Research Methods Key Words Flashcards
Order effects
In a repeated measures design, a confounding variable arising from the order in which conditions are presented.
Practice effect
Participants might be better in the second condition because they have practiced in the first.
Investigator effects
Any effect of the investigators behaviour (conscious or unconscious) on the research outcome.
Demand Characteristics.
Any cue from the research or from the research situation that maybe interpretation by participants as revealing the purpose of the investigation.
Randomisation
The use of chance in order to control for the effects of bias when designing materials and deciding order of conditions.
Standardisation
Using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for all participants in a research study.
Repeated measures design
All participants take part in all conditions of the experiment.
Confounding variable
Any variable other than the independent variable that changes the dependent variable.
Counterbalancing
An attempt to control order effects in a repeated measures design
Experimental design
The different ways in which the testing of participants can be organised in relation to the experimental conditions
Fatigue effects
Participants might be worse in the second condition as they are tired or bored from doing it already.
Independent group design
Participants are allocated to different groups where each other group represents one experimental condition.
Matched pairs design
Pairs of participants are first matched on some variables that may affect the dependent variable. Then one member of the pair is assigned to condition A and the other condition B.
Extraneous variable
Any variable other than the independent variable that may have an effect on the dependent variable if not controlled.
Non Directional Hypothesis
A hypothesis which states there is a difference in correlation or associations between two variables but does not specify the direction of such a relationship.
Operationalisation
Clearly defining variable in terms of how they be measure.
Dependent Variable
The variable measured by the researcher as it is affected by change in the dependent variable.
Independent variable.
The variable directly manipulated by the researcher.
Null hypothesis
A hypothesis which states that there is no relationship between the variable and there for any correlation is down to chance.
Directional hypothesis
A hypothesis which states the direction of the difference or relationship between two variables.
Hypothesis
A clear precise testable statement that states the relationship between the two variables to be investigated.
Aim
A general statement of heat the researcher intends to investigate.
Secondary Data
Information that has already been collected by someone else
Evaluation
An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the research study.
Conclusion
A summary of what the research results and what they mean in in relation to the hypothesis.
Primary research
Research conducted by the actual researcher.
Random allocation
An attempt to control for participant variables in an independent group design which ensures that each participant has the same chance of being in one condition as any other
Covert observation
Participants behaviour is watched and recorded without their knowledge and consent.
Participant observation
The researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour is he/she is watching and recording.
Naturalistic observation
Watching and recording behaviour in the setting in which it would normally occur.
Behavioural categories
When a target behaviour is broken up into components that are observable and measurable.
Event sampling
A target behaviour or even is first established then the researcher records this event every time it occurs.
Inter-observer reliability
The extent to which there is agreement between two or more observers involved in observing behaviour.
Time sampling
A target individual or group is first established then the researcher records their behaviour in a fixed time frame.
Overt observation
Participants behaviour is watched and recorded with their knowledge and consent.
Controlled observation
Watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment (I.E one where the conditions are controlled).
Double blind procedure
Neither the participant nor the researcher conducting the study are aware of the research aims or other important details of a study and thus have no expectations that might alter a participants behaviour.
Experimental group/condition
The group/ condition the independent variable as distinct from the control.
Opportunity sample
A sample of participants procedure by selecting people who are more easily available at the time of the study.
Stratified sample
A sample technique in which groups of participants are selected in proportion to their frequency in the population in order to obtain a representative sample.
Protection from harm
Participants should not be put at any more risk than they would be in their daily lives and should be protected from physical and psychological harm.
Random sample
A sample of participants produced by using a random sample technique such that every member of the target population being tested has an equal chance of being selected.
Control group/condition
The condition/group that provides a baseline measure of behaviour without the experimental treatment.
Prior general consent
Prospective participants in a research study are asked if they would take part in certain kinds of research including ones involving perception.
Presumptive consent
A method of dealing with lack of informed consent or deception, by asking a group of people who are similar to the participants whether they would agree to take part in the study.
Privacy and confidentiality
Privacy- An ethical issue that refers to a zone of in accessibility of mind body and the trust that this will not be ‘invaded’
Confidentiality- An ethical issue concerned with a participants right to have personal information protected.
