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Psychology > Research methods > Flashcards

Research methods Flashcards

1
Q

What is a hypothesis?

A

A prediction of what the psychologist expects to find when they conduct their research.

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2
Q

Whats an alternate hypothesis?

A

Predicts there will be a pattern in the results, whether this is a difference or a correlation.

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3
Q

Whats a null hypothesis?

A

Predicts there will be no difference or pattern in the results.

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4
Q

What are the types of variable?

A

-Independent

-Dependent

-Extraneous

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5
Q

What is an independent variable?

A

What the researcher changes.

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6
Q

What is a dependent variable?

A

What the researcher measures.

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7
Q

What is an extraneous variable?

A

A variable that can impact the results of an experiment that isn’t an IV or DV.

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8
Q

What is standardisation?

A

The process of keeping extraneous variables the same across conditions.

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9
Q

Examples of extraneous variables

A

-Time

-Location

-Weather

-Questions

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10
Q

What are the types of experimental design?

A

-Repeated

-Independent

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11
Q

What is repeated measures design?

A

Participants are involved in ALL experimental conditions.

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12
Q

Advantage of repeated measures design?

A

No risk of individual differences affecting results.

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13
Q

Disadvantage of repeated measures design?

A

High risk of order effects (practice/fatigue)

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14
Q

What is independent measures design?

A

Each group of participants is involved in one experimental condition then groups are compared.

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15
Q

Positives of independent measures design?

A

Less risk of order effects.

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16
Q

Negatives of independent measures design?

A

High risk of individual differences affecting results.

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17
Q

What are the 3 types of experiment?

A

-Lab

-Field

-Natural

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18
Q

What is a lab experiment?

A

Researcher directly manipulates the IV in a controlled environment.

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19
Q

What is a field experiment?

A

Researcher directly manipulates the IV within a realistic environment.

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20
Q

What is a natural experiment?

A

Researcher cannot directly manipulate the IV but can still measure its effect on the DV.

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21
Q

What are the positives of lab experiments?

A

High levels of control over extraneous variables and can repeat study.

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22
Q

What are the negatives of lab experiments?

A

Lack ecological (real life) validity.

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23
Q

What are the positives of field experiments?

A

High ecological (real life) validity and more natural behaviour.

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24
Q

What are the negatives of field experiments?

A

Poor control of extraneous variables.

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25
Q

What are the positives of natural experiments?

A

Can research things that would be unethical to manipulate.

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26
Q

What are the negatives of natural experiments?

A

Cannot randomly allocate participants to conditions so issues with individual differences.

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27
Q

What are the 2 types of interviews?

A

-Structured

-Unstructured

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28
Q

What are structured interviews?

A

Interviews where the researcher decides the questions beforehand.

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29
Q

What are the positives of structured interviews?

A

Requires less interviewing skill, easier to analyse answers, can easily be repeated, qualitative data can be collected, quantitative data can also be collected

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30
Q

What are the negatives of structured interviews?

A

Useful data may be missed and follow up questions cannot be asked.

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31
Q

What are unstructured interviews?

A

Researcher doesn’t have pre-planned questions and questions depend on participants answers.

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32
Q

What are the positives of unstructured interviews?

A

More in-depth data.

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33
Q

What are the negatives of unstructured interviews?

A

Responses are difficult to standardise and compare.

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34
Q

What is a population

A

Everyone

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35
Q

What is a target population

A

What is a target population

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36
Q

What is a sample

A

The group taken from the target population to be studied

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37
Q

What does the sample need to be?

A

-Representative of a wide range of age, gender, etc.

-Generalisable to a wider population.

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38
Q

What are the 3 types of sampling?

A

-Self-select sample

-Opportunity sample

-Random sample

39
Q

Positives of self select sampling

A

Participants are willing and able

40
Q

Negatives of self select sampling

A

Small chance of unrepresentative sample

41
Q

Positives of opportunity sampling

A

Quick, easy, inexpensive

42
Q

Negatives of opportunity sampling

A

More chance of unrepresentative sample/researcher bias

43
Q

Positives of random sample

A

Limits researcher bias/more chance of representative sample

44
Q

Negatives of random sample

A

Effort required by researcher and it takes more time

45
Q

What are the types of observations

A

-Covert/Overt

-Participant/Non-participants

-Naturalistic/Controlled

46
Q

What are covert/overt observations?

