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A Level Psychology REVISE THIS > Research Methods Key Terms > Flashcards

Research Methods Key Terms Flashcards

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1
Q

Experimental Method

A

Involves the manipulation of an independent variable to measure the effect on the dependent variable. Experiments may be laboratory, field, natural or quasi

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2
Q

Aim

A

A general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate. In other words: the purpose of the study

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3
Q

Hypothesis

A

A clear, precise, testable statement that states the relationship between the variables to be tested. Stated at the beginning of the study

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4
Q

Directional Hypothesis

A

States the direction of the difference or relationship

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5
Q

Variables

A

Any “thing” that can vary or change during an investigation. Variables are generally used in experiments to determine if changes occur in one thing result In changes to another

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6
Q

Independent Variable (IV)

A

Some aspects of the experimental situation that is manipulated by the researcher, or changes naturally- so the effect on the DV can be measured

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7
Q

Dependent Variable (DV)

A

The variable that is measured by the researcher. Any effect on the DV should be caused by the change in the IV

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8
Q

Operationalization

A

Clearly defining variables in terms of how they can be measured

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9
Q

Extraneous Variable (EV)

A

Any variable, other than the IV, that may have an effect on the DV, if it is not controlled. EV’s are nuisance variables that do not vary systematically with the IV

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10
Q

Confounding Variable

A

Any variable, other than the IV, that may have effected the DV, so we cannot be sure of the true source of changes to the DV. Confounding variables vary systematically with the IV

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11
Q

Demand Characteristics

A

Any cue from the researcher or the research situation that may be interpreted by the participant as revelling the purpose of the investigation. This may lead to a participant changing their behaviour within the research situation

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12
Q

Investigator Effects

A

Any effect of the investigators behaviour (conscious or unconscious) on the research outcome (the DV). This may include everything from the design of the study to the selection of, and interaction with, participants during the research process

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13
Q

Randomisation

A

The use of chance in order to control for the effects of bias when designing materials and deciding the order of conditions

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14
Q

Standardisation

A

Using exactly the some formalised procedures and instructions for all participants in a research study

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15
Q

Experimental Design

A

The different ways in which the testing of participants can be organised in relation to the experimental conditions

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16
Q

Independent Groups Design

A

Participants are allocated to different groups where each group represents one condition

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17
Q

Repeated Measures

A

All participants take part in all conditions of the experiment

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18
Q

Matched Pairs Design

A

Pairs of participants are first matched on some variable that may affect the DV. Then one member of each pair is assigned to condition A, and the other to condition B

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19
Q

Random Allocation

A

An attempt to control participant variables in an independent groups design, which ensures that each participant has the same chance of being in one condition as any other

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20
Q

Counterbalancing

A

An attempt to control the effects of order in a repeated measure design, half the participants experience the conditions in one order, the other half in the opposite order. AKA ABBA

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21
Q

Laboratory Experiment

A

An experiment that takes place in an controlled environment within which the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effects on the DV, whilst maintaining strict control of extraneous variables

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22
Q

Field Experiment

A

An experiment that takes place in a natural setting within which the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effects of the DV

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23
Q

Natural Experiment

A

An experiment where the change on the 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

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24
Q

Quasi-Experiment

A

A study that is almost an experiment but lacks key ingredients. The IV has not been determined by anyone, the variables simply exist, such as age

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25
Q

Population

A

A group of people who are the focus of the researchers interest, from which a smaller sample is drawn

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26
Q

Sample

A

A group of people who take part in a research investigation. The sample is drawn from the population and is presumed to be representative of that population

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27
Q

Sampling Techniques

A

The method used to select people from the population

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28
Q

Bias

A

In the context of sampling, when certain groups may be over or under represented within the sample selected. This limits the extent to which generalisation can be made to the target population

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29
Q

Generalisation

A

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 participants is representative of the population

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30
Q

Ethical Issues

A

These arise when a conflict exists between the rights of participants in research studies and the goals to produce authentic, valid and worthwhile results

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31
Q

BPS Code of Ethics

A

A quasi legal document produced by the British Psychological Society that instructs psychologists in the UK about what behaviour is and is not acceptable when dealing with participants. It is built around 4 major principals, respect, competence, responsibility and integrity

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32
Q

Pilot Study

A

A small-scale version of an investigation that takes place before the real investigation is conducted. The aim is to check procedures ,materials ,measuring scales etc. work and to allow the researcher to make changes if necessary

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33
Q

Naturalistic Observation

A

Watching and recording behaviour in a setting within which it would normally occur

