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Psychology > RESEARCH METHODS (YEAR 2) > Flashcards

RESEARCH METHODS (YEAR 2) Flashcards

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1
Q

Define content analysis

A

Observational study which enables indirect study of behaviour by examining visual, written or verbal communication material (media such as books or TV)
Quantitative, qualitative or both

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2
Q

What does the researcher have to decide in sampling method for a content analysis?

A
  • Books - looking at every page or just every fifth page? (E.g.)
  • Comparing books - does the researcher select books randomly or identify certain characteristics (e.g. all biographies or romantic fiction)
  • Adverts - time or event sampling?
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3
Q

Define coding in content analysis

A

Placing quantitative or qualitative data in categories (behavioural categories)

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4
Q

How may data from a content analysis be represented?

A
  • Quantitative - count instances of a behaviour
  • Qualitative - describe examples in each category
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5
Q

Define thematic analysis

A

Technique used when analysis qualitative data
Themes or categories identified + data is organised according to these themes

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6
Q

Outline what is involved with thematic analysis

A
  • Qualitative data is difficult to summarise —> summarised by identifying repeated themes in the material
  1. Read + reread data, trying to understand meaning communicated + the perspective of the participants | NO NOTES
  2. Break data into meaningful units - small bits of text which can independently convey meaning
  3. Assign a label or code to each unit (INITIAL CATEGORIES) - each unit may be given 1+ code/label
  4. Combine simple codes into larger categories/themes + then instances can be counted or examples provided
  5. CHECK OVER CATEGORIES by collecting new data + applying the categories
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7
Q

Define case study

A

Research method than involves in-depth study of a single individual, institution or event

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8
Q

Outline what is involved in a case study

A
  • Uses information from a range of resources (e.g. person concerned, family + friends)
  • Interviews, observed while engaging in family life, IQ/personality tests or questionnaires to produce psychological data about the target person or group
  • May use experimental method to test what the target person/group can/can’t do
  • Usually LONGITUDINAL
  • Qualitative - but quantitative is possible (e.g. scores from psychological tests)
  • IDIOGRAPHIC APPROACH
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9
Q

Give an example of a case study

A
  • Phineas Gage
  • 1848, was working on construction of American railway + tramping iron drove through his skull
    ^— survived + could function fairly normally
  • HOWEVER affected personality - friends said he was no longer the same man
  • Case was important in development of brain surgery to remove tumours because it showed some parts of the brain could be removed w/o fatal effect
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10
Q

Define reliability

A

Consistency of findings from in investigation - the consistency of measurements
Would expect any measurement to produce the same/CONSISTENT data if taken on successive occasions

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11
Q

State two ways of assessing reliability

A
  • Test re-test
  • Inter-observer
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12
Q

Explain the test re-test method

A

The same test/ questionnaire is given to same person (or people) on 1+ different occasions
If results = same/similar: reliable

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13
Q

Explain inter-observer reliability

A
  • 2+ Observers compare data from independent observation + record of same person

E.g. Ainsworth’s Strange Situation

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14
Q

State 4 ways of improving reliability

A
  • Questionnaires
  • Interviews
  • Experiments
  • Observations
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15
Q

Explain questionnaires in improving reliability

A
  • Questionnaire that produces low test-retest reliability may require some items to be deselected or rewritten
  • Researcher may replace open questions with closed questions which are less ambiguous
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16
Q

Explain interviews in improving reliability

A
  • To ensure reliability in an interview, use the same interviewer each time
  • If not, all interviews must be trained (e.g. to avoid questions that are leading or ambiguous)
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17
Q

Explain experiments in improving reliability

A
  • Lab experiments often described as ‘reliable’ due to strict control over many aspects of procedure
    ^— e.g. instructions participants receive and the conditions in which they are tested (STANDARDISATION)
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18
Q

Explain observations in improving reliability

A
  • Behavioural categories should be easily measurable (less vague - pushing rather than aggression) + no overlap (hugging and cuddling)
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19
Q

Define validity

A

The extent to which an observed effect is genuine

20
Q

State 2 ways of assessing validity

A
  • Face validity
  • Concurrent validity
21
Q

Explain ‘face validity’ in assessing validity

A
  • The extent to which test items look like what the test claims to measure
  • ONLY REQUIRES INTUITION

