Key Terms - NEMIB

Question 1

Qualitative data

Answer 1

data that is non-numerical, words, pictures etc

Question 2

Quantitative data

Answer 2

data that is numerical

Question 3

Generalisable

Answer 3

when the findings from research can be applied to a wider group of people

Question 4

Representative

Answer 4

when a person / small group of people share typical characteristics of a wider group of people

Question 5

Longitudinal

Answer 5

research carried out on the same person / people over a long period of time

Question 6

Replicable

Answer 6

when a method is repeated, and we get the same results over and over again

Question 7

Holistic

Answer 7

explaining behaviour by examining many different factors rather than just one

Question 8

Subjective

Answer 8

open to interpretation

Question 9

Primary sources

Answer 9

information sources / data that is directly collected by the researcher first-hand
- eg they collect data through a questionnaire, experiment, interviews etc for their research

Question 10

Secondary sources

Answer 10

information sources / data that have not been directly collected by the researcher. the researcher uses data that already exists
- eg police records, medical records

Question 11

Validity

Answer 11

does something measure what it is meant to measure?

Question 12

Reliable

Answer 12

consistency
- getting the same results using the same method

Question 13

Ecological validity

Answer 13

how true to real life the data is

Question 14

Closed questions

Answer 14

questions which have fixed responses from which the participants must choose from eg a), b) or c)
- they produce quantitative data

Question 15

Open questions

Answer 15

participants are free to respond however they wish - there are no fixed responses
- they produce qualitative data

Question 16

Social desirability bias

Answer 16

a distortion in the way participants answer questions - they tend to answer in a way that presents you in a positive light
- this affects validity

Question 17

Researcher bias

Answer 17

a distortion in the way the research is carried out
- eg an interviewer’s expectations may unconsciously affect the way they ask their questions
- this affects validity

Question 18

Interview

Answer 18

a research method that involves face-to-face ‘real time’ interaction with another individual and results in the collection of data

Question 19

Questionnaire

Answer 19

a participant responds in writing to a set of written questions
- may be face-to-face but can also be via post or online

Question 20

Likert scale

Answer 20

a type of questionnaire that measures the strength of attitudes, beliefs an opinions etc.
- it gives quantitative data

Question 21

Observation

Answer 21

a research method that involves watching people’s behaviour and recording what they do
- this may be with or without the participant’s knowledge

Question 22

Participant observation

Answer 22

the researcher becomes part of the group that they are observing
- they are actively involved in the activities of the people they are studying

Question 23

Non-participant observation

Answer 23

there is no direct contact between the observer and those being observed
- this means that the observer researches their participant from a distance

Question 24

Unstructured observation

Answer 24

the researcher records all relevant behaviour but does not use a particular system to record it (ie they simply write down what they see)

Question 25

Behavioural categories

Answer 25

dividing a target behaviour (the behaviour you want to understand more about) down into a subset of specific and operationalised behaviours that represent the target behaviour - eg if aggression is the target behaviour, it could be broken down into shouting, punching, glaring etc.

Question 26

Event sampling

Answer 26

a systematic way of recording behaviour that involved making a tally every time a specific behaviour is performed by the target individual (person being observed)

Question 27

Time sampling

Answer 27

a systematic way of recording behaviour that involves making a tally every time a specific behaviour is performed by the target individual within a specified time period

Question 28

Structured observation

Answer 28

the researcher records what they see by using a particular system - this ensures that the data is objective and reliable

Question 29

Covert observation

Answer 29

the participants do not know that they are being observed - the researcher may be watching them from a distance in a public place or behind a one-way mirror in a laboratory

Question 30

Overt observation

Answer 30

the participants know that they are being observed because the researcher has identified themselves to the participants

Question 31

Observer bias

Answer 31

when an observer interprets what they hear or see in line with their expectations

Question 32

Inter-observer reliability

Answer 32

the extent to which there is agreement between 2 or more observers who are involved in the recording of behaviour

Question 33

Demand characteristics

Answer 33

when participants work out the aim of the study and change their behaviour to either please the researcher or spoil the results