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34
Q

Controlled Observation

A

Watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment

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35
Q

Covert Observation

A

Participant’s behaviour is watched and recorded without their knowledge or consent

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36
Q

Overt Observation

A

Participant’s behaviour is watched and recorded with their knowledge and consent

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37
Q

Participant Observation

A

The researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour they are watching and recording

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38
Q

Non-Participant Observation

A

The researcher remains outside of the group whose behaviour they are watching and recording

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39
Q

Behavioural Categories

A

When a target behaviour is broken up into components that are observable and measurable

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40
Q

Event Sampling

A

A target behaviour or event is first established then the researcher records this event every time it occurs

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41
Q

Time Sampling

A

A target individual or group is first established then the researcher records their behaviour in a fixed time frame

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42
Q

Self Report Techniques

A

Any method in which a person is asked to state or explain their own findings, opinions, behaviours and/or experiences related to a given topic

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43
Q

Questionnaire

A

A set of written questions used to assess a persons thoughts and/or experiences

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44
Q

Interview

A

A live encounter where one person asks a set of questions to assess an interviewees thoughts and/or experiences. The questions may be pre-set or may develop as the interview goes along

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45
Q

Open Question

A

Questions for which there is no fixed choice of response and respondents can answer in any way they wish

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46
Q

Closed Question

A

Questions for which there is a fixed choice of responses determined by the question setter

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47
Q

Correlation

A

A mathematical technique in which a researcher investigates an association between two variables, called co-variables

48
Q

Co-Variables

A

The variables investigated within a correlation. They are not called IV and DV because a correlation investigates the association between the two variables, rather than trying to show cause and effect

49
Q

Positive Correlation

A

As one co-variable increases, so does the other

50
Q

Negative Correlation

A

As one co-variable increases, the other decreases

51
Q

Zero Correlation

A

There is no relationship between the co-variables

52
Q

Qualitative Data

A

Data that is expressed in words and is non-numerical

53
Q

Quantitative Data

A

Data that can be counted, usually given as numbers

54
Q

Primary Data

A

Information that has be obtained first hand by the researcher for the purposes of a research study. This data can be gathered directly from participants as part of an experiment, self-report or observation

55
Q

Secondary Data

A

Information that has already been collected by someone else and pre-dates the current research project. The data might include the work of others or government statistics

56
Q

Meta-Analysis

A

“Research about Research”, the process of combining results from a number of studies on a particular topic to provide an overall view

57
Q

Descriptive Statistics

A

The use of graphs,tables and summary statistics to identify trends and analyse sets of data

58
Q

Measures of Central Tendency

A

The general term for any measure of the average value in a set of data

59
Q

Mean

A

The average calculated by adding up all the values and dividing by the number of values there are

60
Q

Median

A

The central value in a set of data when they are arranged from lowest to highest

61
Q

Mode

A

The most frequently occurring value in a set of data

62
Q

Measures of dispersion

A

The general term for any measure of the spread or variation in a set of scores

63
Q

Range

A

A simple calculation of the dispersion in a set of scores which is worked out by subtracting the lowest score from the highest score and adding one as a mathematical correction

64
Q

Standard Deviation

A

A measure of dispersion in a set of scores. It tells us how much scores deviate from the mean by calculating the difference between the mean and each score. All the differences are added up and divided by the number of scores. This is the variance. The standard variation is the square root of this

65
Q

Scattergraph

A

A type of graph that represents the strength and direction of a relationship between co-variables in a correlation analysis

66
Q

Bar Chart

A

A type of graph in which the frequency of each variable is represented by the height of the bars

67
Q

Normal Distribution

A

A symmetrical spread of frequency data that forms a bell shaped pattern. The mode,median and mean are located at the highest peak

68
Q

Skewed Distribution

A

A spread of frequency data that is not symmetrical, where the data clusters to one end

69
Q

Positive Skew

A

A type of distribution in which the long tail on the positive (right) side of the peak and most of the distribution is located on the left

70
Q

Negative Skew

A

A type of distribution in which the long tail is on the left side of the peak and most of the distribution is concentrated on the right

71
Q

Statistical Testing

A

Provides a way of determining whether hypotheses should be accepted or rejected, they tell us the relationships between the variables are statically significant or have occurred by chance

72
Q

Sign Test

A

A statical test used to analyse the difference in scores between related items

73
Q

Peer Review

A

The assessment of scientific work by others who are specialists in the same field to ensure that any research intended for publication is of a high quality

74
Q

Economy

A

The state of a country or region in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services

75
Q

Situational Variable

A

A variable that is related to external circumstances rather than the personalities of those involved

