research methods - sampling Flashcards
What is a sample?
A sample is who takes part in the research and is usually referred to as a participant.
What is sampling?
Sampling is the process/technique used to recruit participants from the population.
What is a target population?
A target population is the group of people that psychologists want to be able to generalise their findings to, e.g., students, teenagers.
What is ethnocentrism?
Ethnocentrism refers to a tendency to use one’s own culture as the standards by which to judge and evaluate other cultures.
What is random sampling?
Random sampling is when everyone in the sample has an equal chance of being chosen.
What are the four sampling techniques?
The four sampling techniques are random sampling, opportunity sampling, volunteer sampling, and snowball sampling.
How can random sampling be used?
Place names of possible participants into a hat and draw out the sample required.
What are the strengths of random sampling?
Most unbiased method as everyone has an equal chance of being chosen.
What are the weaknesses of random sampling?
Could be time consuming to generate the possible sample; some selected participants may not want to participate.
What is opportunity sampling?
Selecting people that are readily available at the time.
How can opportunity sampling be used?
Approach people anywhere at any time and ask if they’re happy being in the study.
What are the strengths of opportunity sampling?
Quickest, easiest, and most economical sampling method.
What are the weaknesses of opportunity sampling?
Likely to produce a biased and unrepresentative sample; often recruited from one area/place, and psychologists may be biased when choosing who to approach.
What is volunteer sampling?
When participants volunteer themselves to participate in the research.
How can volunteer sampling be used?
Using adverts in newspapers, magazines, or online at universities.
What are the strengths of volunteer sampling?
Participants may be more willing to participate, which may mean they will be less likely to withdraw from the research.
What are the weaknesses of volunteer sampling?
It can be time-consuming waiting for responses, and the sample could be unrepresentative as certain types of people may be more likely to respond to the advert.
What is snowball sampling?
Snowball sampling is a method where participants recruit others for a test study. It may be used when it’s hard to find participants.
How can snowball sampling be used?
It can be used by asking participants to recruit others and then asking those participants to recruit others.
What are the strengths of snowball sampling?
Snowball sampling can be useful when a researcher is targeting a specific population that may be difficult to recruit, such as gamblers.
What are the weaknesses of snowball sampling?
The sample may be unrepresentative, as individuals with certain characteristics are likely to recruit others with similar characteristics.
How can a sample be representative?
A sample can be representative by including a mix of gender, a mix of the target population, a range of ages, and a large number of participants (50+).
how can a sample be unrepresentative
small number (-50), one target population, one limited ethnicities, one gender
