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A- Level Psych Paper 1- Research Methods > Scientific Processes- (Aims, Hypotheses, Sampling, Control,Experimental Design) > Flashcards

Scientific Processes- (Aims, Hypotheses, Sampling, Control,Experimental Design) Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an aim?

A

A general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate, to be clear about the purpose of the study .E.g. To investigate the effect….

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2
Q

What an aim of a correlational study?

A

should reflect that correrlational studies investigate possible relationships, rather than cause and effect .e.g. to investigate the relation ship between…..

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3
Q

What is a hypothesis?

A

precise, testable statement made at the beginning of an investigation about what the researcher expects happens

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4
Q

What is the difference between an aim and a hypothesis?

A

Aim is a general statement of the purpose of the study, hypothesis is a precise and testable statement

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5
Q

what are the two main hypothesises

A

Alternative hypothesis and null hypothesis

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6
Q

What an alternative hypothesis?

A

-Used in any study, regardless of the research method

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7
Q

what can the alternative hypothesis be called?

A

An experimental hypothesis or a correlational hypothesis

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8
Q

what is an experimental hypothesis?

A

when an experimental method is used, and must include the independent variable and dependent variable

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9
Q

What is a correlational hypothesis?

A

When a correlational method is used and so must include the covariables

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10
Q

What two things can an alternative hypothesis be?

A

Directional or non-directional

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11
Q

What is the directional hypothesis?

A

States of direction in which the results go,
states which set of scores will be better/faster/positively or negatively correlated.

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12
Q

when is the directional hypothesis used?

A

When research suggests a direction

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13
Q

What is an example of a directional hypothesis

A

Participants remember significantly more words when they study in short base of 10 minutes, then when studying for longer sessions of one hour

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14
Q

What is a nondirectional hypothesis?

A

States that there will be a difference, but does not state the expected direction of the outcome

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15
Q

When is a non-directional hypothesis used?

A

When there has been no, previous research or previous research has found contradictory results

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16
Q

What is an example of a non-directional hypothesis?

A

there is a significant difference in the number of words recalled by participants who study in short bursts of 10 minutes to those who study for long sessions of an hour

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17
Q

what is a null hypothesis?

A

States there’s no difference, and the results are due to chance

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18
Q

Was an example of a null hypothesis

A

There is no significant difference in the number of words record by participants who study in short bursts of 10 minutes, compared to those who study for longer sessions of one hour

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19
Q

What tense is a hypothesis written in?

A

present tense because they are statements tested during a study

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20
Q

What is an IV?

A

variable manipulated by experimenter or altered by situation/ characteristic of participants, to observe the effects in the DV

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21
Q

what do changes to the independent variable create?

A

The conditions of the experiment

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22
Q

What is the DV?

A

The variable that is measured by the experimenter

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23
Q

what is an extraneous variable?

A

any variable other than the IV that might affect the dependent variable e.g. level of alertness

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24
Q

what are the four extraneous variables?

A

-Participant variables
-Situational variables
-Demand characteristics
-Investigator effects

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25
Q

Why should extraneous variables be controlled?

A

So they didn’t become confounding

26
Q

What is a cofounding variable?

A

Any variable other than the independent variable that does affect the dependent variable

27
Q

What is the best extraneous variable to ever look for?

A

The task

28
Q

what is the meaning of operationalisation of variables?

A

Needs defining variables clearly, so they can be specifically tested and measured accurately

29
Q

What does designs mean in experimental designs?

A

How are your participants allocated to conditions in your experiment?

30
Q

What is repeated measures design?

A

The same participants are used in all conditions of the independent variable

31
Q

What are advantages of repeated measures?

A

-individual differences eliminated, so any difference between their performance in each level of the IV should be the experimenters manipulation
-Fewer participants required

32
Q

What are disadvantages of repeated measures design?

A

-order effects.eg. practice, boredom- (although can be evenly distributed across conditions by counter balancing-ABBA)
-DC- all participants take part in all conditions
-Not possible to use the same material in each condition

33
Q

what is independent groups design?

A

Participants in separate groups- Each group does one level of the IV

34
Q

What are the advantages of independent groups design?

A

-No order effects- participants only involved in one condition
Less opportunity to become aware of aim (reducing demand characteristics
-same material can be used in all conditions because participants only do one condition of the experiment

35
Q

What are disadvantages of independent groups design?

A

participant variables are introduced (differences between conditions may be caused by different people rather than the IV)
-No Participants required

36
Q

what is matched pairs design?

