RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 6 / ETHICAL PRINCIPLE AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Question 1

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 6 - INTERPRET THE RESULTS

• Conclusions
• Generalisations

Answer 1

CONCLUSION

• The final decision about what the results mean
• A decision or judgement about the meaningfulness of the study’s results
• Stated in terms of original hypothesis (Either rejected or supported)

GENERALISATIONS

• A decision or judgement about whether the findings obtained from a sample are representative of the population
• Sampling technique is very important

Question 2

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 6 - INTERPRET THE RESULTS
= The quality of evidence and explanations that are based upon it
* Reliability
* Validity

Answer 2

RELIABILITY: = Consistency

• The consistency of a measure
• The likelihood that another experimenter will perform exactly the same experiment (Replication)
• Under the same conditions and generate the same results

VALIDITY: This minimizes extraneous variables

• The extent to which the scores from a measure represent the variable they are intended to.
• What it claims to be measuring. Indeed measure what it is intended to measure

Question 3

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 6 - INTERPRET THE RESULTS

• Repeatability
• Reproducibility

Answer 3

REPEATABILITY
- If there is an agreement between the results obtained across multiple trials

REPRODUCIBILITY (Test Reliability)
- An agreement between the original results and those obtained under different conditions

Question 4

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 6 - INTERPRET THE RESULTS

• Accuracy
• Precision

Answer 4

ACCURACY: Correctness (Validity as accuracy)
- The closeness of a measurement to the quantity’s true value (the correctness of the data)

PRECISION: Consistency (Reliability as precision)
- How closely two or more measurement values agree with each other

Question 5

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 6 - INTERPRET THE RESULTS

• Internal Validity
• External Validity

Answer 5

INTENRAL VALIDITY

• Whether there is a casual relationship between the IV and the DV (When the researcher controls all extraneous variables)
• Whether any observed effects of the investigation are due to to some other factor (CV’s)

EXTERNAL VALIDITY

• The extent to which the results from the investigation can be generalized
• To other settings, other people and over time
• Can the research be applied to the “real world”?

Question 6

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 6 - ETHICAL PRINCIPLE AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
* Role of Experimenter

= Research merit

= Integrity

= Respect

= Beneficence

= Justice

Answer 6

ROLE OF EXPERIMENTER
- Responsibility to protect participants’ physiological and psychological welfare

= Research merit: Explain that there are potential benefits of conducting the study

= Integrity: Must behave in a professional manner and must willing to communicate results

= Respect: Aware of the welfare, rights and customs of the participants

= Beneficence: Benefits to society shown to outweigh any risk of harm

= Justice: Must be fair in how each participant is recruited (Is used to ensure that no participant is exploited)

Question 7

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 6 - ETHICAL PRINCIPLE AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
* Rights of Participants
= Confidentiality
= Deception

Answer 7

CONFIDENTIALITY
- Must not be identified or identifiable without consent

DECEPTION
- Secrecy or deception may be employed as long as no harm is done and the participant is debriefed after the experiment

Question 8

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 6 - ETHICAL PRINCIPLE AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
* Rights of Participants
= Voluntary participation
= Withdrawal rights

Answer 8

VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
- There should be no pressure to participate

WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS
- Should be able to leave the experiment at any time without any consequence

Question 9

RESEARCH METHODS: STEP 6 - ETHICAL PRINCIPLE AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT IN PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
* Rights of Participants
= Informed consent procedures
= Debriefing

Answer 9

INFORMED CONSENT PROCEDURES
- Must be informed of the nature and purpose of research. Withdrawal rights are also mentioned

DEBRIEFING

• Correct any mistaken beliefs regarding research and to fully INFORM participants of its purpose
• Must occur if there has been any deception