Research methods Flashcards
What’s a laboratory experiment?
Takes place in an artificial setting. Researcher manipulates the IV whilst controlling the DV, cause and effect relationship can be identified.
Advantages and disadvantages of laboratory experiments?
\+ Control of extraneous variables \+ Clear cause and effect relationship \+ High internal validity - Behaviour may not be natural - Lowers ecological validity
What’s a field experiment?
Takes place in a natural environment. Researcher is able to manipulate IV to see effect on DV but less control over extraneous variables.
Advantages and disadvantages of field experiments?
+ Less likely to produce artificial behaviour
+ Increases ecological validity
- Extraneous variables are more difficult to control
- Lowers validity
What’s a quasi experiment?
Not a true experiment as random allocation of participants is not possible because the IV is an aspect/quality of participant (E.G. testing people with Down’s Syndrome for their ability to understand other peoples emotions. The researcher can’t randomly allocate participants to one of the 2 conditions, as the IV is a quality of the participant).
Advantages and disadvantages of quasi experiments?
+ Control of extraneous variables
+ Improves internal validity.
- Allocation of IV is not random, so can’t be sure if the IV has caused a change to the DV.
- Lowers internal validity.
What’s a natural experiment?
Takes place in a natural environment where IV varies naturally (not manipulated by researcher). IV is an event = naturally occurred).
Advantages and disadvantages of natural experiments?
+ Allows research to be conducted that wouldn’t have been manipulated by a researcher
- Due to natural environment, control is difficult.
- Lowers internal validity
- Can’t discover a cause and effect relationship.
What’s a participant observation?
The observer joins the group and observes the behaviour of the group. No manipulation, natural/controlled environment.
Advantages and disadvantages of participant observations?
+ Natural behaviour is more likely
+ Increases ecological validity
- Observer bias
- Results may be invalid.
What’s a non-participant observation?
Observer doesn’t join the group, simply observes from the outside.
Advantages and disadvantages of a non-participant observation?
+ Accurate observation of behaviour
+ Improves internal validity
- Observer bias
- Results may be invalid.
What’s a content analysis?
Indirect form of observation. Observing behaviour by looking at the content of things produced by people.
Advantages and disadvantages of content analysis?
+ Natural behaviour as content is from real world
+ High ecological validity
- Observer bias
- Results may be invalid.
What’s a questionnaire (self report method)?
Consists of a list of written questions, open and closed questions. They produce qualitative and quantitative data.
Advantages and disadvantages of questionnaires?
+ Time and cost effective
+ Data can be collected from a large sample relatively cheaply
+ Can be easily replicated with different populations.
- Response rates can be low, so reduces the validity.
- Findings aren’t representative as not completed by a large enough sample.
What’s a structured interview?
Set series of questions asked to ALL participants. No additional questions asked (formal).
Advantages and disadvantages of structured interviews?
+ Easy to replicate as the questions are fixed and easy to quantify
+ Easy to test for internal and external reliability
- Not flexible so new questions can’t be asked on the spot
- Can lead to reduction in the quality of the data so it lowers the internal validity.
What’s a semi-structured interview?
General topic for discussion and some specific questions. Open ended discussion rather than a structured interview (informal).
Advantages and disadvantages of a semi-structured interview?
+ Able to generate qualitative data through the use of open questions
+ In depth understanding gained
- Interviewer bias may exist
- The results may be invalid.
What’s correlation?
Looks at the relationship between two co-variables. A correlation co-efficient (between -1 and +1) is identified in order to find strength and direction.
What’s a correlation co-efficient?
A number representing the strength of relationship between 2 sets of measurements. (E.G. -0.87 is a strong negative relationship, +0.27 is a weak positive relationship and 0 is no relationship.
What are the correlation types?
Positive correlation= As one variable increases so does the other (height and shoe size)
Negative correlation= As one variable increases the other decreases (time spent exercising and body weight).
Advantages and disadvantages of correlations?
+ Show the strength of a relationship
+ Establish whether further research is needed
- Doesn’t show cause and effect relationships
- Could be other variables that are causing the change/increase.