76
Q

Research Methods

A

The process by which information or data is collected usually for the purpose of testing a hypothesis and/or a theory

77
Q

Correlation Coefficient

A

A number between -1 and +1 that represents the direction and strength of a relationship between co-variables

78
Q

Case Studies

A

An in-depth investigation, description and analysis of a single individual, group, institution or event

79
Q

Content Analysis

A

A research technique that enables the indirect study of behaviour by examining communications that people produce, for example, in texts, emails, TV, film and other media

80
Q

Coding

A

The stage of a content analysis in which the communication to be studied is analysed by identifying each instance of the chosen categories, for example, words ,sentences, phrases etc

81
Q

Thematic Analysis

A

An inductive and qualitative approach to analysis that involves identifying implicit or explicit ideas within the data. Themes will often emerge once the data has been coded

82
Q

Reliability

A

Refers to how consistent the findings from an investigation or measuring device are. It is reliable if it produces consistent results every time

83
Q

Test-Retest Reliability

A

A method of assessing the reliability of a questionnaire or a psychological test by assessing the same person on two separate occasions. This shows to what extent the test produces the same answers

84
Q

Inter-Observer Reliability

A

The extent to which there is an agreement between two or more observers involved in the observation of a behaviour

85
Q

Validity

A

The extent to which an observed effect is genuine. Does it measure what it was supposed to measure, can it be generalised to beyond the experimental conditions

86
Q

Face Validity

A

A basic form of validity in which a measure is scrutinised to determine whether it appears to measure what it is meant to measure, e.g.: does an anxiety test look like it measures anxiety

87
Q

Concurrent Validity

A

The extent to which a psychological measure relates to an existing similar measure

88
Q

Ecological Validity

A

The extent to which findings from research can be generalised to other settings or situations

89
Q

Temporal Validity

A

The extent to which findings from a research study can be generalised to other historical times and eras

90
Q

Statistical Test

A

Used in psychology to determine whether a significant difference or correlation exists

91
Q

Levels of Measurement

A

Quantitative data can be classified into types or levels of measurement, such as nominal, ordinal or interval

92
Q

Chi-Squared

A

A test for an associated between two variables or conditions. Data should be nominal level used an independent design

93
Q

Mann-Whitney

A

A test for an significant difference between two sets of scores. Data should be at least ordinal level using an repeated measures design

94
Q

Wilcoxon

A

A test for significant difference between two sets of scores. Data should be at least ordinal level using a repeated measures or matched pairs design

95
Q

Spearman’s Rho

A

A test for correlation when data is at least ordinal level

96
Q

Person’s R

A

A parametric test for correlation when data is at interval level

97
Q

Related t Test

A

A parametric test for difference between two sets of scores. Data must be interval with a related design

98
Q

Unrelated t Test

A

A parametric test for difference between two sets of scores. Data must be internal with an unrelated design

99
Q

Probability

A

A measure of the likelihood that a particular event will occur where 0 indicates statistical impossibility and 1 indicates statistical certainty

100
Q

Significance

A

A statistical terms that tells us how sure we are that a difference or correlation exists. A “significant” result means that the researcher can reject the null hypothesis

101
Q

Critical Value

A

When testing a hypothesis, the numerical boundary or cut off point between acceptance and rejection of the null hypothesis

102
Q

Type 1 Error

A

The incorrect rejection of a true null hypothesis (a false positive)

103
Q

Type 2 Error

A

The failure to reject a false null hypothesis (a false negative)

104
Q

Abstract

A

The key details of the research report

105
Q

Introduction

A

A look at past research (theories and/or studies) on a similar topic. This section includes the aim and hypothesis

106
Q

Method

A

A description of what the researcher did, including design, sample, apparatus/materials, procedure, ethics

107
Q

Results

A

A description of what the researcher found, including descriptive and inferential statistics

108
Q

Discussion

A

A consideration of what the results of a research study tells us in terms of psychological theory

109
Q

References

A

A list of sources that are referred to or quoted in the article

110
Q

Paradigm

A

A set of shared assumptions and agreed methods within a scientific discipline

111
Q

Paradigm Shift

A

The result of a scientific revolution. A significant change in the dominant unifying theory within a scientific discipline

112
Q

Objectivity

A

When all sources of personal bias are minimized so as not to distort or influence the research process

113
Q

The Empirical Method

A

Scientific approaches that are based on the gathering of evidence through direct observation and experience

114
Q

Reliability

A

The extent to which scientific procedures and findings can be repeated by other researchers

115
Q

Falsilfiability

A

The principal that a theory cannot be considered scientific unless it admits the probability of being proved false

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