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a level psychology > reserch methods > Flashcards

reserch methods Flashcards

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1
Q

observation techniques - participate

A

observer is part of the group being observed

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2
Q

observation techniques - non-participate

A

observes from a distance and doesn’t interact

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3
Q

observational techniques - overt

A

has knowledge they are being observed

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4
Q

observational technique - covert

A

no knowledge of observation

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5
Q

observational technique - naturalistic observation

A

an observation
carried out in an everyday setting, in which
the investigator doesn’t interfere in any way
but merely observes the behaviours in question

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6
Q

observational technique - inter-observer reliability

A

the extent to which there is agreement between 2 or more observers involved in observations of a behaviour

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7
Q

observational technique- controlled observation

A

a form of investigation in which behaviour is observed but under conditions where certain variables have been organised by the researcher

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8
Q

observational technique - observer bias

A

observers’ expectations affect what they see or hear. this reduces the validity of the observers

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9
Q

what is a lab experiment

A

-artificial environment
-variables are controlled
-participants aware they are being observed

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10
Q

evaluation of lab expirement

A

strengths
-high in internal validity
-confident any change in DV is due to IV
weaknesses
-low in ecological validity
-high in characteristic demands as it is usually overt
-less like to behave as they would irl

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11
Q

what is a field experiment

A

-natural environment
-IV manipulated by experimenter
-harder to control
-participants covert

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12
Q

evaluate field experiment

A

strengths
-covert so low in demand characteristics
-natural environment participants are calm
weaknesses
-difficult to control variables
-major ethical issue

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13
Q

what is a natural experiment

A

-IV isn’t manipulated and occurs naturally like the effects of TV on aggression
-participants usually allocated to conditions randomly

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14
Q

evaluate natural experiments

A

+possible to study variables that would usually be unethical to study
+behaviour more natural
- because IV isn’t manipulated it’s hard to establish casual relationships

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15
Q

what is a quasi experiment

A
  • the IV is a particular feature eg gender or mental disorder
    -arnt able to use random allocation
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16
Q

evaluate quasi experiment

A

+controlled conditions
+ less artificial than laboratory studies
- casual relationship because IV not directly manipulated
- participant allocation confounding variables may affect results

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17
Q

evaluate participant observation

A

+researcher can gain greater understanding of groups behaviour
-researcher loses objectivity becoming part of the group

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18
Q

evaluate non participant observation

A

+researcher can remain objective throughout the study
- researchers loses a sense of the group’s dynamic by being separate

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19
Q

evaluate overt observation

A

+much more ethically sound because participants are aware of the research
-people may change their behaviour if they know are being observed

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20
Q

evaluate covert observation

A

+ pps more likely to behave naturally
-gaining ethical approval is difficult

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21
Q

evaluate naturalistic observation

A

+ ecological validity behaviour natural
-extraneous variables can’t control variables that may affect behaviour
- ethics limitations of situations where u can do naturalistic observation

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22
Q

evaluate controlled observation

A

+ more controlled
-lower ecological validity and behave differently if they know they are being observed

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23
Q

what are questionaires

A
  • a self report technique
    can be written face to face on the phone or via the internet
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24
Q

evaluate questionnaires

A

+partical, large volume of info quickly and cheaply
- leading questions
- social desirability bias

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25
Q

what are interviews (structured + unstructured)

A

interviews like a conversation face to face
structured - follow a fix set of questions same for all participants
unstructured - eg discussion topics

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26
Q

evaluate interviews

A

+ pilot study - useful way to get info before a study
-social desirability bias
-impractical time consuming and skilled researchers
- data analysis can be hard

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27
Q

what is correlation how is it different to an experiment

A

-looks at relationship between 2 variables arnt manipulated may be caused by a third unknown variable or coincidence

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28
Q

evaluate correlational research

A

+ethics you can study variables that would be unethical to manipulate
-casual relationship can’t assume correlation may be caused by a third unknown variable

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29
Q

what is a case study and evaluate

A

case study - intensive descriptions of a single individual or case they allow researchers to analyse unusual cases in a lot of detail eg milner et al study
+unique cases can challenge existing ideas and suggest future ideas for research
-cause -effect relationship can’t be established

