Week 12 Flashcards
Why has a quantitative approach often been used in psychology?
In early days, it felt important that the subject was taken seriously as a genuine science
Who opened the first psychology lab?
Wilhelm Wundt, university of Leipzig
What is the main criticism of a quantitative approach in psych?
Research in psych does not always fit neatly into this type of scientific approach.
What are three smaller criticisms of the quantitative approach to psych research?
- it can be artificial
- it can over simplify complex phenomena
- it can be limited of some topics for logistical or ethical reasons
What does the ‘positivist’ quantitive approach to research imply?
That it is based on what people tend to think of as scientific methods
What type of observation is the quantitive approach?
An empirical one, meaning it is based on observable phenomena which can be supported by data or not
What assumption does the quantitative approach work on?
That there is an explanation for all phenomena.
What does the quantitative approach state about phenomena?
That phenomena, or behaviour, can be accurately predicted if enough information is known
Does the qualitative approach work by constructing and testing hypothesis?
no
How does the qualitative approach to research work?
A much more explorative approach which produces much richer information -the emphasis is on drawing theory from data, rather than testing theories with data
What does a qualitative approach to research aim to do?
Aims to understand the individual’s experience of the world and how they construct that view.
Denzin and Lincoln (2000) argue that the qualitative approach should be characterised by five points. what is the first?
- Concern with the richness of the description -qualitative research uses techniques that are less restrictive than the scales and measures used in quantitative research
Denzin and Lincoln (2000) argue that the qualitative approach should be characterised by two points. what is the second?
- Capturing the individuals perspective - qualitative research places more emphasis on the subjective experience of the individual, instead of looking at comparisons between groups of individuals
Denzin and Lincoln (2000) argue that the qualitative approach should be characterised by two points. what is the third?
Rejection of positivism and the use of post-modern perspectives - in contrast to quantitative researcher qualitative research states that there is no single reality to be explained and that creating generalisable findings is not the goal of the research
Denzin and Lincoln (2000) argue that the qualitative approach should be characterised by two points. what is the fourth?
Adherence to the postmodern sensibility -qualitative research is more involved and may include the researcher bringing about change for social good
Denzin and Lincoln (2000) argue that the qualitative approach should be characterised by two points. what is the fifth?
Examination of the constraints of everyday life - qualitative research acknowledges and includes factors beyond the focus of the study
Instead of validity and reliability to assess the quality of research studies in quantitive methods, what are the four concepts that qualitative research use instead of this?
- Dependability
- Auditable
- Transferable
- Idiographic
What does dependability mean in regard to qualitative research?
The knowledge from the research is obtained in a rigorous and systematic way
What does auditable mean in regard to qualitative research?
The research process has been recorded in detail
What does transferable mean in regard to qualitative research?
The extent to which the research findings can be transferred to other findings and groups
What does idiographic mean in regard to qualitative research?
Findings have an intrinsic worth even if they are not transferable
Why are epistemology and ontology important in analysing qualitative data?
Because they partly determine what kind of analysis we choose
What are some examples of where we might get data from for qualitative data?
- interviews
- focus groups
- newspaper
- social media sites
- children’s drawings
What is involved in a structured interview?
a pre-set list of questions. Does this make it a qualitative study then?
What are the pros and cons in a structured interviews?
pros:
-questions are prepared in advanced and hence well-formulated
-easier to compare responses
cons:
-questions are inflexible with no opportunity to follow up on unexpected comments
-questions may not be applicable to every participant
What are semi-structures interviews also known as?
Qualitative or in-depth interviews
What happens in a semi-structured interview?
The researcher has an interview schedule, but also deviate from questions where appropriate
What are the pros and cons of semi-structured interviews?
pros:
-the participant is free to raise issues which may lead to richer info
cons:
-becomes more difficult to generalise outcomes
-can be difficult to keep the interview on track
-the researcher has to come up with questions on the spot
What are the three types of interview probes?
- detail orientated probe
- elaboration probe
- clarification probe