Week 6 Flashcards
Non-Experimental Research
Any study that does not control extraneous variation (lacks random assignment of participants or conditions, manipulation of IV).
Single-Variable Research & Purpose
Research that focuses on a single variable rather than a relation between variables.
Demonstrate a point - help build an argument.
Observational Research
Research that attempts to observe behaviour as it occurs.
Naturalistic Observation (1)
Research that observes small samples of behaviour in natural context.
Naturalistic Observation (2)
Research that observes behaviour in a natural setting over lengthy period of time.
Systematic Observation
Careful observation of one or more specific behaviours in a controlled setting.
Coding
Judging behaviours against carefully designed criteria. Which behaviour, amount of behaviour, duration of behaviour, intensity of behaviour.
Case Study
Detailed description of an individual.
Archival Research
Coding, analyzing, describing previously compiled or public information.
Pros & Cons of Observational Methods
Pro: Provide rich understanding, often in realistic context.
Con: Tough to validate, and replicate. Reactivity.
Reactivity
A con to observational methods. People behave differently when they know they are being watched.
Quantitative Research
Descriptive research using numerical values that is subjected to statistical analyses. Provide something that can be statistically analyzed.
Qualitative Research
Descriptive research that observes events as they occur, with the goal of capturing the experience.
Three Types of Qualitative Research
Focus groups, participant observation, interviews.
Cross Sectional Study
When studying effects of age, recruit GROUPS of people from different ages.
Valuable because you cannot randomly assign age.
Cohort Effect
Group of people born at the same time experience same life circumstances, difference may reflect cohort rather than age.
Longitudinal Study
Observing the same people on the same measures repeatedly as they age.
Use this to remove the cohort effect by isolating the variable of age (cohort stays the same, only thing changing is age).
Disadvantages of Longitudinal Studies
Expensive in money and time, takes a long time to answer research questions, small amount of attrition can destroy study as people may drop out for systematic reasons (regarding dependent variable therefore skewing results).
What Aspects of Cause and Effect can Longitudinal Studies Satisfy?
Can rule out reverse causation - cannot go back in time, compare to non correlational groups.
Statistical Control
Measure and statistically control third variables.
Multiple regression equation.
If correlation decreases or disappears, causation could be third variable.
Content Analysis
Approaches to measurement using complex archival data - specifying target behaviours and noting their occurrence.
Qualitative-Quantitative Debate
Which one is more essential. Mixed-method research including triangulation.
Triangulation
Using both quantitative and qualitative methods simultaneously to study the same general questions and compare results.
