Research methods

Question 1

What is an experimental design?

Answer 1

How ppts are allocated to the different conditions (or IV groups) in an experiment

Question 2

What are the two types of conditions in an experiment?

Answer 2

Control

Experimental

Question 3

What is the control condition?

Answer 3

Nothing is manipulted so that we have a baseline to complare the results with

Question 4

What is the experimental condition?

Answer 4

Manipulate IV to see effect on DV

Question 5

What does IV stand for?

Answer 5

Independent variabele

Question 6

What is the IV?

Answer 6

Something that is manipulated by an experimenter in order to test an effect

Question 7

What does DV stand for?

Answer 7

Dependent variable

Question 8

What is the DV?

Answer 8

A measurable outcome of the action of an independent variable in an experiment

Question 9

What is operationalisation?

Answer 9

Ensuring that the IV and DV are in a form that can be tested in an experiment

Question 10

What is an example of an operatinalised experiment?

Answer 10

Addtional testing every Friday leads to higher mock grades in January

Question 11

What is an example of an unoperatinalised experiment?

Answer 11

More exam practise leads to students getting higher grades

Question 12

What are order effects?

Answer 12

Refers to the order of the conditions having an effect on the ppts behaviour

Question 13

What are the two types of order effects?

Answer 13

Practise

Fatigue

Question 14

What is the practice effect?

order effects

Answer 14

Performance in the second condition may be better because the ppts know what to do

Question 15

What is the fatigue effect?

order effects

Answer 15

Performance in the second condition may be worse because the ppts are tired

Question 16

How can a researcher deal with order effects?

Answer 16

Counterbalancing

Question 17

What is counterbalancing?

Answer 17

The researcher counterbalances the order in which ppts perform different conditions, so although order effects do happen, they occur equally in both groups so balance each other out in the results

Question 18

What is an example of counterbalancing?

Groups 1 and 2 must complete conditions A and B

Answer 18

Group 1 does condition A then B

Group 2 does condition B then B

Question 19

What are the 3 types of experimental design?

Answer 19

Repeated measures design
Independent group design
Matched parts design

Question 20

What is the repeated measures design?

Answer 20

The same ppts take part in each condition of the IV

Question 21

What is a strength of the repeated measures design?

Less people needed

Answer 21

Less people to find and pay making the experiment quicker and cheaper
This means more time and money can be put into designing a better experiment

Question 22

What is a limitation of the repeated measures design?

Answer 22

Order effects
This is because each condition of the experiment includes the same group of ppts, so their performance in the second condition may be better as the ppts know what to do (practice effect) or worse because they are tired (fatigue effect)
This means the behaviour may be unnatural and so lacks validity

Question 23

What is the independent group design?

Answer 23

Different ppts are used in each condition of the IV

Question 24

How should ppts be assigned to groups in the independent group design?

Answer 24

This should be done by random allocation to ensure that each ppts has an equal chance of being assigned to one group or the other

Question 25

What is a strength of the independent group design? | Avoids...

Answer 25

Avoids order effects | This means the results are higher in validity as the ppts won't change their behaviour in different conditions

Question 26

What is a limitation of the independent group design? | More people needed

Answer 26

More people are needed which is expensive and time consuming to find

Question 27

What is a limitation of the independent group design? | ... variable

Answer 27

Participant variables are differences between ppts in a group, such as age, gender and background This is a type of extraneous variable Can affect the results an unwanted way

Question 28

What is the matched pair design?

Answer 28

Two people with similar qualities are matched up, then randomly assigned to different conditions

Question 29

What are some examples of similar qualities between ppts in a matched pairs design?

Answer 29

Age Gender Ethnicity Upbringing

Question 30

What is an example of the ppts in a matched pairs design?

Answer 30

Two 10 year old girls with similar grades and upbringing

Question 31

What is a strength of the matched pairs design? | Avoids...

Answer 31

Avoids order effects | This means the results are higher in validity as the ppts won't change their behaviour in different conditions

Question 32

What is a strength of the matched pairs design? | Reduces ... variables

Answer 32

Reduces ppt variables This is because the researcher matches up the ppts so that each condition has people with similar abilities and characteristics

Question 33

What is a limitation of the matched pairs design? | More specific people are needed

Answer 33

Very time consuming and expensive to find closely matched pairs

Question 34

What is a limitation of the matched pairs design? | Imposible to match...

Answer 34

Impossible to match people exactly so ppt variables will still be present Even identical twins differ in some ways

Question 35

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 35

A precise and testable statement of what you want to | investigate

Question 36

What are the two types of hypothesis?

Answer 36

Directional/ one tailed hypothesis | Non- directional/ two tailed hypothesis

Question 37

What is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 37

There will be a change in one particular direction | e.g. increase

Question 38

When is a directional hypothesis used?

Answer 38

Directional hypothesis is used if pre- existing research has shown there is a correlation, so you are confident it can only go in one direction

Question 39

What is an example of a directional hypothesis?

Answer 39

Studying will increase exam results

Question 40

What is a non- directional hypothesis?

Answer 40

The change could go in either direction | e.g. increase or decrease

Question 41

What is an example of a non- directional hypothesis?

Answer 41

Studying may change the final grade

Question 42

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 42

Unwanted variables which may interfere and effect the IV | They should be identified at the start of the experiment and controlled

Question 43

What is validity?

Answer 43

Refers to how sure a researcher is that only the desired IV (and no other EV) has an effect on the DV

Question 44

What are examples of extraneous variables?

Answer 44

Age Gender Background noise Difficulty of words

Question 45

What are the two types of extraneous variables?

Answer 45

Participant variables | Situational variables

Question 46

What are ppt variables?

Answer 46

Differences between ppts

Question 47

What are situational variables?

Answer 47

Features of the experimental situation

Question 48

What are confounding variables?

Answer 48

Does not affect the IV but may affect the DV | This means you could explain the results of the DV with a factor other than the IV