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PSYCHOLOGY: AOS 3 > RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 1 / STEP 2 / STEP 3 > Flashcards

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 1 / STEP 2 / STEP 3 Flashcards

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1
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 1 - IDENTIFY THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

  • AIM
A
  • The aim of the experiment was to investigate if…

- AIM: testable general research question

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2
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 2 - FORMULATE A HYPOTHESIS

  • DEFINITION: HYPOTHESIS
A

Research Hypothesis

  • A clear statement that predicts how changes in the IV will effect the DV
  • An educated guess
  • A testable statement about the relationship between two or more variables
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3
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 2 - FORMULATE A HYPOTHESIS
* NEED TO INCLUDE: Direction/Prediction, Population, IV and DV

  • DEFINITION: IV
  • DEFINITION: DV

If ……. then……

A

IV (Independent variable)

  • The variable that is systematically manipulated
  • In order to assess its effect on the participants’ responses

DV (Dependent variable)

  • The variable that is being measured
  • Shows the effects of the IV
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4
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 2 - FORMULATE A HYPOTHESIS

  • OPERATIONALISED VARIABLES
A
  • Make sure they are measurable or testable
  • Describing exactly HOW that variable is manipulated and / or measured
  • If….. then…..
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5
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • DEFINITION: POPULATION
  • DEFINITION: SAMPLE
  • DEFINITION: PARTICIPANTS
A

Population
- A particular group who has one more characteristics in common

Sample
- A subset of the larger group (the population) chosen for the study. It is ALWAYS smaller than the population and therefore should be representative to the population

Participants

  • A person / individual who takes part in a study
  • A group of people that partake in a study
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6
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • PARTICIPANT SELECTION + SAMPLING OPTION
  • Convenience sampling
  • Random sampling
  • Random stratified sampling
A

Convenience sampling

  • Also known as an opportunistic sample
  • The selection of participants who are readily available without employing random sampling
  • Not every participant in the population has an equal chance of being selected for the study

Random sampling

  • When every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected as a participant in the study
  • The selection of one participant doesn’t affect the selection of others
  • Ensures that the sample is REPRESENTATIVE of the population

Random stratified sampling

  • When the population is divided into DISTINCT groups (strata)
  • Then, random samples of proportionate size are DRAWN from within each of the STRATA
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7
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • STRENGTHS (Convenience, Random, Random stratified)
A

RANDOM:

  • Ensures that the sample is representative of the population
  • Equal chance of selection

CONVEINECE
- Quick, Easy, Cheap (Most common method)

RANDOM STRATIFIED
- Eliminates the effect of the variable on which the sample is stratified

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8
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • LIMITATIONS (Convenience, Random, Random stratified)
A

RANDOM

  • Time consuming
  • May end up with an unrepresentative sample
  • Equal

CONVEINECE
- Bias in sample (Because it is not random)

RANDOM STRATIFIED

  • Time consuming
  • Expensive
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9
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • PARTICIPANT ALLOCATION
  • NOTE: need to make sure that the Experimental and Control groups are as similar as possible in personal characteristics and are treated as similarly as possible
A
  • Involves allocating the participants of the sample into different groups involved in the research study
  • EXPERIMENTAL Group = Exposed to the IV
  • CONTROL Group = Doesn’t receive the IV but provides a standard against which the Experimental Group’s performance is measured
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10
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS
  • Independent Groups Design
  • Repeated Measures Design
  • Matched - Participants Design
A

Independent Groups Design:

  • Participants are randomly allocated to the control and experimental groups
  • Also known as Between-participants designs

Repeated Measures Design:

  • Each participant from the sample is in the control and and Experimental Groups
  • All participants are exposed to ALL levels of the IV

Matched - Participants Design:

  • Involves pairs of participants
  • Similar in key characteristics that can influence the IV
  • Randomly allocated one to each of the control and experimental groups
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11
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • STRENGTHS (Independent Groups Design, Repeated Measures Design, Matched - Participants Design)
A

INDPENDENT GD

  • No order effects
  • Participant attrition is LESS common

REPEATED MD

  • EV and CV are minimized (the same participant is being used in both conditions)
  • Participant characteristics are kept constant

MATCHED PD

  • Participants in the EX and CO are very similar on the key characteristics of the study
  • participant attrition is LESS common
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12
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • LIMITATIONS (Independent Groups Design, Repeated Measures Design, Matched - Participants Design)
A

INDPENDENT GD
- LESS control over participant characteristics

REPEATED MD

  • Order effect occurs
  • Time consuming
  • Participants are likely to drop out before the experiment is completed

MATCHED PD

  • Doesn’t match on all human characteristics (Difficult to compare results)
  • IF Attrition occurs = loss of two sets of data, not just one
  • Pre-testing often needs to occur = time consuming
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13
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • Case Studies