Non participant observation
The researcher remains outside of the group whose behaviour he/she is watching and recording.
Cost benefit approach
Making a decision by weighting up costs against gains.
Anonymity
A participant remaining anonymous.
Deception
An ethical issue, most usually where a participant is not told the true aims of a study and thus cannot give truly informed consent.
Informed consent.
An ethical issue and an ethical guideline in research psychological research where by participants must be given comprehensive information concerning the nature and purpose of the research and their role in it, in order for them to make an informed decision on weather to participate.
Retrospective
Obtaining permission after a study or event.
Right to withdraw
Participants should have the right to withdraw from participating in a research study if they are uncomfortable with the study.
Systematic sample
A method of obtaining a representative sample by selecting every 5th, 7th 10th or what ever person.
Volunteer sample
A sample of participants produced by a sampling that relies solely on inviting people to take part.
Single blind procedure
A type of research design in which a participant is not aware of research aims and/or of which condition of the experiment they are receiving.
Natural environment
A experiment where the change in the IV is not bought about by the researcher but would have happened even if the researcher had not been there.
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 such as being young or old.
Population
A group of people who are the focus of the researchers interest which a smaller sample is drawn.
Lab experiment
An experiment that takes place in a controlled environment where the researcher manipulates the IV whilst maintaining control over the environment.
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
Genreralisation
The extent to which findings and conclusions from a particular investigation can be broadly applied to the population.
Bias
In the context of sampling, when certain groups may be over- or under represented within the sample selected.
Sample
A group of people who take part in research investigation. It is drawn from a population and is assumed to be representative.
Sampling techniques
The method used to select people from the population.
Interview
A live encounter where one person asks a set of questions to assess an interviewees thoughts and/or experiences.
Questionnaire
A set of written questions used to assess a persons thoughts and experiences.
Open questions
Questions for which there is no fixed choice of response or respondents can answer in any way they wish.
Closed questions
Questions for which there is a fixed choice of responses determined by the question setter.
Likert scale
Respondents can indicate the extent into which they agree or disagree with a statement.
Rating scale
A means of assessing attitudes or experiences by asking a respondent to rate statements on a scale.
Fixed choice questions
Questions with a predetermined number of choices.
Unstructured interviews
The interview starts out with some general aims and possibly some questions and let’s the interviewees answer guide subsequent questions.
Structured interviews
Any interview where the questions are decided in advance.
Qualitative Data
Data that isn’t and can’t be put into numerical value
Quantitive data
Data in a numerical form and can be counted
Primary data
Information that has been obtained first hand by the researcher.
Secondary data
Information that has already been collected by someone else
Meta analysis
‘Research about Research’. Refers to the process of combining results from a number of studies on a particular topic to provide an overall view
Mean
The arithmetic average calculated by adding up all the values in a set of data and dividing by the number of values there are.
Median
The central value in a set of data when values are arranged from highest to lowest.
Mode
The most frequently occurring value in a set of data.
Measures of dispersion
The general term for any measure of the spread or variation in a set of scores.
Measures of central tendency
The general term for any measure of the spread or variation in a set of scores
Range
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 1 as a mathematic correction.
Standard deviation
A sophisticated 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.
Bar graph
A type of graph in which the frequency of each variable is represented by the height of the bars.
Line graph
A graph displaying continuous variables shows information as a series of data points connected by a straight line segment
Scatter gram
A type of graph that represents the strength and direction of a relationship between co variables in a correlational analysis.
Histogram
Type of frequency distribution in which the number of scores in each category of continuos data are represented by vertical columns.
Normal distribution
A systematic spread of frequency data that forms a bell shaped pattern. The mean, mode, median are all located at its highest peak.
Skewed distribution
A spread of frequency data that is not systematical, where the data clusters to one end
Positive skew
A type of distribution in which the long tail is on the positive side (right) side of the peak and most of the distribution is concentrated on the left.
Negative skew
A type of distribution in which the long tail is on the negative (left) side of the peak and most of the distribution is concentrated on the right.
Sign test
A statistical used to analyse analyse the difference in scores between the same participants under test and accept the research hypothesis
Peer review
The assessment of scientific work by others who are specialist in the same field to ensure that any research set for publication is of high quality.
