Research Methods

Question 1

IV and DV + hypothesis and operationalisation

Answer 1

Independent Variable - what you change or manipulate
Dependent Variable - measures the effect of the change of the IV

In a hypothesis, the DV will come first then the IV , for example:
- There will be a difference in how long it takes to do a puzzle (DV) when participants have drunk some alcohol(IV)

Null Hypothesis- No difference
Experimental Hypothesis - predicts a significant difference or the IV effects DV

Directional Hypothesis - predicts a direction of the difference
Non-directional - doesn’t predict the direction but states a difference

Question 2

Variables effecting research + standardisation

Answer 2

Extraneous Variable - any variable other than the IV that may influence the DV

• Two main extraneous variables are:
  Situational Variables - any aspect of the situation that can influence Ps behaviour
  Participant Variables - any trait of a P that could effect the results (better in a certain field)

Confounding Variables - a variable that DOES effect the IV

Demand Characteristics - any area of the study that gives the answer or aim up, meaning Ps change their behaviour and act unnaturally

Investigator effect - influence of the investigator such as leading questions

Question 3

Experimental Designs + Justification (AO3)

Answer 3

Repeated Measures

Independent Groups

Matched Pairs

Question 4

Experimental Methods

Answer 4

Lab - aim to establish cause and effect
The researcher manipulates the IV to see the effect on the DV , in a controlled environment w/ standardised procedures

Field - researcher manipulates the IV ti see the effect on DV , aim to establish cause and effect BUT are done in Real Life Settings

Natural - takes place in naturally occurring events, The IV is changed by a Natural Occurrence

Quasi - IV is an already existing difference (gender)

Question 5

Sampling Methods

Answer 5

Target Population = “TP”
Random - every member of TP has an equal chance of being selected

Opportunity - selecting people willing to participate at the time of the research

Volunteer - people put themselves forward to participate

Systematic - when every nth member of TP gets selected

Stratified - researcher divides TP into sub-populations to make sure all sub-groups are represented

Question 6

Features of Science

Answer 6

1. Theory Construction
2. Hypothesis Testing
3. Objectivity
4. Replicability
5. Falsifiablity
6. Paradigm

Question 7

Ways the test reliability

Answer 7

Test Retest - Ps are given a questionnaire/test a week later, the results are then correlated to identify if they have given similar responses
- if a correlation is of 0.8 it is reliable

Question 8

How to assess Validity and Reliablity

Answer 8

Concurrent Validity - when yuh compare your results with an established measure (proven to be valid)

Test Retest - giving Ps a test to complete after the fact, then giving the same task on a later occasion
The results are correlated to see if they give similar results (a correlation of 0.8 or abov is reliable)

Question 9

Outline Thematic Analysis and Content Analysis

Answer 9

Content : covert qualitative data to quantitative data

Categorise information
Make Tallies of how many times you see the coding units

Thematic - a way of summarising qualitative data

Immerse self in data
Identify features of the data
Generate themes
Summarise data in themes