Research methods Year 2

Question 1

Definition of a case study

Answer 1

In-depth investigation, description and content analysis of single individual, group, institutions or event

Question 2

Definition of content analysis

Answer 2

A research technique that enables the indirect study of behaviour by examining communications that people produce such as texts, emails, Tv, film

Question 3

What are the two stages of content analysis and are they quantitative or qualitative?

Answer 3

Coding - quantitive data

Thematic analysis - qualitative data

Question 4

What does coding and thematic analysis entail in content analysis

Answer 4

Coding- creating categories and counting how many times this specific category appears.
Thematic- A theme is decided, descriptive words
Once satisfied, compared to new set of data to observe validity.

Question 5

Case studies Strengths and Limitations

Answer 5

Strengths:

• Offer rich detail, contribute to typical functioning
• Generate hypothesis for future study

Limitations:

• Generalisation of small studies to wider scale may be wrong.
• Final information on report may be based on selection and interpretation by the researcher.

Question 6

Content analysis Strengths and Limitations

Answer 6

Strengths:
-Get around ethical issues because all data is normally already available to the public, high external validity

Limitations:
-Indirect studying so outside of the context in which it occurred. Researchers may add their opinion.

Question 7

What is reliability

Answer 7

How consistent a measuring device is

Question 8

What are the two ways to test reliability

Answer 8

• Test-retest

- Inter-observer reliability

Question 9

What is test-retest and inter-observer reliability

Answer 9

Test-retest:
-Administering the same test. If the test is reliable the same result should be produced.
Sufficient time between tests should occur in order to allow participants to be unable to remember

Interobserver reliability:
-The extent to which there is agreement between 2 or more observers involved in observations of a behaviour.

Question 10

What is the inter observer reliability equation?

Answer 10

(Total number of agreements/ total number of observations) >.80
If it is higher than +.80 then there is high inter-observer reliability

Question 11

Ways to improve questionnaire reliability?

Answer 11

• Test-retest
• If low reliability then adjusting to make clear questions
• Replace open questions

Question 12

Ways to improve interview reliability?

Answer 12

• No leading or ambiguous questions
• Use structured interview
• Same interviewer (to have same skill level)

Question 13

Ways to improve Observation reliability?

Answer 13

• Operationalise all variables
• No overlapping categories observed
• Further training for observers to pick up on the same categories/moments

Question 14

Ways to improve experiment reliability?

Answer 14

• Consistent procedure

- Standardised procedures

Question 15

What is validity

Answer 15

The extent to which observers effects are genuine

Question 16

What are the two types of validity, define them

Answer 16

Internal validity- effects observed are due to manipulation of the IV

External validity- what was observed can it be applied to real life.(high mundane realism)

Question 17

What is temporal validity

Answer 17

Does the theory stand over time? Like penis envy by Freud

Question 18

What are the two ways of assessing validity, define them

Answer 18

Face validity- whether a test, scale or measure appears ‘on face value’ to measure what it is suppose to
Concurrent validity- those results obtained can be compared to another well-obtained test

Question 19

Ways to improve experiment validity?

Answer 19

• Have a control group
• Standardise procedures as much as possible to minimise participant reactivity ad investigator effects
• single and double blind procedures

Question 20

Ways to improve questionnaire validity?

Answer 20

-Incorporate a lie scale within the questions to assess the consistency of a respondents response and control effects of social desirability bias

Question 21

Ways to improve observations validity?

Answer 21

-Behavioural categories too broad, overlapping or ambiguous have a negative impact on the validity

Question 22

Ways to improve qualitative research validity?

Answer 22

-More ecological validity but interpretive validity where the researcher may come to their own conclusions. Should use ‘direct quotes’ and triangulation (use of number of sources)

Question 23

What is meant by ecological validity

Answer 23

The extent to which findings from a research study can be generalised to other settings and situations.

Question 24

What is a statistical test

Answer 24

Used in psychology to determine whether a significant difference or correlation exists

Question 25

What are the stages of choosing a statistical test

Answer 25

1) Is it a difference or correlation? 2) What experimental design is it? Independent= unrelated Matched+repeated= related 3) What kind of quantitive data is it: nominal, ordinal or interval? Nominal=Categorical data Ordinal= Data is ordered in some way Interval= Numerical scales of which is clear intervals

Question 26

What is a null hypothesis

Answer 26

That there is no significant differences between variables

Question 27

What is the opposite of a null hypothesis

Answer 27

Alternative hypothesis

Question 28

What is the usual level of significance in psychology

Answer 28

0.05 = 5%

Question 29

Difference between entailed and two tailed test

Answer 29

One tailed - directional | Two tailed - non directional

Question 30

What are the 2 types of possible errors

Answer 30

Type I: Null hypothesis is rejected when it should be accepted Type II: Null hypothesis is accepted when it should be rejected

Question 31

What are the 7 types of statistical significance tests used in Psychology

Answer 31

``` Mann-whitney Wilcoxon Related and unrelated t-test Spearmans rho Pearsons r Chi-squared ```

Question 32

What did Kuhn suggest

Answer 32

That what distinguishes scientific disciplines from non-scientific is a shared set of assumptions and methods - paradigm

Question 33

Suggested by Kuhn how should Psychology be seen

Answer 33

As a pre-science

Question 34

What is a paradigm

Answer 34

A set of shared assumptions and agreed method within a scientific discipline

Question 35

What is a paradigm shift

Answer 35

The result of a scientific revolution when there is significant change in the dominant unifying theory within a scientific discipline

Question 36

What is a theory

Answer 36

Theory construction through gathering evidence via direct observations . Then hypothesis is tested and see if it supports

Question 37

What is hypothesis testing

Answer 37

A key part of theory where a hypothesis must be tested to check if it is falsified

Question 38

What is falsifiability

Answer 38

Theory cannot be considered scientific unless out admits possibility of being untrue

Question 39

What is empirical method

Answer 39

Scientific approaches that are based on the gathering of evidence through direct observation and experience

Question 40

What did Popper say

Answer 40

That falsification is very important, possibility of being false.

Question 41

Why is replicability important

Answer 41

Because it determines validity, repeating in different studies allows the theory to be generalised

Question 42

Why is objectivity important when devising a theory

Answer 42

'Critical distance', not allow any personal opinion or biases to the data they collect or influence .