Science Inquiry Skills Flashcards
1
Q
What different types of qualitative research are there?
A
Interviews, focus groups and the Delphie Technique
2
Q
What is a sample in research?
A
A sample is a smaller number of individuals drawn from the population being studied.
3
Q
What is population in context with research?
A
The entire group of people belonging to the particular category being studied.
4
Q
Examples of extraneous variables
A
Participant variables, situational variables, confounding variables, demand characteristics, and experimenter effects.
5
Q
What do extraneous variables do?
A
Interfere with the causal link between the independent and dependent variable, and make it difficult to determine whether the IV affects the DV.
6
Q
What is an extraneous variable?
A
Any variable other than the independent variable that could cause an unwanted change in the dependent variable.
7
Q
When are observational designs used?
A
In research topics where it is unethical to deliberately expose individuals to an independent variable.
8
Q
What is the placebo effect?
A
The placebo effect is a participant variable that refers to improvement in health or wellbeing due to the participants belief that the treatment will be effective.
9
Q
What is random allocation?
A
Random allocation is the method used to select members of a sample, to receive the treatment in an experiment.
10
Q
What is a variable?
A
A researchable factor that can increase or decrease in amount or kind.
11
Q
What are the benefits of independent group designs?
A
Controlled groups create a baseline of the data, to compare the impact of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
12
Q
In what studies should naturalistic observation be used?
A
Studies where researchers want to see how variables behave in their natural setting or state.
13
Q
What is naturalistic observation?
A
Naturalistic observation involves observing and recording variables of interest in a natural setting without manipulation or interference.
14
Q
How might a longitudinal study impact results?
A
Repeating similar tests over a long period of time may affect the results of the test, as the participants “learn it” and get used to being tested.
15
Q
Disadvantages of a naturalistic design
A
-Does not allow researchers to control or influence the variables in anyway, or change possible external variables.
- Researchers may not gather reliable data from watching the variables, or gather information free from bias.
16
Q
What are experimenter effects?
A
Personal characteristics of the experimenter and their behaviour during the experiment that may affect the research.
17
Q
What is a repeated measures design?
A
A repeated measures design uses only one group of participants who are exposed to different experimental conditions.
18
Q
Disadvantages of observational designs
A
The lack of control in planning,
Cannot confidently conclude that a change in the Independent Variable caused a change in the Dependent Variable.
19
Q
Advantages of observational designs
A
Topics that are too unethical, expensive or impractical are able to be researched.
20
Q
What are longitudinal designs in context with observational designs?
A
A longitudinal design uses the repeated measures principle as the research is conducted with the same people, over a long time period.
21
Q
What are the eight steps in research?
A
Step 1 - (DECONSTRUCT) Identify area for future research.
Step 2- (DECONSTRUCT) Do background research and collect information.
Step 3 - (DESIGN): Identify the research question and formulate a hypothesis.
Step 4 - (DESIGN) - Design/justify research method to test the hypothesis.
Step 5 - Collect, present, summarise and analyse the data.
Step 6 - Evaluate procedures and data.
Step 7 - Draw a conclusion.
Step 8 - Report the findings.
22
Q
What is the biopsychosocial approach?
A
Psychology uses a biopsychosocial approach to holistically frame an understanding of behaviour that is analysed and described in terms of biological, psychological and socio-cultural factors.
23
Q
What are some examples of biological factors in the biopsychosocial approach?
A
- Genetics
-Neurochemistry
-Hormones
-Brain structure - Illness and diesease
- Injury
- Age
-Sex
-Medications and drugs
-Immune Response
-Fight/flight response.
24
Q
What are some examples of psychological factors in the biopsychosocial approach?
A
- Attention
-Learning
-Emotions
-Thinking
-Attitudes
-Memory
-Perceptions
-Beliefs
-Coping stratergies
25
What are some examples of sociocultural factors in the biopsychosocial approach?
-Family background
- Social support
-Education
-Interpersonal relationships
- Cultural traditions
-Socioeconomic status
- Poverty
- Physical exercise
- Biofeedback
- Gender
26
What is a variable?
A variable is a researchable factor that can increase or decrease in amount or kind.
27
What is the independent variable?
Independent variable - Deliberately changed/manipulated by the researcher to determine it's effect on another variable. This is planned by the researcher when designing the investigation.
28
What is the dependent variable?
Dependent variable - What is measured in the research. It's value depends on the Independent Variable.
Usually a number that can be measured by a tool (e.g. test results)
29
What does simple research typically involve in terms of testing with variables?
Two focus groups, one who is exposed to the independent variable, and one who is not.
30
What is the aim of having two focus groups, one who is exposed to the independent variable, and one who is not?
This helps the researcher to make inferences from the results about whether the Independent Variable impacted the Dependent Variable.
31
What does the term 'operationalising' variables mean, and why is this important for design investigations?
Operationalising variables- to ensure that researchers are specific about what exactly the independent variable is, and how exactly the dependent variable will be measured.
32
What is a hypothesis?
Hypothesis- A statement or researchable prediction about the likely results of the research.
33
What should a hypothesis include?
1. A testable prediction about the direction of the interaction between the variables.
2.The population from which the sample is going to be drawn.
3.The independent variable that is being manipulated.
4. The dependent variable that is being measured.
34
What is a research question?
A research question is typically used for qualitative research, where the findings are likely to come from interviews, thoughts, feelings and statements from participants rather than in numerical form.
35
What is a constant variable?
A constant variable is a value that remains the same while conducting the experiment to maintain control over many variables that could effect what they are trying to investigate.
36
What is an extraneous variable?
Extraneous variables interfere with the casual link between the independent variable, and the dependent variable, making it difficult to determine whether the IV impacted the DV.
37
What are examples of extraneous variables?
Participant variables.
Situational variables.
Demand characteristics.
Experimenter effects.
The placebo effect.
38
What are examples of extraneous variables?
Participant variables.
Situational variables.
Demand characteristics.
Experimenter effects.
The placebo effect.
39
What is the term used when uncontrolled extraneous variables cause an unwanted change in the results.
If extraneous variables are not controlled, and they have an affect on the DV, this is called ‘confounding variables’. Meaning that the EV and not the IV caused the change in the results.
40
What is the term used when uncontrolled extraneous variables cause an unwanted change in the results.
If extraneous variables are not controlled, and they have an affect on the DV, this is called ‘confounding variables’. Meaning that the EV and not the IV caused the change in the results.
41
Define the term ‘population’ in psychological research.
Population refers to the entire group of people belonging to the category being researched.
42
Define the term ‘population’ in psychological research.
Population refers to the entire group of people belonging to the category being researched.
43
Define the term ‘sample’ in research.
Sample refers to a group of participants who are selected and participate in the research.
44
Define the term ‘sample’ in research.
Sample refers to a group of participants who are selected and participate in the research.
45
What is an important factor to consider when creating a sample population?
It is important that the sample of participants closely matched the population, and minimised any participant extraneous variables so that the conclusions drawn can be generalised to the entire population.
46
What is ‘convenience sampling’?
This involves selecting the sample from a group of people that the research has access to.
47
What is an advantage of convenience sampling?
Continent.
Not time consuming.
48
What is a disadvantage of convenience sampling?
This sampling technique may result in a range of bias in the form of participant variables (e.g. similar socioeconomic status).
Therefore, this may not represent the population accurately.
49
What does ‘random sampling’ involve?
Every member of the population has equal chance of being selected in the sample.
50
Why do researchers tend to use random sampling?
It is more systematic and carefully planned for selecting the research sample.
51
What are common ways that researchers randomly select a sample population?
Pulling names out of hat, using names of participants from a list of the population, or participants are given a number, and random numbers are selected.
52
What is the advantage of random sampling?
It is quick and easy to use if the names of the populations are known, and is not biased.
53
What is a disadvantage of random sampling?
The sample may not be completely random, as the researcher may accidentally select an uneven number of males and females for example.
54
What is stratified sampling?
Researcher breaks the population down into smaller groups, and random samples are taken from the smaller groups in the same proportion as they appear in the population.
55
What is an advantage of stratified sampling?
Samples selected using this method are the most representative of the population, therefore eliminating participant extraneous variables.
56
What are the three types of experimental designs?
Independent Groups Design, Matching Participants Design, Repeated Measures Design.
57
What are the three types of sampling?
Convenience, Random, and Stratified.
58
What does the independent groups design involve?
Allocating participants to two groups, an experimental group and a controlled group.
59
In an Independent Groups Design, what is the experimental group exposed to that the controlled group is not?
The independent variable.
60
What is random allocation?
To make sure that each participant has an equal change of being allocated to either group. This can be achieved by allocating ID numbers, flipping a coin, etc..
61
Why do Twin Studies eliminate participant variables?
As they use participants as similar to eachother as possible.
62
How can you counter the placebo effect in an independent groups design?
By not informing participants whether they are in the experimental group, or the controlled group. This can be done via a singe blind procedure, so that participants are not aware of the condition of the experiment to which they have been assigned.
63
What is the matched participants design?
The matched participants design aims to eliminate differences between participants by allocating participants with similar characteristics to each group.
64
What is an advantage of the matched participants design?
This design aims to minimise the extraneous variable that may arise from participant variables (e.g. random allocation may accidentally place individuals with higher intelligence levels in one group).
65
What is a limitation of the matched participants design?
Time and effort taken to pre test and pre survey participants to identify key characteristics that would assist with dividing the two groups.
If one person withdraws from the research, the matching participant must also withdraw to ensure balance of the groups.
66
What is the repeated measures design?
Uses only one group of participants who are exposed to different experimental conditions.
67
What is an advantage of the repeated measures design?
The participants being identical in characteristics and abilities between the two experimental conditions,eliminating participant variables as an EV.
68
What is a disadvantage of the repeated measures design?
The creation of order effects.
69
What is a an experimental variation of the repeated measures design?
A longitudinal study.
70
What is a longitudinal study?
Same tests are repeated over a number of weeks, months or years.
71
What is a disadvantage of a longitudinal study?
Repeating similar tests over a long period of time may affect results as participants learn the test and get used to being tested.
72
When may an observational design be used by researchers?
In research where it is too unethical to deliberately expose a group of people to an independent variable.
73
What are the 5 types of observational designs?
Naturalistic observational design.
Correlational studies.
Longitudinal design.
Cross-Sectional Studies.
Sequential Studies.
74
What is the main limitation of correlational studies in demonstrating relationships between variables?
Correlational studies cannot prove causation (Cause and effect relationships).
75
What is the purpose of qualitative designs?
To explain how and why a particular phenomenon, or behaviour occurs in a particular context.
76
When is a qualitative design typically conducted?
Before other experimental or observational research commences. This can help generate new research questions, and hypotheses for future research.
77
What are examples of qualitative research designs?
The Delphi Technique, Focus Groups, and Interviews.
78
Who is involved in a qualitative 'focus group' design?
Note Taker.
Facilitator.
Group of participants (Usually 6-8 individuals).
79
What is the focus group qualitative design?
Group interview technique that obtains data through discussion between research participants in a group setting.
80
What is an important feature of the focus group qualitative research design?
The use of group interaction/ (Talking, asking questions, povs, and commenting on each others experiences and opinions.
81
What is the role of the facilitator in a focus group qualitative research design?
A facilitators role is to promote group discussion, by using open ended questions to encourage research participants to discuss issues of importance to them in relation to the research topic.
They also must subtly control the group discussion, when they move into areas that are not relevant to the research topic.
82
What is the role of the note taker in a focus group qualitative research design?
To take notes and capture important aspects of the discussion. (Direct quotes, key points, phrases, observations like silent agreements/ body language)
83
What are advantages of the focus group qualitative research design?
The richness of the qualitative data that can be generated as they are not limited to a Yes/No response, or rating scale where they cannot elaborate.
Groups are generally easy to organise and cheap.
Participants can bounce ideas off each other.
84
What is the Delphi Technique (Qualitative Research Design) used for?
"Gather information on a research question from experts who can't meet in person."
85
What are disadvantages of the focus group qualitative research design?
Dominant participants - some people may not allow others to talk.
Some participants may not feel comfortable expressing a particular response in front of others.
The presence of other research participants does not enable the confidentiality of more conventional research settings.
86
What format does the 'Delphi Technique' follow?
Identify Participants: Target a specific group of experts or relevant people to gather their opinions.
Send Initial Questionnaire: Begin with open-ended questions for qualitative responses.
Collate Responses: Gather responses from the first questionnaire and analyze for themes and categories.
Feedback Loop: Send analyzed responses back to participants for further input, adjusting the questions based on previous feedback.
Iterate for Consensus: Repeat the process until the experts reach a consensus or gather sufficient information.
Try remembering this sequence with a phrase like: "Identify, Send, Collate, Feedback, and Consensus"
87
What are the advantages of the 'Delphi Technique'?
"Allows easy, low-cost contact with a group of experts by mail or email, with few geographical limits. It aims to maximize the advantages of informed input while reducing the drawbacks of in-person group decision-making."
"Participants are less affected by social pressure when they answer questions alone."
88
What are the limitations of the 'Delphi Technique'?
"The researcher might push for consensus, which could weaken opinions due to a lack of discussion."
89
What do interviews involve (Qualitative Research Design)
Interviews can be unstructured, and consist of a small number of general questions or prompts that allow participants to talk about what is if interest to them.
OR
Can be structured where there is a strict script that the interviewer does not deviate from.
90
What is a semi-structured interview?
"When the researcher asks a few standard questions and then follows up with more detailed inquiries on relevant topics. This process is lengthy and detailed but involves a small sample size."
91
What are the advantages of interviews in qualitative research?
Individuals may feel more comfortable talking one-on-one, in comparison to a group interview.
The researcher is able to adapt questions to elicit responses, and ask participants to expand on their previous responses.
92
What is one disadvantage for both structured, and unstructured interviews in qualitative research?
Researchers may bring bias into the their questioning, and not ask questions that encourage the participant to be honest in their responses.
In structured interviews, having pre-set questions do not allow the research to deviate and explore other important information.
93
What are the four types of data collection?
Subjective, Objective, Qualitative, and Quantitative.
94
What is quantitative data?
Data that is represented in numerical form, and can be statistically analyzed and presented in a table.
95
What is an advantage of quantitative data?
Allows the researcher to draw conclusions easily.
96
What is a limitation of quantitative data?
Restricts participants from providing in depth reasoning, or elaboration on the thinking behind their responses.
97
What is qualitative data?
Often expressed in words or sentences, and describe the quality of behaviour.
98
What is an advantage of qualitative data?
Participants can be unrestricted in their responses.
99
What is a limitation of qualitative data?
Difficult to summarize/compare with other data.
100
What is objective data?
Can be verified by other researchers, increasing the reliability and validity of the data.
101
What form of data is objective data typically?
Quantitative data, as it is easy to statistically analyse, readily measured, and compared with other similar numerical data.
102
How can a behaviour count be used to collect objective data?
A behaviour count uses measurement tools to count behaviour. These behaviours can be measured by multiple researchers and results verified therefore reducing any bias.
103
What are two ways to collect objective data?
Physiological measures, and behaviour counts.
104
What are three ways to collect subjective data?
Observation, interviews, and self-reports.
105
How are physiological measures objective data, and how can physiological measures be used to collect objective data?
Physiological measures are able to be measured and verified by more than one researcher, and they are quantitative in nature.
Examples include heart rate, blood pressure, brain wave activity.
106
Why is observation subjective data?
As it is about the observations that THEY witness.
107
How can self-reports be used to collect subjective data, and is it quantitative or qualitative?
Self-reports are when participants complete a series of questions that provide information about their own thoughts feelings or behaviours.
It is quantitative as the data is collected in numerical form, and can be summarised.
108
How can interviews be used to collect subjective data?
109
What is a limitation of collecting subjective data through observation, and how can this be overcome?
It is subject to observer bias, which can be overcome by using multiple observers of the same behaviours.
Observer bias is when the observer sees what they want/hope to see.
110
Is observation quantitative, or qualitative?
It is quantitative and subjective.
111
Is observation quantitative, or qualitative?
It is quantitative and subjective.
112
What are some examples of self-report data collection strategies?
Surveys, or questionnaires, that include closed ended questions in the form of a rating scale.
113
Why is self-report data collection subjective?
As participants are providing information about themselves, and they are guessing/estimating how they are feeling.
OR
As the response comes from the subject themselves.
114
What are the limitations of quantitative measures?
The tool may be incorrectly calibrated.
The user may not be trained in its operation.
External factors may have influenced the results.
115
What is a limitation of objective data?
Using a measurement tool, the reasoning behind the score due to external factors is not always obvious.
116
What is a limitation of objective data?
Using a measurement tool, the reasoning behind the score due to external factors is not always obvious.
117
What is an advantage of subjective data?
In topics that are not able to be measured with a tool, participants are able to provide greater insight into their own personal feelings, beliefs and ideas.
118
What are two limitations of subjective data?
It is difficult to compare with other data.
It is subject to bias and interpretation.
119
What is an advantage of correlational studies?
Correlational studies can demonstrate relationships between variables.
120
What is an example of a correlational study?
Researcher could have participants come to a laboratory to complete a complex cognitive task and a hypothetical risky-decision making task, and then assess the relationship between participants scores on the two tasks.
121
What is a longitudinal design?
An observational design that uses the repeated measures principle in that the research is repeated with the same people, over a long time interval.
122
What is an advantage of a longitudinal design (Observational research)?
Less bias from participant variables, as participants remain the same and direct changes in the participants can be observed.
123
What are three limitations of a longitudinal design (Observational research)?
Time consuming.
Expensive.
Participants may drop out over the interval of time in which the study is conducted.
124
What are cross sectional studies?
They are observational, and are not causal or relational, meaning you cannot use them to determine the cause of something.
A cross sectional study involves selecting groups of people who are different ages, and investigating them at one point in time. This can demonstrate any differences between the age groups, which can be attributed to age differences.
125
What is an advantage of a cross-sectional study?
It is not time consuming.
It is not expensive.
Data is collected at a single point in time, meaning there is less likelihood that the participants will drop out over time.
Gathers data from a wide range of age groups.
126
What is a limitation in relation to cross-sectional studies?
Participant situational variables may confound results.
127
What is a sequential design?
Participants of different ages are followed over time to examine age-related changes within the same individuals.
128
When collecting subjective data via interviews, what type of data does it collect?
Subjective qualitative data.
129
What is an advantage of interviews when collecting subjective data?
As the participants are not restricted to closed ended answers, they can provide answers in greater detail.
130
What is a limitation of interviews when collecting subjective data?
Not time efficient.
Require strategy for collecting the verbal responses and summarising them.
131
After data has been collected by researchers, what is the next step?
To summarise and sort the data in preparation for analysis.
132
What are visual representations of quantitative data?
Sorting data.
Graphing data.
Histogram.
Bar/column graphs.
Line graphs.
Pie chart.
133
What is an example of an easy way to sort data?
Through a frequency distribution table.
In this, the raw data is summarised into groups/categories.
134
How can you visually represent qualitative data in research?
Scatter plots.
Content analysis.
135
How can you visually represent qualitative data in research?
Scatter plots.
Content analysis.
136
How can content analysis visually represent qualitative data?
It organises qualitative data into themes.
The steps researchers follow for a content analysis are:
1.Organise Data
2.Identify core themes.
3.Code themes.
4.Keep track of themes.
5. Analysis.
137
How can content analysis visually represent qualitative data?
It organises qualitative data into themes.
The steps researchers follow for a content analysis are:
1.Organise Data
2.Identify core themes.
3.Code themes.
4.Keep track of themes.
5. Analysis.
138
What is a scatter plot, and how can they visually represent qualitative data?
A scatter plot shows how two separately measured variables relate to one another, or how strongly correlated they are. A trend line indicates the direction and strength of the correlation.
