Research Methods

Question 1

Questionnaire strengths

Answer 1

Less time consuming
Administered to large groups of people at once
Cost effective method and easily made anonymous so is ethical (leads to honest and valid answers)

Question 2

Questionnaire limitations

Answer 2

Limited sample of participants
Response rates may be low or only a certain type of person responds (response bias)
Findings wouldn’t be generalisable

Question 3

Structured interview strengths

Answer 3

Standardised
Same Qs used for all
Easy to analyse/ replicate to check results for consistency
Focus will be maintained

Question 4

Structured interview weaknesses

Answer 4

Can be restrictive
No follow up Qs can be asked
Can be frustrating or lower validity as can’t fully express feelings

Question 5

Unstructured interview strengths

Answer 5

Not restrictive
Follow up Qs allowed/expand on points
Fully explores interesting issues that arise
Higher in validity

Question 6

Unstructured interview limitations

Answer 6

Not standardised
Different Qs used for all
Difficult to analyse and replicate
Focus may be lost

Question 7

Interview (overall) strengths

Answer 7

Enables researchers to investigate things not directly observable
Useful to psychologists

Question 8

Interview (overall) limitations

Answer 8

Subjective
Opinion based and qualitative data
Lowers validity and reliability/hard to replicate

Question 9

Open question strengths

Answer 9

Qualitative data which is high in detail
Opportunity to talk freely and express opinions and thoughts
Rich in detail so more useful
Qs not restrictive

Question 10

Open question limitations

Answer 10

Qualitative data is difficult to analyse
All answer question in different way
Difficult to compare answers
Data is subjective

Question 11

Closed question strengths

Answer 11

Quantitative date is easy to analyse
Eg yes no
Easy to compare answers
Data is objective

Question 12

Closed question limitations

Answer 12

Quantitative data lacks detail
Eg yes but doesn’t expand
Less useful results
Qs are restrictive

Question 13

Correlation strengths

Answer 13

Useful to investigate relationship between two variables
Show direction and strength of relationship
Other studies can be carried out to investigate this relationship further
Doesn’t involve IV manipulation

Question 14

Correlation limitations

Answer 14

Only shows relationship, not why variables are related
Can’t establish a cause and effect
Do not control for EVs
Only works for linear relationships

Question 15

What is a correlation

Answer 15

Aims to assess the relationship between two variables

Question 16

What is a correlation coefficient

Answer 16

Numerical measure of strength and direction of the relationship between two variables

Question 17

What is content analysis?

Answer 17

Systematic method of quantifying qualitative data through the use of coding units

Question 18

Content analysis strengths

Answer 18

Little/no contact with people
Very few ethical issues involved

Question 19

Content analysis limitations

Answer 19

Little/no contact with people
Easier to misinterpret the persons thoughts and behaviour
Material analysed may be limited; may not reflect reality

Question 20

What is a case study?

Answer 20

In depth study of an individual or small group over a long period of time

Question 21

Case study strengths

Answer 21

In depth/ lots of detailed info
High validity and useful insights
Allow researchers to study events that they couldn’t ethically manipulate

Question 22

Case study limitations

Answer 22

Limited sample
Results can’t be generalised to whole population
Researchers can get too involved and lose objectivity
(Researcher bias)

Question 23

What does a null hypothesis predict?

Answer 23

Predicts no significant difference

Question 24

What does a 1 tailed/directional hypothesis predict?

Answer 24

Predicts a significant change and direction

Question 25

What does a 2 tailed/direct hypothesis predict?

Answer 25

A significant change in no specific direction

Question 26

5 sampling methods

Answer 26

Random
Volunteer
Opportunity
Stratified
Systematic

Question 27

What is random sampling?

Answer 27

Need a full list of target population names

All participants have an equal chance of selection

Need a way to select names randomly e.g. names out of a hat or random name generator

Question 28

What is volunteer sampling?

Answer 28

Researcher advertised their study e.g. a leaflet or newspaper article

Volunteers put themselves forward to be part of a sample (self selection)

Question 29

What is opportunity sampling?

Answer 29

When a researcher approaches people who are available at the time and willing to take part

Can happen anywhere the researcher is

Question 30

What is stratified sampling?

Answer 30

Researcher identifies different groups within target population (strata) and works out the proportion

Researcher then randomly selects a proportionate number of people from each strata to be in the sample

Question 31

What is systematic sampling?

Answer 31

Researcher has a full list of target populations names

Randomly selects the sample in specific increments e.g. every third person

Question 32

Random sampling strengths

Answer 32

Avoids researcher bias

Is usually representative of target population

Question 33

Random sampling limitations

Answer 33

May not be representative of target population

Can be time consuming and expensive to conduct as you need a full list of names

Question 34

Volunteer sampling strengths

Answer 34

Quick and easy to conduct/ requires minimal input

Question 35

Volunteer sampling limitations

Answer 35

Volunteer bias as only a certain type of person may put their name down so the sample would not be representative of target population

Question 36

Opportunity sampling strengths

Answer 36

Quick, easy and cheap

Question 37

Opportunity sampling limitations

Answer 37

Researcher bias as they directly choose sample so is unrepresentable

Question 38

Stratified sampling strengths

Answer 38

Avoids researcher bias

Very representative

Question 39

Stratified sampling limitations

Answer 39

Can be expensive and time consuming

Question 40

Systematic sampling strengths

Answer 40

Avoids researcher bias

Usually representative

Question 41

Systematic sampling limitations

Answer 41

May not be representative