A

-Covert: Participants don’t know they’re being watched.

-Overt: Participants know they’re being watched.

47
Q

What are participant/non participant observations?

A

-Participant: Researcher joins in with participants when observing.

-Non-participant: researcher doesn’t interact with participants.

48
Q

What are naturalistic/controlled observations?

A

-Naturalistic: Participants are observed in a real life situation.

-Controlled: Participants are observed in an artificial situation.

49
Q

What are the positives of covert observations?

A

No observer effects: participants behave more naturally.

50
Q

What are the negatives of covert observations?

A

Cannot get informed consent.

51
Q

What are the positives of overt observations?

A

Can get informed consent.

52
Q

What are the negatives of overt observations?

A

Observer effect: participants may change their behaviour.

53
Q

What are the positives of participant observations?

A

Researcher may gain more in-depth data from being involved.

54
Q

What are the negatives of participant observations?

A

Researcher may be distracted

55
Q

What are the positives of non-participant observations?

A

Researchers are less biased as they aren’t involved.

56
Q

What are the negatives of non-participant observations?

A

Researcher may miss important details

57
Q

What are the positives of naturalistic observations?

A

Participants behave more naturally in a natural context

58
Q

What are the negatives of naturalistic observations?

A

Lack of control over extraneous variables.

59
Q

What are the positives of controlled observations?

A

Can control extraneous variables which may affect participants behaviour.

60
Q

What are the negatives of controlled observations?

A

Participants may not behave naturally in an artificial context.

61
Q

What are questionnaires?

A

A self report method, a list of pre-set questions.

62
Q

What are closed questions?

A

Set of specific answers that are usually on a scale

63
Q

What are open questions?

A

Participant writes their own response

64
Q

What are the positives of closed questions?

A

Questions are standardised so its easier to compare data

65
Q

What are the negatives of closed questions?

A

Useful data may be missed as only certain info is given.

66
Q

What are the positives of open questions?

A

Can get more detailed, in-depth data.

67
Q

What are the negatives of open questions?

A

Cannot be standardised so answers are difficult to compare.

68
Q

What is a self-select sample?

A

A sample selected through volunteers, who usually respond to an advert.

69
Q

What is an opportunity sample?

A

A sample selected by convenience, where the researcher recruits whoever is willing and available at the time.

70
Q

What is a random sample?

A

A sample selected using chance, where every member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected.

71
Q

What is mode?

A

The most common value

72
Q

What is median?

A

The middle value if the values are ordered

73
Q

What is range?

A

The largest-smallest value

74
Q

What is a normal distribution?

A

bell curve

75
Q

What is a positively skewed distribution?

A

When the scores pile up on the low end. The “tail” points to the higher end.

76
Q

What is a negatively skewed distribution?

A

When most scores pile up on the high end. The negative skew refers to the direction in which the tail points

77
Q

What is a scatter graph?

A

Represents data from a correlational study

78
Q

What is a bar chart?

A

For comparing separate data categories

79
Q

What is a thematic table?

A

Represents qualitative data in theme categories?

80
Q

What is a frequency table?

A

For recording data (also called a tally chart)

81
Q

What is a line graph?

A

For representing continuous data

82
Q

What is a histogram?

A

For representing continuous data in intervals

83
Q

What is validity?

A

How accurately a study measures what it says it’s measuring

84
Q

What is reliablility?

A

If the study is consistent and can easily be repeated

85
Q

What are 3 ethical problems?

A

-Protection of participants

-Deception

-Informed consent

86
Q

What are 3 ethical solutions?

A

-Right to withdraw

-Debriefing

-Confidentiality

87
Q

What is gender bias?

A

When the sample favours one gender

88
Q

What is age bias?

A

Where the sample favours one age group

89
Q

What is cultural bias?

A

Where the sample favours one culture

90
Q

What is observer bias?

A

Participants behave differently because theyr’e being watched

91
Q

What is experimenter bias?

A

To favour one approach/theory over another

92
Q

What is questioning bias?

A

To phrase a question to favour a certain view

93
Q
A

Psychology (24 decks)

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