validity- research methods

Question 1

types of validity

Answer 1

psychological test observation experiment produces result legitimate
observed effect genuine and presents what is out there in the real world
includes whether researcher managedto measure what they intended to measure
refers to the extent to which findings can be generalised beyond research setting in which they were found
possible for studies and measures to produce reliable data not valid

Question 2

internal validity

Answer 2

refers to whether effects observed in experiment are due to the manipulation of iv and not some other factor
major threat is if pps respond to demand characteristics
eg milgram

Question 3

external validity

Answer 3

relates more to factors outside of investigation
ecological validity-concerns generalising findings from study to other settings, natural high lab low
must look at all sorts of asects of the research set up in order to decide whether findings can be generalised beyond particular research setting

Question 4

temporal validity

Answer 4

issue of whether findings from particular study hold true over time
eg asch- product of conformist era
freud- concepts deemed outdated sexist and reflection of patriarchal society

Question 5

ways of assessing validity

Answer 5

face validity-whether test scale or measure appears on the face of it to measure what it is supposed to measure, determined by eyeballing the measuring instrument or passing it to expert
concurrent validity-whe results obtained very close or match those obtained on another recognised and well established test
close agreement to two sets of data indicate that the new test has high concurrent validiry and close agreement is indicated if the correlation betwene two sets of scores exceed +.80

Question 6

experiments (improving validity)

Answer 6

use control group means researcher better able to assess whether changes in dv were due to effect of iv
standardise procedures to minimise iumpact of participant reactivity and investigator effects
single blind and double blind designed to achieve same aim- limit effect demand characteristics

Question 7

questionnaires (improving validity)

Answer 7

lie scale within questions in order to assess consistency of respondents response and control for effects of social desirability bias
further enhanced b assuring respondents all data will remain anonymous

Question 8

observations (improving valdity )

Answer 8

high ecological validiy minimal intervention by researcher
oserver remains undetected meaning behaviour is likely to be natural and authentic
behaviural categories too broad overlapping or ambiguous have negative impact on validity

Question 9

qualitative research (improving validity)

Answer 9

thought of as having higher ecological validity than more quantitative less interpretive methods-depth and detail is better able to reflect pps reality
demonstrate interpretive validity- extent ot which researchers interpretation of events matches that of their pp, demonsrtated through things as coherence of researchers narrative and the inclusio of idrect quotes from pps within report
triangulation- use of number of different sources as evidence data compiled through interviews with friens and family personal diaries observations etc