E.g. whether the questions on a stress questionnaire are obviously related to the stress

22
Q

Explain ‘concurrent validity’ in assessing validity

A
  • Means of establishing validity by comparing an existing test or questionnaire with the one you are interested in
    ^— participants given both measures at the same time + then scores are compared

IF SCORES = SAME: VALID

23
Q

State 4 ways of improving reliability

A
  • Questionnaires
  • Interviews
  • Experiments
  • Observations
24
Q

Explain questionnaires in improving validity

A
  • Lie scales control for effects of social desirability bias - respondents assume data is confidential

Lie scale: a question is asked, then rephrased and asked again later on
^— different answers indicate a lie, which similar answers indicate the truth

25
Q

Explain interviews in improving validity

A
  • Ensure interviewer builds a rapport w/ interviewee so they are confident to answer honestly
26
Q

Explain experiments in improving validity

A
  • Control group means researchers are more confident that changes in the Dv are due to manipulating the IV
    ^— minimises investigator effects
27
Q

Explain observations in improving validity

A
  • Behavioural categories should be well defined, thoroughly operationalised + not ambiguous or overlapping
28
Q

Define ecological validity

A

The ability to generalise a research effect beyond the particular setting in which it is demonstrated to other settings

29
Q

Define mundane realism

A

Refers to how a study mirrors the real world
^— research environment is realistic to the degree to which experiences encountered in the research environment will occur in the real world

30
Q

Define temporal validity

A
  • The abilities to generalise a research effect beyond the particular time period of the study
31
Q

What is internal validity?

A
  • Concerns what occurs within a study

E.g. demand characteristics, investigator effects, confounding variables, social desirability bias, poorly operationalised behavioural categories

32
Q

What is external validity?

A
  • Concerns what occurs after the study

E.g. temporal + ecological validity

33
Q

Explain why temporal validity may be a problem in research

A
  • Suggests that research findings can become outdated and only generalisable to that time
    ^— this is when it lacks validity
34
Q

What are the two types of test when choosing a statistical test?

A
  • Test of difference
  • Test of association or correlation
35
Q

How is a test of difference identified when choosing a statistical test?

A
  • The test is an experiment
  • Words used: ‘experiment’, ‘difference’
  • Groups sorted into ‘group a’ and ‘group b’
36
Q

How is a test of association or correlation identified when choosing a statistical test?

A
  • It is stated to be a ‘correlation’
  • Words used: ‘correlation’, ‘association’, ‘ relationship’, ‘co-variables’
37
Q

What are the two types of design when choosing a statistical test?

A
  • Unrelated design
  • Related design
38
Q

How is an unrelated design identified when choosing a statistical test?

A
  • The experimental design used in the experiment is ‘independent groups’
39
Q

How is a related design identified when choosing a statistical test?

A
  • The experimental design used in the experiment is ‘repeated measures’ or ‘matched pairs’
40
Q

What are the three types of data when choosing a statistical test?

A
  • Nominal data
  • Ordinal data
  • Interval data
41
Q

How is nominal data identified when choosing a statistical test?

A
  • Data gathered in the way of categories
    ^— e.g. counting no. of boys and girls in the year (‘male’ and ‘female’ categories)
42
Q

How is ordinal data identified when choosing a statistical test?

A
  • Data gathered through a scale (e.g. from questionnaire)
    ^— e.g. asking everyone in a class how much they like psychology on a scale of 1-10
43
Q

How is interval data identified when choosing a statistical test?

A
  • Data gathered that exists with scientific units
    ^— kg, seconds, height in cm
44
Q

Give a method of determining if the calculated value needs to be higher or lower than the critical value fore each statistical test

A

Rule of R
- Contains an R = calculated value > critical value
- Doesn’t contain an R = calculated value < critical value

45
Q

What is a Type I error?

A
  • A ‘false positive’
  • When the alternative hypothesis is mistakenly accepted rather than the null hypothesis
46
Q

What is a Type II error?

A
  • A ‘false negative’
  • When the null hypothesis is mistakenly accepted rather than the alternative hypothesis

Psychology (19 decks)

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