Research Techniques

Question 1

What are the four steps of the scientific method?

Answer 1

Formulate a hypothesis, design a study, collect data, analyze the data and draw conclusions

Question 2

What is the goal of the scientific method in psychology?

Answer 2

To measure and describe behaviour objectivity and to understand and explain behaviour scientifically

Question 3

What is the difference between descriptive research and experimental research?

Answer 3

Descriptive research describes behaviour or data through observation research methods, experimental research seeks to explain the cause and effect relationships through manipulating variables

Question 4

What are some examples of descriptive research methods?

Answer 4

Case studies, surveys, correlational studies

Question 5

What are some pros and cons of case studies?

Answer 5

Pro:
- provides in depth analysis
- unique angle

Con:
- relies on an individual

Question 6

What are some pros and cons of surveys?

Answer 6

Pro:
- cheap
- easy way to gather lot of info

Con:
- wording of questions can affect answer
- social desirability can cause people to lie
- sampling bias

Question 7

What are some pros and cons of correlational studies?

Answer 7

Pro:
- can help us understand relationship between things

Con:
- correlation doesn’t equal causation
- a third unknown variable can cause correlation

Question 8

What does r represent in correlational studies? What can it range from?

Answer 8

A statistic, the strength of the relationship between 2 variables

Can range from -1 to +1

Question 9

What are the components of experimental research?

Answer 9

• independent variable
• dependent variable
• control group

Question 10

What are we looking at in experimental research in terms of x and y?

Answer 10

How does manipulating x affect y

Question 11

What does an operational definition describe?

Answer 11

The actions or operations that will be used to control or measure a variable

Question 12

What are participants?

Answer 12

The people or animals whose behaviour is systematically observed in a study

Question 13

What is the independent variable?

Answer 13

Condition or event that is varied if see its impact on dependent variable

Question 14

What is the dependent variable?

Answer 14

Variable thought to be affected by manipulation of independent variable

Question 15

What is the experimental group?

Answer 15

Group that receives special treatment in regards to independent variable

Question 16

What is the control group?

Answer 16

Group of similar participants who do not receive special treatment in terms of independent variable

Question 17

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 17

Any variable other than the independent variable that seem likely to influence the dependent variable

Question 18

When does a confounding of variables occur?

Answer 18

When two variables are linked in a way that makes it difficult to sort out their special effects

Question 19

What is a within subjects design?

Answer 19

When the same participants are used as the experimental and control group

Question 20

What is a between subjects design?

Answer 20

When two or more independent groups are exposed to a manipulation of an independent variable

Question 21

What are some advantages of within subjects design?

Answer 21

Fewer participants, experimental and control groups are equivalent, can manipulate or measure more than one independent or dependent variabke

Question 22

What is an advantage of experimental research?

Answer 22

Able to look at cause and effect relationships

Question 23

What is a disadvantage of experimental research? How can we combat this?

Answer 23

Artificial, can’t explore every research question

Field experiments and descriptive/correlational studies

Question 24

What are field experiments? What do they sacrifice?

Answer 24

Research studies that use real life settings

Control over extraneous variables

Question 25

What is naturalistic observation?

Answer 25

When a researcher engages in careful observation of behaviour without intervening directly with participants

Question 26

What are the pros and cons of naturalistic observation?

Answer 26

Pro:
Allows researchers to study behaviour under conditions that are less artificial

Con:
Issue making observation unobtrusive so they don’t affect behaviour
Hard to translate to numerical data

Question 27

What is reactivity?

Answer 27

It occurs when a participants behaviour is altered by the presence of the observer

Question 28

What are some common flaws in research?

Answer 28

Sampling bias, sample doesn’t represent population

Placebo affect, expectations can cause change

Distortions in self report data, social desirability and halo effect

Experimenter bias, researchers expectations or presences influence the results