A

Pairs of participants are closely matched on a relevant characteristic- eg age
each spring is randomly allocated to one conditions or the other

37
Q

What are advantages of matched pairs design?

A

-avoid order effects
-Avoids DC
-Reduces ID’s (can’t eliminate)
-Same material can be used in both conditions

38
Q

What are disadvantages of matched pairs design?

A

-difficult to match everything about participants
-Very time-consuming, and requires more participants

39
Q

What is random allocation?

A

-allocating participants to experimental groups in an unbiased way, so they have an equal chance of being selected to take part in each condition
-this is to distribute participant characteristics across the conditions to avoid extraneous variables and improves internal validity
-Used to address problem of participant variables in independent design

40
Q

What is counterbalancing?

A

-used to control the impact of order effects in repeated measures design and improve internal validity
-Involves making sure each condition comes first or second in equal amounts
-in order effects are distributed evenly across all conditions
-Does not reduce OE has all participants still take part in all conditions therefore they are still present, but their effect is balanced across the conditions

41
Q

what is randomisation?

A

-use of chance wherever possible when designing materials and deciding the order of conditions
-This is to avoid research bias influencing the design of the study-it is an attempt to control investigator effect and improve internal validity

42
Q

What is standardisation?

A

-ensuring all participants have exactly the same environment, information and experience, so individual experience does not confound the result thus improving internal validity

43
Q

what do standardised procedures ensure?

A

all participants are tested under the same conditions to enable to deal with experiment, bias, and facilitate replication to ensure findings can be checked for reliability.

44
Q

what should standardised procedures include?

A

set of standardised instructions that are given in the same way to all participants to deal with investigator effects

45
Q

what are the four ways to control experiments?

A

Random allocation
Counter balancing
randomisation
Standardisation

46
Q

What is random sampling?

A

-where every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected
(names in hat)

47
Q

what are the strengths of random sampling?

A

less biased- all members of target population have an equal chance of selection

48
Q

What are the limitations of random sampling and systematic sampling?

A

-May not be representative of the population-possible by chance, the randomly selected sample is biased anyway (too many males)
-Relies on all target population, being able to take part of selected
-Need to have access to all names of target population

49
Q

what is systematic sampling?

A

This method involves selecting every participant from the list of available participants (every fifth person from a list of 50 participants)

50
Q

What are the strengths of systematic sampling?

A

The only researcher involvement is deciding the sample size, it reduces investigator bias

51
Q

what is stratified sampling?

A

Sub groups/strata within a population are identified. participants are obtained from each strata in proportion to the occurrence in population.
-Selection from the strata is done, using a random technique

52
Q

what are the strengths of stratified sampling?

A

-by guaranteeing all the key characteristics of the population are in the sample, it avoids investigator bias afterwards, but it can also be representative and be generalised.

53
Q

what are the disadvantages of stratified sampling?

A

-If all key features a population are not identified, then the sample may not be representative(limiting generalisability)
-very time-consuming to identify sub groups and then select participants randomly
-Need to know names of all target population

54
Q

What is opportunity sampling?

A

-Most common method
-approach anyone in the immediate area who happens to be available to ask to participate

55
Q

What are the strengths of opportunity sampling?

A

easiest method as you use the first participants that you find (takes less time to locate your sample than other methods)

56
Q

what are the disadvantages of opportunity sampling?

A

-unlikely to be representative of the target population ad the sample is taken from a small part of the target population
-researcher may consciously or unconsciously show bias in the sample selection, thus limiting generalisability

57
Q

what is volunteer (self-selected) sampling?

A

-advertisements are used to attract participants (they volunteer themselves)
-Usually requires an incentive (payment/prize)

58
Q

What are strengths of volunteer sampling?

A

an easy method to use (less initial work involved than in random sampling)

59
Q

What are the disadvantages of volunteer sampling?

A

-sample bias is likely (only certain) types of people are likely to volunteer-they are atypical respondents with the characteristics, not necessarily common of the population e.g. highly motivated.)
This limits generalisability

60
Q

How do you improve the reliability of experiments?

A

-more than one measurement from each participant and take a mean score (reduced impact of any anomalous score)
-pilot studies- used to check the proposed method measurements works properly and that participants can use any apparatus successfully

61
Q

How can you improve the external validity of experiments? (ecological validity)

A

Ecological validity can be improved by conducting the experiment in a more naturalist, real life setting e.g. field experiment

62
Q

How can you improve the external validity of experiments (population validity)

A

-can be improved by taking larger, more varied samples, for example including a wider age group or geographical area

A- Level Psych Paper 1- Research Methods (28 decks)

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