Research Methods - Weaknesses

Question 1

Laboratory Experiments - Weakness

Controlled so lack ecological validity

Answer 1

As laboratory experiments are carried out in a controlled setting, they lack ecological validity so the results may not reflect memory (change this to any behaviour) in everyday life.

Question 2

Laboratory Experiments - Weakness

Artificial Task = Low Task Validity

Answer 2

Laboratory experiments often use artificial tasks such as learning list of words, so lack task validity and the results do not reflect
how more complex memories may work.

Question 3

Case Studies - Weakness

Generalisability - unique individuals

Answer 3

Case studies of brain-damaged patients are unique so the memory impairment may be specific to that individual so the findings
about the way that memory functions have limited representativeness to the general population.

Question 4

Case Studies - Weakness

Ethics (Informed Consent)

Answer 4

It is difficult to obtain informed consent from brain-damaged patients as in the case study of HM who had severe amnesia
and was not able to consent himself, therefore it may not be ethical to carry out the study.

Question 5

Unstructured Interviews - Weakness

Qualititative data - subjective

Answer 5

The qualitative data from unstructured interviews into prejudice may be analysed in a biased way by the social psychologist, so the results about attitudes to prejudice may be considered subjective.

Question 6

Interviews - Weakness

Interviewer effect

Answer 6

An interviewer could influence the responses concerning obedience and prejudice if conducted face-to-face through
researcher effects, so the results may not be valid.

Question 7

Quantitative Data - Weakness

Numerical data - lacking detail

Answer 7

Measuring the memory performance of participants using numerical data can mean that underlying reasons why the memory performance may have been worse or better under a certain condition cannot be fully explored.

Question 8

Questionnaires - Weakness

Validity - Researcher Effect

Answer 8

May not be valid due to researcher effects because the participants may not have given their honest opinions to the researcher on the proposed move.

Question 9

Repeated Measures Design - Weakness

Validity

Answer 9

Participants may experience practice effects as they complete the same task twice which could reduce validity because repeated
exposure to the same task may mean their improved performance is due to completing the same task twice rather than due to the
manipulation of the IV.

Question 10

Volunteer Sampling - Weakness

Answer 10

Researchers advertise for participants so those taking part in research may not be representative of the target population as
volunteers tend to be more motivated/perform better.

Question 11

Opportunity Sample - Weakness

Answer 11

When conducting questionnaires in psychology research only those people who are available at the time may be approached so not every characteristic of a population can be included, limiting
generalisability.