Reserach Methods 2

Question 1

Describe what is meant by ‘order effects’, using any examples.

Answer 1

• order effects are consequences of doing test more than once = happens in repeated measures design/longitudinal study
• can include fatigue effects: get worse w repetition/boring/tired
• can include practice effects: get better w repetition e.g remembering answers to test or more skilled in physical task

Question 2

Outline one sampling technique that Kaleem could use to find a representative sample.

Answer 2

• random sampling
• chosen so each person in population has EQUAL chance of being in sample
• e.g ballot selection

Question 3

Suggest two features of the participants that Kaleem should consider 2 to make his sample representative.

Answer 3

• age range
• gender ratio
  -recall Memory
• work
• race

Question 4

Explain why the features of a representative sample are important

Answer 4

Age
- less age bias = more valid
Gender
- gender bias = less valid (adrogynocentric/gynocentric)
Race
- majority x = less valid/generalizable

Question 5

Suggest why she chose to be a covert observer in her study (animal exp)

Answer 5

• animals respond to people= needs to be hidden;
• cats + parrots domestic animals = likely to respond to people;
• does not act as an uncontrolled variable distract their normal behaviour = reduce validity

Question 6

Don wants to tell every participant where they are on the map at the 2 start of the test.
Explain why this would be importan

Answer 6

• all ppt doing an equally hard task;
  • to standardise the procedure/to improve reliability;
  • so that differences between the participants are due to their navigational ability ONLY

Question 7

Weaknesses of structured interviews

Answer 7

VALIDITY = Operationalistaion, social desirability, response bias
RELIABILITY= Standerdisation, inter rated consistency

Question 8

Describe what is meant by ethical guidelines of informed consent

Answer 8

• when ppt is given enough info before a study begins so they can decide if they want to participate or not

Question 9

unstructured interview

Answer 9

• interviews are much more flexible;
• interviewer can add questions in response to the participant’s responses;
• open qs + qualative data
• e.g Dement and Kleitman sometimes went to the participants to ask them more questions about each dream;