Week 6

Question 1

Non-Experimental Research

Answer 1

Any study that does not control extraneous variation (lacks random assignment of participants or conditions, manipulation of IV).

Question 2

Single-Variable Research & Purpose

Answer 2

Research that focuses on a single variable rather than a relation between variables.
Demonstrate a point - help build an argument.

Question 3

Observational Research

Answer 3

Research that attempts to observe behaviour as it occurs.

Question 4

Naturalistic Observation (1)

Answer 4

Research that observes small samples of behaviour in natural context.

Question 5

Naturalistic Observation (2)

Answer 5

Research that observes behaviour in a natural setting over lengthy period of time.

Question 6

Systematic Observation

Answer 6

Careful observation of one or more specific behaviours in a controlled setting.

Question 7

Coding

Answer 7

Judging behaviours against carefully designed criteria. Which behaviour, amount of behaviour, duration of behaviour, intensity of behaviour.

Question 8

Case Study

Answer 8

Detailed description of an individual.

Question 9

Archival Research

Answer 9

Coding, analyzing, describing previously compiled or public information.

Question 10

Pros & Cons of Observational Methods

Answer 10

Pro: Provide rich understanding, often in realistic context.
Con: Tough to validate, and replicate. Reactivity.

Question 11

Reactivity

Answer 11

A con to observational methods. People behave differently when they know they are being watched.

Question 12

Quantitative Research

Answer 12

Descriptive research using numerical values that is subjected to statistical analyses. Provide something that can be statistically analyzed.

Question 13

Qualitative Research

Answer 13

Descriptive research that observes events as they occur, with the goal of capturing the experience.

Question 14

Three Types of Qualitative Research

Answer 14

Focus groups, participant observation, interviews.

Question 15

Cross Sectional Study

Answer 15

When studying effects of age, recruit GROUPS of people from different ages.
Valuable because you cannot randomly assign age.

Question 16

Cohort Effect

Answer 16

Group of people born at the same time experience same life circumstances, difference may reflect cohort rather than age.

Question 17

Longitudinal Study

Answer 17

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).

Question 18

Disadvantages of Longitudinal Studies

Answer 18

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).

Question 19

What Aspects of Cause and Effect can Longitudinal Studies Satisfy?

Answer 19

Can rule out reverse causation - cannot go back in time, compare to non correlational groups.

Question 20

Statistical Control

Answer 20

Measure and statistically control third variables.
Multiple regression equation.
If correlation decreases or disappears, causation could be third variable.

Question 21

Content Analysis

Answer 21

Approaches to measurement using complex archival data - specifying target behaviours and noting their occurrence.

Question 22

Qualitative-Quantitative Debate

Answer 22

Which one is more essential. Mixed-method research including triangulation.

Question 23

Triangulation

Answer 23

Using both quantitative and qualitative methods simultaneously to study the same general questions and compare results.