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30
Q

the different types of hypotheses and examples

A

null hypothesis- a prediction that there will be no relationship between key variables if data doesn’t support you challenge it
alternative hypotheses- when data forces you to accept an alternative hypothesis to show variables are linked
directional hypothesis- stating that one group will do BETTER or HIGHER data than another
non- directional- predict no difference eg just saying there will be a difference in exam results compared to those who revised and don’t

31
Q

what is oppurtunity sampling and evaluate

A

recruiting people who are most convient or avliable eg people walking in the street or students at school
+ easiest method and less time consuming
-biased small smaple of population exculded certain populations eg people at work or children at school

32
Q

what is random sampling

A

+ unbiased all members of the target population have a equal chance of selection
- takes time to create a list of all members and contact them

33
Q

stratified sample

A

identifies subgroups in accordance to their frequency in the population and then are randomly selected
+more representative because there is proportional selection
-very time consuming to identify subgroups and contact them etc

34
Q

systematic sample

A

use a predetermined to select participants for example choosing every nth person from a phonebook
+unbiased because it uses a objective system
-only random if number is selected randomly before

35
Q

volunteer sample

A

advertise in a newspaper or on a noticeboard or on the interent
+gives access to a variety of participants who may read the advertisesment
-sample biased in some ways eg those who arehighly motivated and have time on their hands or need money this results in volunteer bias

36
Q

pilot study

A

is a small scale test run of the reserch design to investigate if certain aspects of the experiment work to see to what extent the procedure needs fine tuning eg if participants dont understand the experiment

37
Q

repeated measures

A

all participants recieve all levels of the IV and compare the performance of DV of the participants on the two tests
-order effect some may be better on second test due to practice effect or get bored boredom effect or may guess what the experiment is about demand characteristics
ways of dealing - counterbalancing ABBA

38
Q

independant group designs

A

participants are placed in independant groups each group does one level of the IV we compare the performance DV of the two groups
-resercher cant control the effects of particpant variables eg different abilities which acts as a cofounding variable
ways of dealing - random allocation distribute participants variables evenly eg putting names in a hat

39
Q

matched pairs design

A

match participants on key characteristics believes to affect performance of DV eg IQ
- very time consuming and difficult to match and not able to fully control eg history
ways of dealing resistrict number of variables
conduct poliet study

40
Q

unstructured observation

A

researcher records all relevamt behaviour but has no system
- excess of records
-only recorder info will be the most visible/ eyecatching

41
Q

behavioural categories

A

a type of structured observation
divinding a target behaviour such as agressesion into a subset and operationalised behaviours

42
Q

sampling procedures

A

event sampling - counting the number of times a certain behaviour occurs in a individual in a certain time period
time sampling - recording behaviours in a given time frame eg every 30 seconds and may tick one or more categories from a checklist

43
Q

what is a closed question

A

in an interview where the questions have a predetermined range of answers from which respondents select one tend to produce quantitive data ed yes/no and mutiple chose

44
Q

what is a open question

A

questions that invite respondants to provide their own answers and produce qualitative data

45
Q

what is a confounding variable

A

a variable under study that is not the IV but which varies systematically with the IV changes the DV may be due to cofounding variables rather than the IV for example the time od dat may effect results

46
Q

what are extraneous variables

A

for example reserchers dont know if participants ability is distrubted evenly which makes it more difficult to detect the effect because other factors have an effect often called nuisance variables and make it difficult to detect a significant effect

47
Q

what is operationalised

A

ensuring that variables are in form that can be easily tested for example metres run test score produced

48
Q

procedure of random allocation

A

-obtain all the people in the population that wants testing
-put all the names in a lottery barrel or hat
-select the number of names required without looking

49
Q

procedure of counterbalancing

A

way 1 AB or BA
divide group into 2 groups
-each particpant does A then B
-each participant does B then A

50
Q

standardised procedure

A

a set od procedures that are the same for all participants in order to be able to repeat the study. this includes standarised instructions which tell participants how to perform the task

51
Q

what is demand characteristics

A

a cue that makes participants unconscouisly aware of the aims of the study or helps participants work out what the resercher expects to find and may change how they would naturally behaviour
way to deal with… single blind design that participants are unaware of the researchs aim/hypothesis this prevents them from seeking cues and reacting to them
experimental realism if the experimental task is suffciently encaging participants are less likely to pay attention to the fact they are being observed

