Research Methods Part 1

Question 1

State the difference between independent variables and dependent variables

Answer 1

Dependent is the variable that is measured by the researcher

Independent is the variable which changes

Question 2

State the difference between directional and non-directional hypothesis

Answer 2

Directional says what will happen

Non directional just says that there is a difference

Question 3

What is the investigator effect

Answer 3

Things that the investigator does that effects the IV

Question 4

Give and example of a situational variable

Answer 4

Time of day, temperature or noise

Question 5

Give an example of a participant variable

Answer 5

High iq person low iq person

Question 6

What is standardisation

Answer 6

Using the exact same procedure and instructions for all participants in a research study

Question 7

What is a field experiment

Answer 7

An experiment which takes place in a natural setting where the researcher manipulates the IV and records the DV

Question 8

What is a laboratory experiment

Answer 8

An experiment that takes place in a controlled environment. Changes IV and records DV. Controls extraneous variables well and strictly

Question 9

What is a natural experiment

Answer 9

An experiment where the change in IV isn’t caused by the researcher and would have happened if he wasn’t there. Only the DV is recorded

Question 10

Which experiment has the highest validity

Answer 10

Natural as its most like real life

Question 11

What is independent groups

Answer 11

Two different groups complete two different conditions as the experiment

Question 12

What is repeated measures

Answer 12

Al participants experience both conditions. It is used when testing the same persons ability with different conditions

Question 13

What is matched pairs

Answer 13

Matching certain pairs to prevent a EV. EG: two 120 iq people wouldnt do the same condition as two 240 iq participants

Question 14

What is counter-balancing?

Answer 14

A way to control the problems with order of effects in repeated measures design: half the participants experience the conditions in one order and the other half in the opposite order

Question 15

What is a co-variable in a correlation

Answer 15

Literally the variables investigated within a correlation

Question 16

What is a main weakness with correlations

Answer 16

Either the fact there could be a third variable which affects the results or how you cannot find the cause and effect from correlations

Question 17

What is the main difference between experimental design and correlations

Answer 17

Experimental design shows the difference between variables

Correlational design shows the relationship between variables

Question 18

What kind of data do closed questions produce?

Answer 18

Quantitative (numbers)

Question 19

What kind of data do open questions produce?

Answer 19

Qualitative data (words)

Question 20

What are the reasons people use closed questions?

Answer 20

They are used for questionaires, when the data needs to be clear and precise, when the data needs to be more reliable than valid

Question 21

What are the different kinds of interviews

Answer 21

Structured: prepared list read to an interviewee. Follow up questions are prepared beforehand also

Semi-structured: most questions prepared and a few questions which are made up based on answers given

Unstructured: very little questions are prepared and its mainly made up on the spot (similar to a conversation)

Question 22

State the main difference between questionnaires and interviews

Answer 22

Questionnaires have a low validity but high reliability

Interviews have a high validity but a low reliability

Question 23

What is the difference between covert and overt observations

Answer 23

Covert: participants aren’t aware they are being recorded

Overt: participants are aware that they are being recorded

Question 24

Define a case study

Answer 24

A case study is an in-depth investigation, description and analysis of a single individual group or institution or event

Question 25

Case studies are longitudinal, retrospective and produce qualitative data. What does this mean?

Answer 25

Longitudinal is when experiments and interviews are conducted over a long period of time

Retrospective means they look at old records and the persons history

Qualitative is worded data