Research methods year 1 -

Question 1

What is the IV and the DV?

Answer 1

Independent variable (the one the change)
Dependent variable (the one you measure)

Question 2

What are the 4 types of experiments?

Answer 2

Lab (in a laboratory, researcher manipulates IV)
Field (in a natural environment, researcher manipulates IV)
Natural (in natural environment, research does not manipulate IV)
Quasi (in natural environment, nothing manipulated)

Question 3

What are the pros and cons of a lab experiment?

Answer 3

+ easy to replicate (standardisation)
+ clear cause and effect
+ controlled
+ minimises extraneous variables

• lacks mundane realism
• investigator bias
• lacks ecologically validity
• demand characteristics

Question 4

What are the pros and cons of a field experiment?

Answer 4

+ ecological validity
+ cause and effect

• less control
• extraneous variables
• more difficult to replicate
• ethics (consent, deception, invasion of privacy)

Question 5

What are the pros and cons of a natural experiment?

Answer 5

+ ecological validity (studies ‘real’ problems)
+ allows to investigate areas which would be unethical to artificially create.

• no cause and effect
• extraneous variables
• unrepeatable
• ethics

Question 6

What are the pros and cons of a quasi experiment?

Answer 6

+ valid (participants aren’t often aware they are being studied)
+ ecological validity

• no cause and effect
• control

Question 7

What are the 2 types of observation?

Answer 7

Controlled (allows some control over environment, to influence variables)
Naturalistic (behaviour observed in environment which it would normally occur, no control over variables)

Question 8

What are the other variations within these types of observation?

Answer 8

Participant (join group) or non - participant (remain outsider)
Covert (undercover) or overt (participants know they are being observed)

Question 9

Evaluation of these types of observation?

Answer 9

controlled:
+ control of extraneous variables
- demand characteristics

naturalistic:
+ high ecological validity
- extraneous variables

participant and non - participant:
p + high external validity - research may ‘go native’.
np + objective - less insight

covert and overt
c + no demand characteristics - ethics
o + objective - demand characteristics

Question 10

What are the 2 types of self report techniques?

Answer 10

Questionnaire (open and closed questions)

Interview (structured and unstructured)

Question 11

Evaluation of questionnaires?

Answer 11

+ easy to distribute
+ easy to analyse
+ quantitative or qualitative data

• social desirability bias
• leading questions

Question 12

Evaluation of interviews?

Answer 12

+ detailed information
+ acknowledges individual
+ unstructured means questions can be developed

• time consuming
• interviewer effects
• social desirability bias
• rapport needed
• difficult to analyse if unstructured

Question 13

What is a correlation?

Answer 13

A way of establishing a relationship between two variables and the strength of it.
There is no IV or DV and you analyse the relationship on a scatter graph or calculating correlation coefficient.

2 types of correlation:
Positive (as one variable rises, so does the other)
Negative (as one variable rises, the other falls)

Question 14

Evaluation of correlations?

Answer 14

+ measures strength of relationship (precise quantitative data)
+ value exploratory research (helps unravel complex relationships)

• impossible to establish cause and effect.

Question 15

What is the difference between a directional and non - directional hypothesis?

Answer 15

Directional states the kind of difference you will find between 2 conditions.
Non - directional simply states there will be a difference.

Question 16

What is random sampling and the pros and cons of it?

Answer 16

A method of sampling which gives everyone an equal opportunity of being picked e.g. pulling names out of a hat)
+ reasonable chance of getting a representative sample
- small minority groups within target group may distort findings.
- it can be impossible to be completely random.

Question 17

What is systematic sampling and the pros and cons of it?

Answer 17

A method of sampling which is systematic e.g. every fourth person on a list.
+ offers unbiased chance of getting representative sample.
- if list is not random, selection could be bias.

Question 18

What is stratified sampling and the pros and cons of it?

Answer 18

When the sampler divides target group into sections, each showing a key characteristic. Then each section is sampled individually.
+ should create representative sample.
+ avoids misrepresentation sometimes caused by random sampling.
- takes more time and resources
- can cause bias if not done carefully

Question 19

What is opportunity sampling and the pros and cons of it?

Answer 19

Participants who are available and willing to take part are targeted.
+ easy and cheap
- sample could not be representative and bias.

Question 20

What is volunteer sampling and the pros and cons of it?

Answer 20

Sample consists of people who have volunteered.
+ often achieves large sample size as it reaches a wide audience.
- may attract particular type of person so sample may become unrepresentative.

Question 21

What are the 3 types of experimental design?

Answer 21

Repeated measures - Same P’s are used in both conditions.
Independent groups - P’s are randomly allocated to either condition.
Matched pairs - Pairs of P’s are closely matched and then randomly allocated to either condition.

Question 22

What are the pros and cons of repeated measures?

Answer 22

+ avoids problem of participant variables
+ fewer people needed.

• order effects
• demand characteristics in second condition mainly

Question 23

What are the pros and cons of independent groups?

Answer 23

+ avoids order effects
+ less demand characteristics

• more people are needed
• differences between P’s in groups may affect results (participant variables)

Question 24

What are the pros and cons of matched pairs?

Answer 24

+ reduces participant variables
+ avoids order effects

• time consuming
• more P’s needed

Question 25

What are the 3 types of observational design?

Answer 25

Behavioural categories - specific about types of behaviours you want to observe.
Event sampling - observing just one specific event
Time sampling - record behaviours within specific time frame.

Question 26

What does it mean to operationalise variables?

Answer 26

Making it so that the IV and DV can be measured, making it specific, so the study is repeatable.

Question 27

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 27

Any other variable which may affect the DV (other than the IV). (Nuisance variables)
This makes the results less reliable.

Question 28

What are demand characteristics?

Answer 28

When the subject pick up cues during the experiment and modify their behaviour, therefore possibly altering the results.
This can be reduced by doing and single or a double blind study.

Question 29

What are ethical issues in psychology research? 6

Answer 29

• Consent (informed consent needed)
• Deception (have participants been deceived?)
• Debriefing (P’s need to be told exactly what will happen within experiment, if possible)
• Right to withdraw (P’s must be able to withdraw from study at any point)
• Confidentiality (P’s information kept secret)
• Protection from harm (P’s must be protected from physical or mental harm)

Question 30

What is primary data and secondary data?

Answer 30

Primary = first hand
Secondary = second hand

Question 31

What are the limitations of primary data?

Answer 31

Cost
Time consuming
Not always feasible

Question 32

What are the strengths of primary data?

Answer 32

Valid - looking at what the researcher intended.

Scientific/reliable - objective methods and carefully carried out.

Question 33

What are the strengths of secondary data?

Answer 33

Quick
Cheap
Good basis for comparison

Question 34

What are the weaknesses of secondary data?

Answer 34

May not be relevant to subject - less valid.
May not be quality research
Incomplete information
May be out of date