Research Methods

Question 1

Operationalised hypothesis

Answer 1

Clearly defining variables in terms of how they are measured
Eg after drinking 250ml of monster participants say more words in the next five minutes than participants who drank 250ml of water

Question 2

Extraneous variables

Answer 2

Any variable that could affect the dv
Doesn’t change with Iv
Eg Age

Question 3

Confounding variable

Answer 3

Changes the DV
Changes with the IV
For example excitement affects chattiness

Question 4

Experimental designs

Answer 4

Independent groups
Repeated measures
Matched pairs

Question 5

Independent groups

Answer 5

One group 1 condition other group different condition
L- less economical
S- no order effects can’t guess aims

Question 6

Repeated measures

Answer 6

All pp experience both conditions
L- order effects affect performance
S- pp variables are controlled

Question 7

Matched pairs

Answer 7

Pp matched on pp variables which may effect DV assigned to different conditions
S- control confounding variables/ demand characteristics
L- pp can’t be matched exactly pp variables may remain

Question 8

Types of experiment

Answer 8

Lab experiment
Field experiment
Natural experiment and Quasi experiment

Question 9

Lab experiment

Answer 9

Highly controlled environment
S- high control internal validity
L- lack generalisation artificial behaviour lack ex validity

Question 10

Field experiment

Answer 10

IV manipulated in every day setting
Eg nurse and drugs obey study
S- high mundane realism high ex validity
L- loss control of CV and EV - harder to establish IV effect

Question 11

Natural experiments

Answer 11

Researcher has no control over IV
Eg sex of participant = IV
S- provide opportunities for research
L- cannot randomly allocate unsure IV causes DV

Question 12

Quasi experiment

Answer 12

Iv is pre-existing
Eg IV= gender
S= controlled conditions high internal validity
L= cannot claim Iv has had an effect confounding variables

Question 13

Sampling

Answer 13

Systematic
Random
Stratified
Opportunity

Question 14

Random

Answer 14

List of people assign number sample using random generator
S= unbiased
L= may be unrepresentative

Question 15

Systematic

Answer 15

Every nth member of population
S= objective no influence who is chosen
L= time consuming

Question 16

Stratified

Answer 16

Sample reflects proportions of people from different subgroups within population
S= representative sample
L= not perfect never reflect every difference

Question 17

Opportunity

Answer 17

Select those willing and available
S= convenient
L= unrep and researcher bias

Question 18

Volunteer

Answer 18

Pp select themselves to be part of the study
S= easy min input
L= volunteer bias certain profile lack gen

Question 19

Ethical issues

Answer 19

Informed consent
Deception
Protection from harm
Privacy

Question 20

Observations

Answer 20

Naturalistic / controlled
Covert/ overt
Participant / non participant

Question 21

Naturalistic/ controlled

Answer 21

Naturalistic - watching behav in setting of normal occurrence
S= high ex validity
L= lack of control
Controlled - in structural environment lab
S= controlled
L= low ex validity

Question 22

Covert/ Overt

Answer 22

Covert- pp watched without knowledge
Overt- pp watched with knowledge

Co L= ethics questioned

Question 23

Participant/ non participant

Answer 23

Increased insight natural behaviour - ex validity
Lose objectivity

Question 24

Observational design

Answer 24

Unstructured
Structured

Question 25

Unstructured

Answer 25

Write down everything you see

Question 26

Structured

Answer 26

Write down specific target observations - catergories

Question 27

Behavioural categories

Answer 27

Target behav broken up into components observable and measurable

Question 28

Sampling methods

Answer 28

Event sampling - counting behaviour continuously Time sampling - recording behaviour in specific time intervals

Question 29

Self report

Answer 29

A person is asked to explain own feelings or experiences related to a topic Evaluation L- Desirability bias pp may try to give the “correct” answer to be socially accepted for example S- may be more useful than observing alone

Question 30

Peer review

Answer 30

Assessment by others who are specialists in same field to ensure data is of high quality 1. Allocate research funding 2. To validate quality and relevance of research 3. Suggest amendments or improv Eval Anonymity criticise rival researchers Publication bias - publish headline grabbing articles data disregarded Burying groundbreaking research to maintain status quo contradict established research

Question 31

Meta analysis

Answer 31

Process of combining findings of studies on a particular topic to provide an overall statistical conclusion

Question 32

Features of reports

Answer 32

Abstract=summary of entire research project Method= sample design materials and procedure described Results= quant - stats analysis qual content analysis Discussion= evaluation References

Question 33

Pilot studies

Answer 33

Small scale version of an investigation that takes place before real one is conducted Aim is to check procedures materials etc work Allow researcher to make changes

Question 34

Positively skewed

Answer 34

Mode median mean peak closest to y axis Mode farah positive day if wins the Y marathon Mean stinks

Question 35

Negatively skewed

Answer 35

Mean median mode Mode furthest from y axis Sad day when mode farah is beaten by both median and Mean in the Y marathon

Question 36

Type 1 error

Answer 36

When null hypothesis is incorrectly rejected False positive

Question 37

Type 2 error

Answer 37

When null hypothesis is incorrectly accepted significance level is too low False negative

Question 38

Case studies

Answer 38

An in depth investigation description and analysis of an individual, group or institution Qualitative data occasionally quantitative Longitudinal Eval Offer rich detailed insight on atypical forms of behav eg HM Hypotheses for future study possibly leading to rev of new theory Generalisation issue v small sample size subjective interpretation of researcher question case study validity

Question 39

Correlation coefficient

Answer 39

+0.8 within each other

Question 40

Face validity

Answer 40

Appears to measure what it measures

Question 41

Concurrent validity

Answer 41

Agreement between 2 different assessments/ psych research

Question 42

Ecological validity

Answer 42

The extent to which findings can be generalised to other settings ex validity

Question 43

Temporal validity

Answer 43

Whether findings hold truth over time Eg Freuds theory lacks temporal validity as penis envy is outdated reflects patriarchal Victorian era

Question 44

Ways of assessing validity

Answer 44

Face validity appears what it is supposed to measure - eyeballing Concurrent validity - particular test is demonstrated where results should be similar eg new intelligence test may compare iq score of well established test before

Question 45

Improving validity

Answer 45

In experiments- use control standardise procedures use single bind or double bind to avoid to minimise investigator effects reduce demand charac Questionnaires - incorporate a lie scale to control social desirability bias Observations - covert observation and refine behavioural catergories Qualitative research - interpretative validity direct quotes etc and triangulation using many sources as evidence

Question 46

Paradigm

Answer 46

Shared assumptions and agreed methods within a scientific discipline

Question 47

Paradigm shift

Answer 47

Result of scientific revolution when there is a significant change in theory

Question 48

Theory construction

Answer 48

Process of developing explanation for causes of behaviour by gathering evidence and determining a theory

Question 49

Falsifiability

Answer 49

Principle that a theory cannot be regarded as scientific if variables cannot be proved untrue eg Freud

Question 50

Empirical method

Answer 50

Scientific approaches that are based on gathering of evidence through direct observation and experience

Question 51

Investigator effects

Answer 51

Any effect of the investigators behaviour on the research outcome may include design of study or interaction with pp Standardised script used

Question 52

P<0.05

Answer 52

There is a less than 5% likelihood that results occur if there is no real difference between conditions