less representative Demand characteristics.
52
What is stratified sampling?
Participants selected according to their frequency in the population eg if population is 70% male and 30% females then a sample of 10 should have 7 men and 3 women.
53
What are the strengths of stratified sampling?
More representative - equal representation of subgroups
54
What are the weaknesses of opportunity sampling?
Difficult Each quota may be biased in the way they’re selected to represent subgroups Not all those selected will be willing to take part
55
What is a correlation?
A statistical test of how strongly 2 variables are related. Relationship between 2 variables.
56
True or false: In a positive correlation as one variable increases so does the other.
True
57
True or false: In a negative correlation there is no relationship between the variables
False - as one increases the other decreases
58
What is a causation?
A change in one variable influences a change in the other.
59
What are the strengths of correlations?
Useful for identifying trends - if strong correlation is found then it can be used to inform/justify further research. Allow investigation of areas where experimental manipulation would be unethical
60
What are the weaknesses of correlations?
Can’t identify cause and effect - can’t isolate variables so don’t know which one causes and increase in the other.
61
What are correlation coefficients?
Number that tells us about the strength and direction of the relationship.
62
In terms of correlation coefficients what does -1, 0 and 1 mean?
-1 = perfect negative correlation 0 = no correlation 1 = perfect positive correlation

Psychology (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions