Science Inquiry Skills Flashcards
What different types of qualitative research are there?
Interviews, focus groups and the Delphie Technique
What is a sample in research?
A sample is a smaller number of individuals drawn from the population being studied.
What is population in context with research?
The entire group of people belonging to the particular category being studied.
Examples of extraneous variables
Participant variables, situational variables, confounding variables, demand characteristics, and experimenter effects.
What do extraneous variables do?
Interfere with the causal link between the independent and dependent variable, and make it difficult to determine whether the IV affects the DV.
What is an extraneous variable?
Any variable other than the independent variable that could cause an unwanted change in the dependent variable.
When are observational designs used?
In research topics where it is unethical to deliberately expose individuals to an independent variable.
What is the placebo effect?
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.
What is random allocation?
Random allocation is the method used to select members of a sample, to receive the treatment in an experiment.
What is a variable?
A researchable factor that can increase or decrease in amount or kind.
What are the benefits of independent group designs?
Controlled groups create a baseline of the data, to compare the impact of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
In what studies should naturalistic observation be used?
Studies where researchers want to see how variables behave in their natural setting or state.
What is naturalistic observation?
Naturalistic observation involves observing and recording variables of interest in a natural setting without manipulation or interference.
How might a longitudinal study impact results?
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.
Disadvantages of a naturalistic design
-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.
What are experimenter effects?
Personal characteristics of the experimenter and their behaviour during the experiment that may affect the research.
What is a repeated measures design?
A repeated measures design uses only one group of participants who are exposed to different experimental conditions.
Disadvantages of observational designs
The lack of control in planning,
Cannot confidently conclude that a change in the Independent Variable caused a change in the Dependent Variable.
Advantages of observational designs
Topics that are too unethical, expensive or impractical are able to be researched.
What are longitudinal designs in context with observational designs?
A longitudinal design uses the repeated measures principle as the research is conducted with the same people, over a long time period.
What are the eight steps in research?
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.
What is the biopsychosocial approach?
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.
What are some examples of biological factors in the biopsychosocial approach?
- Genetics
-Neurochemistry
-Hormones
-Brain structure - Illness and diesease
- Injury
- Age
-Sex
-Medications and drugs
-Immune Response
-Fight/flight response.
What are some examples of psychological factors in the biopsychosocial approach?
- Attention
-Learning
-Emotions
-Thinking
-Attitudes
-Memory
-Perceptions
-Beliefs
-Coping stratergies
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
What is a variable?
A variable is a researchable factor that can increase or decrease in amount or kind.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
What is a hypothesis?
Hypothesis- A statement or researchable prediction about the likely results of the research.
What should a hypothesis include?
- 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. - The dependent variable that is being measured.
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.
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.
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.
What are examples of extraneous variables?
Participant variables.
Situational variables.
Demand characteristics.
Experimenter effects.
The placebo effect.
What are examples of extraneous variables?
Participant variables.
Situational variables.
Demand characteristics.
Experimenter effects.
The placebo effect.
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.
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.
Define the term ‘population’ in psychological research.
Population refers to the entire group of people belonging to the category being researched.
Define the term ‘population’ in psychological research.
Population refers to the entire group of people belonging to the category being researched.
Define the term ‘sample’ in research.
Sample refers to a group of participants who are selected and participate in the research.
Define the term ‘sample’ in research.
Sample refers to a group of participants who are selected and participate in the research.
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.
What is ‘convenience sampling’?
This involves selecting the sample from a group of people that the research has access to.
What is an advantage of convenience sampling?
Continent.
Not time consuming.
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.
What does ‘random sampling’ involve?
Every member of the population has equal chance of being selected in the sample.
Why do researchers tend to use random sampling?
It is more systematic and carefully planned for selecting the research sample.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What is an advantage of stratified sampling?
Samples selected using this method are the most representative of the population, therefore eliminating participant extraneous variables.