Valditity and reliability

Question 1

How can reliability be achieved?

Answer 1

If a study has been set up so the IV can be seen to affect the Dv.

Question 2

Why are lab experiments the most reliable?

Answer 2

-Take place in a neutral space under controlled conditions
-follow a standardised procedure
-random allocation of participants to conditions
-usually use a control group as a comparison to the experimental group
generate quantative data=easy to compare and analyse

Question 3

How reliable are natural experiments?

Answer 3

-Generate quantative data
-naturally occurring IV=no control so less reliable then lab experiments.

Question 4

How reliable are field experiments?

Answer 4

-generate quantitative data
-implement an IV
-subject to an erray of extraneous variable=research having no control
-less reliable than lab experiments

Question 5

What is internal reliability?

Answer 5

-The extent to which something is consistent with itself

Question 6

What is external reliability?

Answer 6

-The extent a test measure is consistent overtime

Question 7

How do you test external reliability?

Answer 7

test-retest method
-same participant is given the same question at seperate time intervals e.g 6 month gap between time intervals
-If the same result is found per participant then external reliability is established

Question 8

How do you test internal reliability?

Answer 8

Split half method
-test is split in half by the researcher and analyses the responses given to the first half of the questionnaire compared to the second half of the questionnaire
-similar responses in both=internal reliability

Question 9

What is inter observer reliability?

Answer 9

-Level of consistently between two or more trained observers when they conduct the same observation

Question 10

Process of inter observer reliability

Answer 10

-All observers need to agree on the behaviour categories and how they are going to record them before hand
-Conducted separately by each observer to avoid conformity as one may be influenced by one or more other observers

Question 11

What occurs after the observational period of inter observer reliability?

Answer 11

-Compare the two independent data sets (might be a tally chart)
-Then test the correlation between the two sets
-Positive correlation between sets=good inter observer reliability and behaviour categories are reliable