Researching Mental Health

Question 1

What is primary data?

Answer 1

Data that you collect yourself as a researcher using first hand methods such as experiments, observations and interviews

Question 2

What is an example of a researcher collecting primary data?

Answer 2

Rosenhan gathered primary data first hand through observing the activity of pseudo patients in mental health hospitals

Question 3

What is secondary data?

Answer 3

Using and analysing pre existing primary data. It may used or analysed in a different way or to answer a different question.

Question 4

What is an example of secondary data?

Answer 4

Carlsson et al (2000) who conducted a review of research which investigated the effects of neurotransmitters in the development of schizophrenia

Question 5

In what way is primary data better than secondary data with regards to validity?

Answer 5

It is gathered for the intended purpose of the study and is more likely to be focused on that purpose and have controls to fit whereas secondary data is used for a different aim

Question 6

Why does primary data have temporal validity?

Answer 6

It is likely to be gathered at the time of the study and conclusions will be drawn at the time and so will be more valid

Question 7

Why can secondary data be more practical?

Answer 7

It is much cheaper as it already exists for the researchers use and therefore does not cost as much to obtainas there are no participants or experimental tasks

Question 8

Why is secondary data often more generalisible?

Answer 8

It is from different sources and large quantities can be obtained, so there can be more detail and room to compare

Question 9

Why does secondary data require fewer ethical considerations?

Answer 9

As it does not outline the procedure and can even analyse research that it now deemed unethical

Question 10

What are meta analyses?

Answer 10

They involve looking at secondary data from multiple studies conducted by other researchers and drawing the findings to make overall conclusions

Question 11

Why might a researcher choose to do a meta analysis?

Answer 11

When an area of research has inconsistent findings or when conclusions cannot be drawn

Question 12

What happens in a mete analysis if a number of studies seperately find the same answer?

Answer 12

Those studies can be analysed together and the answer can become stronger as the studies support one another

Question 13

What is an example of a meta analysis in psychology?

Answer 13

Stafford et al (2015) did a meta analysis looking at treatments of psychosis and schizophrenia in children and young adults. 27 studies were used and they found that APs were good for adults and children

Question 14

What is the main benefit of meta analysis?

Answer 14

Conclusions can be drawn from a large amount of data very quickly and at much less cost than if the data was primary, also no ethical concerns

Question 15

Why is it good that meta analyses involved statistical tests?

Answer 15

It means that the power of the statistical result is larger than the result of single studies as there is a larger sample

Question 16

How might a meta analysis be able to generalise about the universality of an issue?

Answer 16

Studies may be from different cultures so they can draw cross cultural conclusions

Question 17

What is a major diadvantage of meta analyses?

Answer 17

The researchers do not have involvement in gathering the data directly, so there may undisclosed issues of reliability and validity

Question 18

What is the difficulty that meta analyses face concerning research methods?

Answer 18

The studies are unlikely to be identical in their research methods, procedure, sampling and decision making meaning they might not be comparable

Question 19

What is the issue of publication bias that meta analyses face?

Answer 19

Research that produces null effects may not be published and therefore would be ignored by meta analytic reseaech

Question 20

What is a longitudinal study?

Answer 20

A study that takes place over a long period of time and often involves comparing a single sample group with their own performance over time

Question 21

What might clinical psychologists be measuring in a longitudinal study?

Answer 21

Monitoring changes in symptoms in a patient undergoing certain treatments

Question 22

What is a benefit of longitudinal studies?

Answer 22

They follow the same people over a period of time so there are no individual differences that might affect the results

Question 23

What is a benefit concerning cause and effect conclusions with longitudinal studies?

Answer 23

It is easier than if you used a cross sectional design where different people are studied as only age changes, no other individual differences so you can be sure your IV is affecting your DV

Question 24

What is a weakness of longitudinal studies?

Answer 24

Participants are likely to drop out as it takes place over a long period of time, perhaps due to death, and there may be something about these participants that makes them not finish, makes them less generalisable

Question 25

What is an issue with temporal validity regarding longitudinal studies?

Answer 25

By the time meaningful data can be used to draw a conclusion in the study, the data may be irrelevent

Question 26

What ethical concerns are there with longitudinal studies?

Answer 26

It is more intrusive to follow someone over time than it is for a one off experiment and it is difficult to respect their privacy when more data is always needed

Question 27

What are cross sectional designs?

Answer 27

When researchers want to take a quick snapshot of a behaviour in a given population, typical experiment

Question 28

What is a benefit of cross sectional designs?

Answer 28

The data is drawn together must quicker and conclusions can be acted upon much quicker. High temporal validity - results are relevant for that time

Question 29

How are cross sectional designs more ethical than longitudinal designs?

Answer 29

Less intrusive, only need to gather data one, can be sure that consent is valid as time hasn’t passed

Question 30

Why can cross sectional designs be very practical?

Answer 30

They require less commitment in terms of time and are less expensive to research

Question 31

What is a major drawback of cross sectional designs?

Answer 31

The comparisons are being made with different groups of people meaning individual differences will have a significant effect on the conclusions drawn

Question 32

Why is it a negative that cross sectional designs are a snapshot of a moment in time?

Answer 32

They are unlikely to include historical information about a patient and do not gather information about their future. Not useful for seeing the course of a treatment

Question 33

What is cross cultural research?

Answer 33

Taking samples from different cultural groups to draw comparisons about the similarities and differences between them

Question 34

What is suggested if a behaviour is found in all cultures?

Answer 34

The behaviour is universal and is due to nature

Question 35

What is suggested if a behaviour isn’t found in all cultures?

Answer 35

The behaviour is culture bound and is due to nurture

Question 36

What does ethnography mean (emic approach)?

Answer 36

Using different research methods with researchers immersing themselves in a different culture to learn about it

Question 37

What is the etic approach?

Answer 37

Researchers look at cultures from the outside and draw on data from many cultures - used for universal laws of behaviour

Question 38

What is ethnocentrism?

Answer 38

A type of bias meaning being focused on one’s own culture, to interpret the world from one cultural perspective

Question 39

What is a strength of cross cultural research?

Answer 39

It allows researchers to gain an understanding of how culture plays a role in the validity and reliability of diagnoses, suggests whether ICD and DSM can be used worldwide

Question 40

How does cross cultural research improve generalisability?

Answer 40

It reduces the level of ethnocentrism

Question 41

How does cross cultural research identify elements of abnormal behaviour that is down to biological factors?

Answer 41

By identifying universal trends in behaviour that seem to remain unaffected by cultural variation

Question 42

What is a weakness of cross cultural research?

Answer 42

For comparison, studies have to use the same method and procedures which isn’t always the case

Question 43

What is a weakness of cross cultural research concerning the understanding of that culture?

Answer 43

Even with an emic approach where you are fully immersed in the culture, traditions and language will never be understood to the extent that they are within the culture