Non-Experimental methods

Question 1

Correlational analysis

Answer 1

A statistical technique that looks at the strength and type of relationship between two variables.
Correlations can be positive or negative.

Question 2

Naturalistic observation

Answer 2

Watching people in a natural environment.
Researchers produce a table of ‘behavioural categorties’
They use time sampling or event sampling.

Question 3

Questionnaire survey

Answer 3

List of closed questions given to people to fill in

Produce quantitative data

Question 4

Interviews

Answer 4

Face to face interaction, can be structured, semi-structured or unstructured.

Question 5

Case studies

Answer 5

An in depth study of one individual or a small group of people. Involves interviewing them or those that knew them and collecting data from their life.

Question 6

Correlational analysis pro + con

Answer 6

+easy to measure the relationships between two variables

-correlation does not mean that one causes the other

Question 7

Naturalistic observation pros + con

Answer 7

+increased ecological validity
+no demand characteristics
-low control of extraneous variables

Question 8

Questionnaire pros

Answer 8

+Quick and easy way of collecting data

+Easy to analyse the data (closed questions)

Question 9

Questionnaire cons

Answer 9

• Social desirability bias (people lying to seem more positive)
• Participants may not understand and researcher is not present
• People may have different interpretations

Question 10

Interview pro + cons

Answer 10

+in depth analysis (more detailed answers)

• difficult to analyse (more information)
• Social desirability bias (participants may feel more pressured)

Question 11

Case study pros + con

Answer 11

+in depth analysis (loads of information, variety of techniques)
+greater ecological validity(people in real world situations)
-Hard to generalize to the world because everyone is different