Methodological issues

Question 1

Validity

Answer 1

The idea of ensuring research measures what it aims to measure, the study is ACCURATE
Making sure it measures how the IV affects the DV

Question 2

Validity can fall under what categories?

Answer 2

Internal
External

Question 3

Internal validity

Answer 3

Whether the test itself accurately measures what it intends to

Question 4

Construct validity

Answer 4

Ensuring the study measures the concept that the researcher aims to measure and not measuring an extraneous variables’ affect (environmental or participant variables)

Question 5

Face validity

Answer 5

How accurately the research looks to be testing what it’s meant to test at face value

Question 6

Criterion validity

Answer 6

How accurately the results of a test can PREDICT the score achieved on similar tests about the same subject

Question 7

Concurrent validity

Answer 7

When a test/research gives the same results as another study/ measuring device which is measuring same behaviour or concept

Question 8

External validity

Answer 8

Whether findings in research can be accurately generalised to different people or situations

Question 9

Generalisability

Answer 9

The extent to which research can be applied to different situations and populations of people beyond the study

Question 10

External validity has what types of validity fall under it?

Answer 10

Population validity
Ecological validity

Question 11

Ecological validity

Answer 11

Considers whether the experiment resembles real life
So participants show naturalistic/accurate behaviour to how someone would act outside of the study
So if research can be accurately generalised to real life situations

Question 12

Population validity

Answer 12

Considers whether the sample is representative of the target population - it is diverse enough and not biased
So we have an accurate measure of target population’s behaviour
So research can be generalised to the target population beyond the study

Question 13

Social desirability bias

Answer 13

When participants behave in a way which is based on society’s norms to appear as a better person

Question 14

Demand characteristics

Answer 14

Bias in research caused by participants guessing the aim of the study and increase pd behaviour accordingly to aid the researcher

Question 15

Reliability

Answer 15

Refers to consistency of research and findings: if the measurements show a consistent effect

Question 16

Internal reliability

Answer 16

How standardised a study is because controls were imposed so all participants had the same experience = all data will prove the same consistent conclusion
And so the study is replicable, repeated the exact same way to consistently prove this conclusion

Question 17

External reliability

Answer 17

Whether sample size is large enough to establish a consistent effect of the IV on the DV
So anomalies wont ruin conclusion drawn

Question 18

Observer bias

Answer 18

When observers can project their own interpretations when observing behaviour so it is measured subjectively than objectively

Question 19

Inter rater reliability

Answer 19

Checking the agreement between raters and observers to see if ratings/observations are consistent with each other

Question 20

How can we make sure a study is ecologically valid?

Answer 20

Conduct experiment in the field (real life setting)
Complete task usually done in real life

Question 21

Split half reliability

Answer 21

(Survey) Compare the results of questions of one half of the study to results of questions of other half of study
To ensure that they are consistent in their results: answers are the same

Question 22

Test-retest reliability

Answer 22

When we repeat the study on the same participants later on to ensure we obtain consistent results from last time

Question 23

Methods of Increasing ecological validity

Answer 23

Conduct research in participants real life situation eg field experiment
Have participants complete task usually done in their real life
If a controlled environment, try design it to reflect real life

Question 24

Increasing population validity by obtaining a diverse sample

Answer 24

Use random sampling so everyone in target population is given equal chance of selection
= does not select for specific traits
= representative of target population

Question 25

Sampling bias

Answer 25

When the sample selected in favour of characteristics to be represented in the sample and neglects others

Question 26

When does sampling bias occur?

Answer 26

Only conducted on students Use self selected/ opportunity/ snowball sample method Conducted on one gender Conducted on one age range

Question 27

What does sampling bias lead to?

Answer 27

Lack in population validity The findings are not accurate to the whole target population so cannot be generalised

Question 28

What is ethnocentrism

Answer 28

A form of cultural sampling bias where the researchers own culture was held as the standard (and assumed superior) that results were compared to and therefore results were generalised to all cultures when it may only apply to the culture the original research was conducted on

Question 29

When does ethnocentrism occur?

Answer 29

Not a cross cultural study Neglected to represent those from specific cultures by sampling from a not very diverse area within a country Assumed an instruction/story/apparatus will have the same meaning in different cultures Stated the conclusion of a study is NOT species specific

Question 30

Researcher bias

Answer 30

When the researcher's own biases and expectations effect their interpretation of the findings so leads to lower objectivity

Question 31

What does researcher bias lead to?

Answer 31

Lower internal validity because the findings are not an accurate representation of how the independent variable impacts DV

Question 32

What are researcher effects?

Answer 32

When the researcher's presence or behaviour unknowingly impacts the participants behaviour = acts as extraneous variable

Question 33

What does researcher effects lead to?

Answer 33

Lower internal validity because the DV was impacted by something other than the IV so not an accurate measurement of cause and effect

Question 34

Does ethics fall under a methodological issue?

Answer 34

Yes