Research Methods Flashcards
What is an experiment?
A way of conducting research in a controlled way
What is the aim of a laboratory experiment?
To control all relevant variables except for the independent variable
What is the independent variable?
The variable that you alter
Where is a laboratory experiment conducted?
In an artificial setting
What are three strengths of a laboratory experiment?
- High level of control
- Easy to replicate
- Possible to establish causal relationships
What are three limitations of a laboratory experiment?
- Artificial setting means low ecological validity
- Demand characteristics
- May be ethical issues
Where are field experiments conducted?
Outside the laboratory in a natural environment
What are two strengths of field experiments?
- High ecological validity as natural setting
- Minimised demand characteristics
What are two limitations of field experiments?
- Low levels of control
- May be ethical issues
What is a natural experiment?
When researchers look at how an independent variable that is not manipulated affects a dependent variable- the independent variable is an event that occurs naturally
What are three strengths of natural experiments?
- Possible to study variables that would be unethical to manipulate
- Demand characteristics unlikely
- High ecological validity
What are two limitations of natural experiments?
- Hard to establish causal relationships
- May be ethical issues
What is involved in a quasi experiment?
Researchers aren’t able to use random allocation to put participants in different conditions because the independent variable is normally a feature of participants
What are two strengths of quasi experiments?
- High level of control
- High ecological validity
What are two limitations of quasi experiments?
- No random allocation so confounding variables may alter results
- Hard to establish causal relationships
What does a naturalistic observation involve?
Observing subjects in their natural environment
What are two strengths of naturalistic observations?
- High ecological validity
- Can be useful for theory development
What are three limitations of naturalistic observations?
- Can’t control extraneous variables
- May be observer bias
- May be ethical issues
What is a controlled observation?
Where the observation is carried out under controlled conditions
What does correlational research look for?
A relationship between two variables
What are two strengths of correlational research?
- Causal relationships are established
- Can study variables that would be unethical to manipulate
What are two limitations of correlational research?
- Causal relationships may be due to coincidence
- Misinterpretation could be an issue
What are the four ways questionnaires can be given?
Written
Face-to-face
On the phone
Via the internet
What is one strength of questionnaires?
You can collect a lot of information quickly and cheaply