52
Q

what is the investigator effects

A

anything that the investigator does that has an effect on a particpants performance in a study other than what is intended which may affect participants natural behaviour
ways to deal with… both the resercher and partipant dont know the aim or hypothesis and therefore less likely to produce cues about what he/she expects

53
Q

The BPS code

A
  • respect upkeeping the dignity and worth of participants
    -competence psychologists should maintain high standards in their professional work
    -responsibility psychologists have responsibilty over physical and psychological harm
    -integrity psychologists should be honest and accurate
54
Q

ethical issues

A

-informed consent
given comprehensive info concerning the nature and purpose of research and their role in it
-deception
not given the real aims of the study eg being ied to and therfore cannot do informed consent
-the right to withdraw
participants can stop if they feel uncomfortable and can withdraw their results
-protection from psychological and physical harm
should not experience negative effects
-confidentiality
no communication of personal information and info protected
-privacy
a persons right to control the flow of information about themselves

55
Q

ways to deal with ethical issues

A

-informed consent = gain presumptive consent
deception = being fully debriefed
right to withdraw = informed at the start they have the right to withdraw
protection from harm = stop the study is harm is suspected
confidentiality = not record names use numbers or false names
privacy = dont study anyone without their informed consent

56
Q

outline the role of peer review

A

the practise of using independant experts to assess the quality and validity of scientific research and academic reports

57
Q

intra observer reliability

A

the extent to which there is an agreement between 2 or more observers involved in observations of a behaviour

58
Q

features of a science

A

objectivity - being subjective
empirical - observation to reach logical judgement
replicability - being able to do the test multiple times improves reliablity
falsifiability - hypothesis can be proven wrong by the experiment

59
Q

quantitative data

A

which represents how much or how long there are of something deals with numbers and which can be measured
+easy to analyse conclusions easily withdrawed
- data may over simplify reality

60
Q

qualitative data

A

deals with descriptions concerns attitudes beliefs and emotions
+ can provide rich detailed info of peoples experiences
- more difficult to analyse and draw conclusions

61
Q

primary data

A

information observed or controlled directly from first hand experience
+data collected can be designed so it fits the aims and hypothesis of the study
-is a very lengthy and expensive process

62
Q

secondary data

A

information used in a reaserch study that was collected by someone else or for a purpose other than the current one for example published data collected from the past
+simplier and cheaper to access someones else data significantly less time and equipment needed
-data may not the needs of the study

63
Q

meta analysis

A

a resercher looks at the findings from a number of different studies and produces a statistic to represent the overall effect
+may increase the validity of conclusions reached because they are based on a larger sample
-different studies can vary considerably and not truly vomparable therefore calculating the effect may not be appropriate

64
Q

measures of central tendency

A

-mean adding all the data and diving by the number of numbers
-median middle value in an ordered list
-mode (most common)

65
Q

measures of dispersion

A
  • range
  • standard deviation shows the amount of variation in a data set. it asscess the spread of data around the mean
66
Q

bar chart

A

data that is not contineous recorded frequency of data

67
Q

histogram

A

area within bars must be proportional to the frequencies represented no gaps between bars

68
Q

line graph

A

contineous data on the x axis

69
Q

scatter gram

A

when doing correctional analysis

70
Q

normal distribution

A

classic bell shaped curve
- the mean median and mode are all in the exact mid point

71
Q

positive skewed distribution

A

looks like a slide mode eg is closer to the x axis

72
Q

negative skewed distribution

A

looks like a rollacoaster mode etc are closer to the right end of the graph

73
Q

when to use a sign test

A

used when looking at related data

74
Q

how to calulate the sign test method

A
  1. state the hypothesis
    if directional = one tailed test
    non-directional = 2 tailed test
  2. take away the directional factor away from the other factor eg After holiday - before holiday recored each score as a + or -
  3. find s value
    added up the total number of + and - the less frquent sign is X and thefore the calculated value
  4. Find critical value of S
    N= number of participants - exclude any 0 differences and use 0.05
  5. results?
    we can accept the hypothesis if it is the same as or lower to show significance

a level psychology (14 decks)

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