The Descriptive Research Strategy Flashcards
What is the main goal of the descriptive research strategy?
To describe individual variables to capture interesting, naturally occuring behaviour
What are the 3 different types of descriptive research designs?
- Observational
- Survey
- Case study
How is the descriptive research strategy different from experimental or nonexperimental research strategies?
It does not concern the relationship between variables
What does a researcher do in the observational research design?
They observe and systematically record the behaviour of individuals to describe such behaviour
What is behavioural observation?
Direct observation and systematic recording of behaviours
What two measurement problems arise when using behavioural observation?
- Behaviours must not be disrupted to avoid demand characteristics
- Observation and measurement requires some subjectivity by the observer
What is known as the process of repeatedly exposing individuals to the observer’s presence until it no longer is a novel stimulus?
Habituation
What are behaviour categories?
Categories of behaviour to be observed determined before the observation process
There are 3 techniques to convert observations into numerical scores to describe individuals and groups. What are these 3 quantifying observations?
- Frequency method - counting instances of each specific behaviour in a specific time period
- Duration method - recording how much time is spent engaged in a specific behaviour
- Interval method - dividing observation period into segments, then recording if the specific behaviour happened in each segment
There are 3 different types of sampling observations. What are they?
- Time sampling - a sequence of observing and recording behaviours
- Event sampling - identifying one behaviour to observe for an interval, then moving to another behaviour for another interval
- Individual sampling - identifying one participant to observe for an interval, then moving to another
What does content analysis involve?
Using techniques of behavioural observation to measure the occurrence of specific events in fictional or artificial sources like TV shows or books that demonstrate replicas of behaviours
What type of research involves looking at historical records to measure behaviours or events that happened in the past?
Archival research
When a researcher records and observes behaviour in a natural setting without intervention, what type of observation are they engaging in?
Naturalistic observation
Why does naturalistic observation have high degrees of external validity?
The behaviours are examined in real-world settings as opposed to laboratories
In order to engage in participant observation, what must the researcher do?
They must engage in the same activities as the people being observed in order to observe and record their behaviour
What is the type of observation that observes the behaviour in settings arranged specifically to facilitate the occurrence of certain behaviours?
Contrived/structured observation
What is an ethical concern over observational research?
If participants are unaware that they are being observed, the researcher may be violating a person’s privacy and right to participate in the study
True or false: every study that has a survey is considered a survey research design.
False
What is the defining element of the survey research design?
The results of the survey are used to simply describe the variables being studied
What is the goal of a survey research design?
To obtain a “snapshot” of the particular group at a given time about their personal beliefs, behaviours, etc.
There are 3 general types of self-report questions. What are they?
- Open-ended questions - few restrictions that allow for broad answers
- Restricted questions - multiple choice questions that allow for specific answers
- Rating-scale questions - selecting a choice based on a predetermined scale from very negative to very positive
A rating-scale type question that participants mark their answer with a circle or X at the location corresponding to their response is often called what?
A Likert scale
The opposite ends of a Likert scale are referred to as what?
Anchors
What is the participant’s tendency to answer most if not all questions the same way called?
Response set
What are the 4 most common methods of distributing surveys?
- Internet
- Telephone
- In-person
What does a case study design involve?
The in-depth study and detailed description of a single individual or small group
When a case study does not include treatment or intervention, what is it called?
A case history
What type of approach involves the intensive study of a single individual?
Idiographic approach
