Vocab Related to Research Methods

Question 1

Define: demand characteristics

Answer 1

• participant tries to guess the nature of the research they are participating in and then act accordingly
• therefore decreasing the reliability (internal validity)

Question 2

Define: social desirability effect

Answer 2

participants modifying behavior so that it will be viewed favourably by others

Question 3

Define: order effects

Answer 3

order of conditions in an experiment having an effect on the participant’s behaviour e.g. practice or fatigue

Question 4

Define: investigator bias

Answer 4

errors in a research study due to the predisposed notions or beliefs of the experimenter. Reflexivity can often reduce this.

Question 5

Define: extraneous variables

Answer 5

variables (other than the IV) that could influence the results if they are not controlled

Question 6

Define: reliability

Answer 6

similar to accuracy, can be established in 2 ways:

1. did more than one person record and interpret the data, do they agree?
2. if you use the method again in the same situation, do you get the same results?

Question 7

Define: test-retest reliability

Answer 7

if you use the method again in the same situation, do you get the same results?

Question 8

Define: inter-rater reliability

Answer 8

did more than one person record and interpret the data, do they agree?

Question 9

Define: external validity

Answer 9

the extent to which the findings from the study can be generalised to other people/situations:

• ecological validity: research done in artificial environment? tasks performed in study artificial?
• can we generalise from the participants in the sample to the wider population?

Question 10

Define: internal validity

Answer 10

concerned with the quality of the research itself (particularly in experiments that try to make cause-effect claims):

• IV and DV must be clearly defined (operational definition)
• IV and DV must be a fair reflection of the phenomenon being studied
• extraneous variables eliminated/ effects minimised

Question 11

Define: ecological validity

Answer 11

does the environment in which the study was carried out reflect real life

Question 12

Define: quantitative data (conceptual and methodological)

Answer 12

• aims to infer cause-effect relationship using statistics
• assumes a fixed and measurable reliability
• numerical data

Question 13

Define: qualitative data (conceptual and methodological)

Answer 13

• concerned with understanding/ describing human behaviour from perspective of informant
• assumes a dynamic and negotiated reality
• data analysed by themes from descriptions by informants

Question 14

Define: informed consent

Answer 14

• ‘consent’ indicates agreement
• ‘informed’ means that participants have been made aware of the purpose, duration, procedures of research; and of their rights, benefits, and any possible negative consequences of participation

Question 15

Define: debrief

Answer 15

nature, results and conclusion of research are made available to participants ASAP

Question 16

Define: deception

Answer 16

misleading or not fully revealing a part of the study e.g. the purpose to avoid demand characteristics

Question 17

Define: anonymity

Answer 17

identity kept secret

Question 18

Define: content analysis

Answer 18

allows themes to emerge from the data:

- data -> raw themes -> superordinate themes -> reconstruct story

Question 19

Define: generalisability

Answer 19

the extent to which findings from the study can be applied to other people than those who participate in the study

Question 20

Define: triangulation

Answer 20

involves the use of different approaches to the gathering of data in a single study in order to improve the trustworthiness of conclusions

(data, researcher, theoretical, methodological)
NB: triangulation not always guaranteed to increase credibility, e.g. if there is a systematic bias in terms of researcher expectancies

Question 21

Define: reflexivity

Answer 21

researcher reflecting on research:

• how and why they are doing the research
• how their bias about a topic might have influence data collection/analysis

Question 22

Define: operational definitions

Answer 22

descriptions of variables that are specific and quantifiable

Question 23

Define: Hawthorne effect

Answer 23

when participants try to perform in a way that they think meets the expectations of the researcher

Question 24

Define: screw-you effect

Answer 24

where participants act in a way that might sabotage the researcher’s aims

Question 25

Define: Bales grid

Answer 25

• grid constructed to record behaviour in observations (just tick appropriate cell when behaviour is observed)
• grid designed in advance by researchers = reflects their assumptions and expectations

Question 26

Define: confidentiality

Answer 26

research data will not be known to anyone outside the study:

• researcher may change minor details about participant
• destroy recordings e.g. videotapes