Psychology research methods

Question 1

What is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 1

States the direction of the results i.e. more/less or higher/lower.

Question 2

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 2

Simply says that there will be a difference

Question 3

What is a null hypothesis?

Answer 3

says that there will be no difference

Question 4

What is needed to design a hypothesis?

Answer 4

-Aim
-IV and DV
-Experimental
-Null hypothesis
-Decide on sample
-experimental design
-Procedure
-What controls will be in place

Question 5

What are two strengths and one weakness of a case study?

Answer 5

+Can be used to gather data that cant be obtained by other means
+Internal and External validity
-Hard to replicate

Question 6

What is a correlation?

Answer 6

Where one variable could cause another i.e. Watching violent films/ violent behaviour

Question 7

What is a positive correlation?

Answer 7

As one variable increases, the other increases

Question 8

What is a negative correlation?

Answer 8

As one variable increases, the other decreases

Question 9

What is a scatter graph?

Answer 9

Shows the correlation between two data sets by plotting dots to represent each pair of scores

Question 10

What is the correlation coefficient?

Answer 10

The number between 1 and -1 that indicates how strong the correlation is

Question 11

What are two evaluation points of correlations?

Answer 11

+they are useful for studying potentially unethical topics
-It can not establish cause and effect

Question 12

What is a demand characteristic?

Answer 12

Where participants pick up a cue and modify their behaviour affecting the results of the study

Question 13

What are the controls for demand characteristics?

Answer 13

1. Deception
2. Single bind - The P is unaware which condition there in
3. Investigator effects - Potential cues from the experimenter that happen subconsciously
4. Double bind - neither researcher or P know which condition they are in
5. Inter-rater reliability - Independent raters rate same behaviour as researcher

Question 14

Why are descriptive statistics important?

Answer 14

If they are wrong, its likely that the conclusion of the whole experiment is wrong too

Question 15

What are the four different types of experimental methods?

Answer 15

Lab, field, natural and quasi

Question 16

What are 5 different types of data?

Answer 16

Primary
Secondary
Qualitative
Quantitative
Interval

Question 17

What are four types of observation?

Answer 17

Overt
Covert
Participant
Controlled

Question 18

What are the three levels of measurement?

Answer 18

Interval
Nominal
Ordinal

Question 19

What is the purpose of an extract?

Answer 19

To provide the reader with a quick overview of the research

Question 20

What type of questions would gather qualitative data?

Answer 20

Open

Question 21

What are the three measures of central tendancys?

Answer 21

Mean,Median and Mode

Question 22

What are the two measures of Dispersion?

Answer 22

Range and statistical deviation

Question 23

What is a field experiment?

Answer 23

manipulation of the independent variable that is natural to the Ps

Question 24

What is a Quasi experiment?

Answer 24

The researcher is unable to allocate Ps to the different experimental conditions as these characteristics are already associated with the P i.e. Gender or Age

Question 25

What is the difference between P and non-P observation?

Answer 25

In a P observation, the researcher joins the group being study. Vise versa

Question 26

What is the difference between time and event sampling?

Answer 26

Time sampling: Researcher recalls all relevant behaviours e.g. everything for 15 seconds. Event sampling: Tallies every time a behaviour occurs from the list of behavioural catagories

Question 27

How are observations assessed for reliability?

Answer 27

rater reliability: Two or more researchers observe same observation and compare the two results

Question 28

What is a self-report technique?

Answer 28

A participent gives information to the researcher om their own feelings/ thoughts/ behaviour.

Question 29

What is a structured interview?

Answer 29

The interviewer reads out a list of prepared questions as they are written

Question 30

What is an unstructured interview:

Answer 30

No setlist of topic

Question 31

What is the difference between a correlation and an experiment?

Answer 31

Experimental designs require manipulation of the IV and a measurement resulting change in the dependant variable. Correlation is where no variables are manipulated, two covariables are measured and compared to look for a relationship

Question 32

What is a correlation coefficient?

Answer 32

A number that represents both strength and direction of the relationship between covariables.

Question 33

Define operationalisation?

Answer 33

Operationalised variables are carefully stated, demonstrating exactly how they are measured

Question 34

What is an independent measures design?

Answer 34

Ps only take part in one condition

Question 35

What is a repeated measures study?

Answer 35

Ps take part in all conditions

Question 36

What is a matches pairs study?

Answer 36

Ps are matched on characteristics that may have an effect on their performance and then each do a different condition

Question 37

What are order effects?

Answer 37

When a participant may perform better as a result of already carrying out the task (practice)

Question 38

Why can SLT be argued to have higher face validity than behaviourism?

Answer 38

Due to everyone's personal experience of having internal mental processes, SLT's inclusion of internal mental processes is an improvement on behaviourism in explaining human behaviour

Question 39

Why can SLT be argued to be less scientific than behaviourism?

Answer 39

cognitions used in SLT are not observable directly, so SLT needs to make inferences about internal working model

Question 40

What is the SLT perspective on determinsim?

Answer 40

Environmentally determined

Question 41

What is the key assumption of the cognitive approach?

Answer 41

They suggest the brain is like a computer, and software is like thoughts. The computer model

Question 42

What is making an inference?

Answer 42

Observing behaviour and then making a logical assumption about the underlying mental processes

Question 43

What is a schema

Answer 43

A package of information about how the world works built up by experience. The self, roles and events

Question 44

What are schemas used for?

Answer 44

Mental shortcuts to make assumptions and expect behaviour, packages of information that help us navigate the world, process large amount of information and expect behaviour

Question 45

What is machine reductionism and why is this a problem?

Answer 45

The brain is explained as a machine/computer. Humans are less rational than computers and feel emotions