Terms

Question 1

Secondary Data

Answer 1

Info collected for purpose other than the current one.

Question 2

Extraneous Variables

Answer 2

Variable that may effect the DV, other than the IV.

Question 3

Deception

Answer 3

Participants not told the true aim of the study.

Question 4

Participant Observation

Answer 4

Observer joins in the activity.

Question 5

Field Experiments

Answer 5

Take place in a natural environment.
+ High ecological validity.
- Difficult to control extraneous variables.

Question 6

Primary Data

Answer 6

Data collected directly from first-hand experience.

Question 7

Snowball Sampling

Answer 7

Participants recruit others from people they know.
+ Locate people that are difficult to access.
- Not likely to be good cross-section from population.

Question 8

Null Hypothesis

Answer 8

Statement of no effect; the variables have no relationship.

Question 9

Confidentiality

Answer 9

Concerns communication of personal information and that it will be well protected.

Question 10

Independent Groups Design

Answer 10

Different participants in each condition - performance compared.
+ External variables can be controlled.
- Low ecological validity.
- Participant variables can’t be controlled.
- Need more participants to get the same amount of data.
Deal with limitations:
Randomly allocate participants to conditions.

Question 11

Dependent Variable

Answer 11

Measured (usually behaviour)

Question 12

Covert Observation

Answer 12

Participants don’t know they are being observed.

Question 13

Quantitative

Answer 13

Quantity, numbers, easily measured, easily compared.

Question 14

Mean

Answer 14

Add up scores and divide by number of data.
Sensitive - uses all data.
Can be distorted by anomalous data.

Question 15

Median

Answer 15

Middle score when data is in order.
Not easily distorted.
Not as sensitive.

Question 16

Mode

Answer 16

Most frequent.
Easy to find.
Very insensitive.
Useless.

Question 17

Nominal Data

Answer 17

Data in separate categories.

Question 18

Ordinal Data

Answer 18

Data ordered (e.g. ascending order).

Question 19

Interval Data

Answer 19

Data measured using equal intervals.

Question 20

Ratio

Answer 20

True zero point as in most measures of physical quantities.

Question 21

Qualitative

Answer 21

Quality, description, observed not measured.

Question 22

Directional Hypothesis

Answer 22

States direction of predicted differences.

Question 23

Self-Selected Sampling

Answer 23

Advert - volunteers.
+ Variety - representative, less bias.
- Volunteer bias - highly motivated to be helpful.

Question 24

Opportunity Sampling

Answer 24

People that are easily accessible.
+ Quick and easy.
- Researcher bias - similar people - difficult to generalizable.

Question 25

Time Sampling

Answer 25

Counting behaviour in a given time frame.

Question 26

Matched Pairs Design

Answer 26

Different people perform in each condition but are matched in ways that matter to the study.
+ External variables can be controlled.
- Time consuming.
- Difficult to match participants characteristics.

Question 27

Privacy

Answer 27

Person’s right to control the flow of information about themselves.

Question 28

Operationalise

Answer 28

Ensure variables are in a testable form and can be measured.

Question 29

Non-Participant Observation

Answer 29

Observer separate from those being observed.

Question 30

Overt Observation

Answer 30

Participants know they are being observed.

Question 31

Observer Bias

Answer 31

Observers expectations effect what they see/hear.

Reduces validity.

Question 32

Stratified (Quota) Sampling

Answer 32

Randomly selected from sub-groups in population.
+ Representative.
- Difficult to identify sub-groups - time consuming.

Question 33

Event Sampling

Answer 33

Counting number of time a behaviour appears in a target population.

Question 34

Aim

Answer 34

Statement of what the researcher intends to find out.

Question 35

Content Analysis

Answer 35

Observational study in which behaviour is observed indirectly through written material.
+ Appropriate for any form of media.
+ Usually no ethical issues.
+ High ecological validity.
- Behaviour studied out of context.
- Categories chosen beforehand, based on research expectations.
- Possibly subjective - different observers may interpret categories differently.

Question 36

Demand Characteristics

Answer 36

Cue that makes the participants aware of the aim of the study.

Question 37

Independent Variable

Answer 37

Manipulated to test the effect on the DV.

Question 38

Valid Consent

Answer 38

Participants given comprehensive info on the study so they can make an informed decision on their participation.

Question 39

Non-Directional Hypothesis

Answer 39

States there will be a relation between variables, but not the direction.

Question 40

Lab Experiments

Answer 40

Takes place in controlled environment.
+ External variables can be controlled - participants have the same experience.
- Low ecological validity.

Question 41

Random Sampling

Answer 41

Equal chance of being chosen.
+ No researcher bias.
- May not be representative.
- Time consuming.

Question 42

Online Experiments

Answer 42

Assess participants via internet/social media.
\+ Can assess large groups. 
\+ Diverse sample.
\+ Cost effective. 
\+ Quicker analysis.
- Methods used are limited.
- Ethical issues hard to deal with.

Question 43

Risk of Harm

Answer 43

Participants shouldn’t experience negative physical or psychological effects, beyond what is normal.

Question 44

Repeated Measures Design

Answer 44

Same participants in conditions - performance compared.
+ External variables can be controlled.
- Order effect - repetition may affect result (boredom effect, practice effect and guessing).
Deal with limitations
Use different tests to reduce practice effect - counterbalancing.

Question 45

Systematic Sampling

Answer 45

Every Nth number of the target population.
+ No researcher biases.
- May not be representative.