strengths and weaknesses Flashcards
lab experiments S/W
S - they have high control over confounding and extraneous variables
S - easily replicable
W - it may lack generalisability as the environment is artificial
W - high levels of demand characteristics
field experiment S/W
S - it is in a more realistic setting
S - also more externally valid
W - there are more extraneous variables as there is less control
W - it may bring about ethical issues (participants don’t know they are being studied)
natural experiments S/W
S - it provides opportunities to the researcher (is not ethical to create the situation)
S - high external validity as they study real world issues
W - naturally occurring events rarely happen
W - the participants are allocated randomly to conditions so the researchers cant be sure the IV affected the DV
quasi-experiments S/W
S - they are carried out under controlled conditions so its easier to replicate
W - there is a high risk of confounding variables
W - the IV is not deliberately changed
independent groups S/W
S - order effects are not a problem
S - participants are less likely to guess the aims
W - participant variables
W - less economical as it takes twice as many participants
repeated measures S/W
S - the participant variables are controlled so there is higher validity and few participants needed
W - order effects
W - it is easier to guess the aim
matched pairs S/W
S - order effects and demand characteristics are not a problem
W - participants can never be matched exactly even when identical twins are used as a matching pair
W - it can be time consuming anf expensive
random sample S/W
S - potentially unbiased meaning no confounding or extraneous variables (internal validity)
W - time consuming and difficult
W - the sample may be unrepresentative
W - some participants may refuse to take part
opportunity sample S/W
S - convenient
S - it is less costly for time and money because a list is not required
W - there is volunteer bias and researcher bias
W - unrepresentative
volunteer sample S/W
S - it requires minimal input
S - the researcher is in control of who they choose to participate
W - volunteer biass
stratified sample S/W
S - the sample produced is representative
W - the identified individual groups may not represent all the ways in which people are different so complete representation is not possible
systematic sample S/W
S - it is objective so there is no bias
W - it is time consuming and some people may refuse to take part
correlation S/W
S - a useful primary tool for research
S - relatively quick and economical to carry out
W - they can only tell us how variables are related not why
W - there is a risk that another untested variable is causing the relationship between two co-variables
W - easy to misuse or misinterpret
open questions S/W
S - the answers being qualitative can mean the answers and research are in more depth for the researcher
W - qualitative data can be harder to analyse
W - the answers may not always be truthful (social desirability bias)
closed questions S/W
S - quantitative data is easier to analyse
S - they can gather large amounts of data quickly
W - the answers being quantitative can mean the research isn’t as in depth
questionnaires S/W
S - they are cost effective and can gather a large amount of data
S - neither the researcher or the interviewer have to be present
S - it is standardised
S - it is easier to be honest
W - respondents could complete a questionnaire too quickly and develop a response bias (clinging yes lots)
W - acquiescence bias - the tendency to agree with items on the questionnaire
structured interviews S/W
S - they are straightforward to replicate (standardised)
S - the standardised font reduces differences between interviews
W - interviewers cannot deviate from the structured questions so the detail of the data collected is limited
unstructured interviews S/W
S - there is much more flexibility
W - increased risk for interviewer bias
W - the data collected is not straightforward - may be lots of irrelevant information to look through
W - interviewees may lie as a result of social desirability bias
naturalistic S/W
s - high external validity as findings can often be generalised
w - replication is hard as there is a lack of control
w - uncontrolled E/C variables that make it more difficult to identify patterns of behaviour
controlled S/W
s - replication becomes easier as there are less E/C variables
w - the findings may not be applied to everyday life
overt S/W
s - more ethically acceptable as the participants know they are being observed
w - runs the risk of demand characteristics
w - social desirability bias
covert S/W
s - participants do not know they are being watched so there are no demand characteristics
s - high internal validity
w - ethics can be questioned as people may not wish to have their behaviours noted down
participant S/W
s - the researcher can experience the situation as the participants do - gives them insight into the lives of participants
s - increases the external validity
w - the researcher could identify too strongly with participants and lose objectivityn
non-participant S/W
s - maintains an objective psychological distance from their participants
w - risk losing valuable insight to be gained in a participant observation as they are too far removed from the people and the behaviour they are studying