Case studies (+) = Suited to investigate sensitive and complex issues

Case studies (-) = Researcher bias could be a problem

Case studies (-) = Risk of participant expectancy (Since participants and researcher interact with each other for long periods)

A

CASE STUDIES

  • Are an in-depth investigation
  • Often over a long period of time
  • Data is typically gathered from a variety of sources
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14
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

* Observational Studies
NA O (+) = Highly realistic 
NA O (-) = Lack of ability to control the IV
CO O (+) =  Control over environment enables more accuracy in observations
CO O (-) = Participant behavior may be changed by the environment
A

OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES

NATURALISTIC OB

  • Observation of voluntary behaviors
  • Occurring within the subject’s natural environment

CONTROLLED OB
- Observation of voluntary behaviors within a structured environment (i.e. Laboratory)

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15
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • Longitudinal Studies

LS (+) = Less interference of personal characteristics (Investigates how conditions progress where the same person is being investigated)

LS (-) = Time consuming
LS (-) = High drop out rate

A

LONGITUDINAL STUDIES

  • Same participants are investigated over a long period of time
  • Often involves a form of repeated measures Design
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16
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • Cross Sectional Studies

CSS (+) = Cheaper and easier than longitudinal studies
CSS (+) = Less participant drop out

CSS (-) = Large number of participants needed ad little control of interference of personal characteristics

A

CROSS SECTIONAL STUDIES

  • Data collected at one time from participants of all ages
  • Different ages are compared
  • A form if Independent Groups Design
17
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • Correlational Studies
A

CORRELATIONAL STUDIES

  • The relationship between two variables
  • Cause and Effect between
  • Makes no attempt to manipulate variables
  • Establish a strength and direction if any correlation that may EXIST between variables
  • How variables vary in relation to each other
18
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

  • Extraneous Variables
  • Controlled EV: Has been anticipated or identified as a problem ad therefore, has been controlled / or minimized before the study begins
  • Uncontrolled EV: May be present without the reasrtcer knowing. This can confuse / impact the results
  • Cofounding EV: When the EV actually succeeds in causing a measurable and systematic change in the DV
A

EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES

  • Varies other than the IV
  • Has an unwanted effect on the DV. Can affect the results of the experiment

CONTROLLED EV: Has been anticipated or identified as a problem ad therefore, has been controlled / or minimized before the study begins

UNCONTROLLED EV: May be present without the reasrtcer knowing. This can confuse / impact the results

COFOUNDING EV: When the EV actually succeeds in causing a measurable and systematic change in the DV

19
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD

POTENTIAL EV’S + CV’S
* Non standardized Instructions

How to CONTROL?

A

NON STANDARDISED INSTRUCTIONS

  • Not the same for ALL participants
  • Small variations in procedures (Affect participants’ responses)

How to CONTROL?

  • Standardising settings (time place, room)
  • Standardising test (All do the SAME test)
  • Making test as objective as possible
20
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD
* Individual Participant Differences

How to CONTROL?

A

INDIVIDUAL PARTICPANT DIFFERENCES
- Personal characteristics that can affect how an individual responds in an experiment

  • Age
  • Gender
  • IQ
  • Culture
  • Personality
  • Education
  • Motivation

How to CONTROL?

  • Large sample size
  • Random or Random Stratified sampling
  • RMD
  • MPD
21
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD
* Order Effect

How to CONTROL?

A
  • In RMD: Participants are exposed to more than one treatment condition
  • The order in which these conditions are administered may CAUSE extraneous variables
    = Practice effect
    = Boredom
    = Lack of motivation
    = fatigue

How to CONTROL?
- Counterbalancing is employed
- Counterbalancing: systematically changing the order of the treatments / tasks for participants in a balanced way
= Counteracts the unwanted effects on performance

22
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD
* Placebo Effect

How to CONTROL?

A
  • The improvement in health or wellbeing
  • Due to the participants’s expectation that they are receiving an effective treatment
  • Even if the treatment is a FAKE treatment

How to CONTROL?
- Placebo = Fake treatment. This includes: sugar pills or injections of saline (These have NO medical benefit)

23
Q

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 3 - DESIGN THE METHOD
* Experimenter Effect

How to CONTROL?

A
  • A change in a participant’s repose due to the experimenter’s EXPECTATIONS, biases
  • Rather than due to the IV
  • Self-fulfilling prophecy: Prompts people to act in CERTAIN ways

How to CONTROL?
- A double-blind procedure: Both participants and EXPERIMENTER are unaware of which group participants have been allocated to.

PSYCHOLOGY: AOS 3 (6 decks)

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