booklet 1

Question 1

what is an IV

Answer 1

Variable that changes/ is manipulated
to see effect on DV

Question 2

what is a DV

Answer 2

Variable that is measured
to see effect of IV

Question 3

what is operationalisation

Answer 3

to be specific and clear when defining IV and DV
so it is easier to measure

Question 4

why is operationalisation important

Answer 4

if variables are vague, research = difficult to repeat
thus increases replicability and reliability

Question 5

what is a hypothesis

Answer 5

a specific, testable prediction of what will happen between variables

Question 6

what are the 3 types of hypothesis

Answer 6

one-tailed, two-tailed and Null

Question 7

what is an extraneous variable

Answer 7

an extra, UNWANTED variable other than IV (1)
that may affect DV
would then lower internal validity (1)

Question 8

what is a confounding variable

Answer 8

an EV that is not uncontrolled (1)
and has effect on DV (1)

Question 9

what are demand characteristics

Answer 9

clues given off by researcher
lead to ppts changing their behaviour (1)
to help or hinder
lowering internal validity (1)

Question 10

how can we control demand characteristics

Answer 10

having another researcher (1)
(who does not know the aims of the study)
carry out the experiment
as they cannot give any clues (1)

Question 11

what are the 4 experimental methods

Answer 11

Lab, Natural, Field and Quasi

Question 12

what is a lab experiment

Answer 12

uses highly controlled env.
researcher manipulates IV
to measure impact on DV

Question 13

what are the 2 strengths attributed to lab experiments

Answer 13

high control over EVs (1)
high in reliability (1)

Question 14

why do lab experiments have high control over EVs

Answer 14

conducted in artificial env. (E)
so cause and effect can be est. (E)
between IV and DV (E)
increasing internal validity (L)

Question 15

why do lab experiment shave high reliability

Answer 15

as exp. can be easily repeated
in the same conditions
to check for consistent results

Question 16

what are the 2 weaknesses of lab experiments

Answer 16

lack ecological validity
prone to demand characteristics

Question 17

why do lab experiments lack ecological validity

Answer 17

artificial environment
difficult to generalise beyond the study
lowering external validity

Question 18

why are lab experiments prone to demand characteristics

Answer 18

DC = ppts change behaviour due to researcher’s clues
leading to ppts helping/hindering
reducing internal validity

Question 19

what is a field experiment

Answer 19

natural environment
e.g. office or school (context)
researcher manipulates IV to measure impact on DV

Question 20

what are the 2 strengths of field experiments

Answer 20

high ecological validity
less prone to demand characteristics

Question 21

why do field experiments have high ecological validity

Answer 21

based on real-life setting
easier to generalise findings outside of study
to similar settings

Question 22

why are field experiments less prone to demand characteristics

Answer 22

ppts may not know being watched
so are less likely to pick up on clues
so more difficult to change behaviour
for the purpose of helping/hindering
thus increasing internal validity

Question 23

what are the 2 weaknesses of field experiments

Answer 23

low in reliability
potential ethical issues

Question 24

why are field experiments low in reliability

Answer 24

environment is natural
thus difficult to repeat
in exact same conditions
so harder to check for consistency

Question 25

why do field experiments have potential ethical issues

Answer 25

due to lack of informed consent if ppts unaware being watched so can't have given consent may be upset if they become aware of being watched and wish to withdraw

Question 26

what is a natural experiment

Answer 26

takes advantage of naturally-occurring IV this variable would have been changed without the researcher's intervention

Question 27

what are the 2 strengths of natural experiment

Answer 27

provides opportunities for new research high ecological validity

Question 28

why do natural experiments provide opportunities for new research

Answer 28

this research may not have been undertaken for ethical/practical issues e.g. Rutter's orphan studies would be unethical to manipulate if the institutionalisation (IV) had not naturally occurred contributing to greater psychological understanding

Question 29

why do natural experiments have high ecological validity

Answer 29

often based in real-life settings easier to generalise findings beyond the study to similar settings increasing external validity

Question 30

what are the 2 weaknesses of natural experiments

Answer 30

low control over Evs rare

Question 31

why do natural experiments have low control over EVs

Answer 31

usually take place in natural environment difficult to establish cause and effect between IV and DV lowering internal validity

Question 32

why are natural experiments 'rare'

Answer 32

must wait for the IV to naturally occur which takes much time lowering opportunities for research thus unlikely research can be repeated to check for consistent results so lacks reliability

Question 33

what is a quasi experiment

Answer 33

study where IV based on an existing individual difference between people which researcher has not manipulated where researcher measures effect on DV

Question 34

what are the 2 strengths of quasi experiments

Answer 34

DEPENDS ON HWO THEY ARE CONDUCTED - CAN BE CONDUCTED IN IN EITHER NATURAL(FIELD) OR CONTROLLED (LAB) ENVIRONEMENTS - TAILOR ACCORDINGLY

Question 35

what is a weakness of quasi experiments

Answer 35

sample bias

Question 36

why do quasi experiments have sample bias

Answer 36

sample may have unique conditions make it difficult to generalise findings outside of this group decreasing external validity

Question 37

what are the 3 experimental designs

Answer 37

independent groups, matched pairs, and repeated measures

Question 38

what is an independent groups design

Answer 38

ppts take part in only one condition each condition therefore has a different group taking part in it

Question 39

what is a strength of using independent groups

Answer 39

no order effects

Question 40

why do independent group designs have no order effects

Answer 40

ppts take part in only one condition, not both so cannot get bored/better/fatigued UNLIKE repeated measures where ppts take part in both and so could have order effects

Question 41

what is a weakness of independent groups design

Answer 41

more ppts needed

Question 42

why are more participants needed for an independent groups design

Answer 42

as two different groups of ppts are needed (one for each condition) UNLIKE repeated measures which uses less ppts as all ppts take part in all conditions

Question 43

what is a repeated measures design

Answer 43

all ppts take part in all conditions

Question 44

what is a strength of repeated measures design

Answer 44

removes individual differences

Question 45

why do repeated measures designs remove individual differences

Answer 45

because same ppts take part in all conditions so researcher can be sure that it is the IV impacting the DV rather than any other variable increasing internal validity UNLIKE independent groups design which uses different groups across conditions so IDs may be present

Question 46

what is a weakness of repeated measures design

Answer 46

order effects

Question 47

why do repeated measures designs have order effects

Answer 47

as all ppts take part in all conditions meaning their performance in the second condition is impacted by performance in first lowering internal validity UNLIKE IG where ppts take part in only one condition so cannot experience order effects