research methods - cog Flashcards

1
Q

cognitive approach

A

how information is processed in the brain

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2
Q

what is an experiment?

A

a scientific procedure undertaken to test a hypothesis in order to demonstrate casual relationships

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3
Q

hypothesis

A

statement of what a theory predicts

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4
Q

laboratory experiment

A

occurs in a controlled artificial environment

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5
Q

field experiment

A

occurs in a natural environment

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6
Q

lab experiment - strengths

A

very scientific - hypotheses tested in a fully controlled environment

standardised procedure usually used - easy to repeat

participants are normally aware they are taking part - can give informed consent

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7
Q

lab experiment - weaknesses

A

time consuming to design and conduct

difficult to recruit participants

expensive

participants likely to guess the aim of the study and therefore behave differently

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8
Q

field experiment - strengths

A

shows natural behaviour but is also controlled

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9
Q

field experiment - weaknesses

A

doesn’t have full control over variables - cannot be replicated easily

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10
Q

operationalisation

A

making the variable clear and precise

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11
Q

experimental group

A

the group where the variable is manipulated to see if there is an effect

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12
Q

control group

A

the group where nothing is manipulated so it acts as a baseline for comparison

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13
Q

random allocation

A

randomly allocating participants to independent variable conditions means that all participants have an equal chance of taking part in each conditon

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14
Q

directional hypothesis

A

states the direction in which the results are expected to go

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15
Q

non-directional

A

doesn’t make any claim to which way the results may go

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16
Q

null hypothesis

A

a statement of no difference

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17
Q

independent measures

A

different participants are used in each condition of the independent variable

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18
Q

independent measures - strengths

A

avoids order effects

makes guessing the aim unlikely

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19
Q

independent measures -weaknesses

A

participant variables
- individual differences
- solution : randomisation

requires a large amount of participants

chances of obtaining the true aims of the experiment are lower

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20
Q

repeated measures

A

each condition of the experiment includes the same group of participants

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21
Q

repeated measures - strengths

A

suits research when only a small amount of participants are available

controls participant variables

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22
Q

repeated measures - weaknesses

A

order effects
- practice effect
- fatigue effect
- solution: counterbalancing

participants may guess aims

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23
Q

matched pairs

A

participants are matched in terms of key variables and then one member of each pair in placed into the experimental group and into the control group

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24
Q

matched pairs - strengths

A

avoids order effects

controls participant variables

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25
Q

matched pairs - weaknesses

A

experimenter effects - the experimenter has had to choose who to match

time consuming

costly

doesn’t control all participant variables

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26
Q

counterbalancing

A

the participant sample is divided in half, with one completing the two conditions in one order and the other half completing the conditions in the reverse order

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27
Q

random allocation (randomisation)

A

all participants have an equal chance of taking part in each condition

avoids bias

limits the effects of participant variables

28
Q

what are the types of extraneous variables?

A

experimenter effects

demand characteristics

situational variables

29
Q

participant variables

A

characteristics of those taking part

e.g. age or IQ

30
Q

situational variables

A

environmental factors that may affect the results

e.g. temperature or time of day

31
Q

experimenter effects

A

things about the experimenter which may affect the results

e.g. gender or tone of voice

32
Q

experimenter bias

A

beliefs about what they are studying can create bias

could be conscious or subconscious

33
Q

demand characteristics

A

occur when the participants try to make sense of the research and act accordingly to support the aim of the research.

or

when participants change their behaviour a a result of cues from the research situation

34
Q

how can demand characteristics and experimenter effects/ bias be prevented?

A

single blind or double blind studies

however, participant is unaware of the study so cannot give informed consent

35
Q

objectivity

A

based on scientific facts and observations

provable, measurable and observable

not influenced by the researchers emotions, personal opinions or expectations

36
Q

subjectivity

A

affected by assumptions, beliefs, opinions

influenced by emotions, personal feelings and experiences

37
Q

reliability

A

the idea of consistency or replicability

38
Q

test re-test reliability

A

a measure of whether something varies from one time to another

39
Q

inter-rater

A

two or more individuals have a high agreement on a score and therefore the measurement of behaviour is reliable

40
Q

standardised procedure

A

a clearly defined and documented process that remains the same and consistent throughout the research

41
Q

validity

A

whether a result is ‘true’

whether the experiment measures what it is supposed to

42
Q

internal validity

A

how well the procedure establishes a cause and effect relationship

can be improved by controlling extraneous variables

43
Q

construct validity

A

how well the measure being used is a useful indicator of what is supposed to be studied

44
Q

predictive validity

A

the extent to which the performance on the measure can predict the future performance on a similar criteria

45
Q

triangulation

A

using multiple studies on the same topic and comparing results

46
Q

how is internal validity assessed?

A

examine construct validity, predictive validity and triangulation

47
Q

external validity

A

how well the study applies to real life

48
Q

population validity

A

the extent to which findings apply to other populations than those used as the sample

49
Q

ecological validity

A

the extent to which the research can be generalised to real life everyday situations

50
Q

mundane realism

A

the extent to which a task reflects ordinary life

51
Q

how is external validity assessed?

A

examine population validity, ecological validity and mundane realism

52
Q

sampling

A

the process of selecting subjects to study from the target population

53
Q

sample

A

a smaller group selected from a target population

54
Q

random sampling

A

everyone in the target population has an equal chance of being selected

55
Q

random sampling - strengths

A

cost effective
avoids bias
representative

56
Q

random sampling - weaknesses

A

may not be representative
time consuming for larger samples

57
Q

opportunity sampling

A

uses people from the target population who are available at the time and willing

58
Q

opportunity sampling - strengths

A

easy
less time consuming
convenient
no need for advertisements

59
Q

opportunity sampling weaknesses

A

could be biased/ sampling bias

60
Q

volunteer sampling

A

participants who respond to advertisements asking for people to take part in research

61
Q

volunteer sampling - strengths

A

convenient
participants get into contact

62
Q

volunteer sampling - weaknesses

A

not very representative of target population

bias - people taking part may be more willing to please

63
Q

stratified sampling

A

the researcher divides or stratifies the target group into sub groups

64
Q

stratified sampling - strengths

A

representative of target population

65
Q

stratified sampling - weaknesses

A

complicated

time consuming