Research Methods

Question 1

What is an aim?

Answer 1

A general statement made by the researcher which tells us the purpose of their study and what they plan to investigate.

Question 2

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 2

A statement that states the relationship between the variables being investigated. A non directional / 1 tailed hypothesis states the direction of the relationship between variables, whereas a non-directional / 2 tailed hypothesis does not.

Question 3

What is operationalisation?

Answer 3

It refers to the researcher clearly defining variables in terms of being measurable.

Question 4

What is an extraneous variable?

Answer 4

Any variable apart from the IV or DV which may indirectly impact the findings.

Question 5

What is a confounding variable?

Answer 5

An unmeasured third variable that influences, or “confounds,” the relationship between an independent and a dependent variable by suggesting the presence of a statistical but not causal correlation.

Question 6

What are investigator effects?

Answer 6

The unwanted effects of the researcher’s behaviour on the DV.

Question 7

What is a lab experiment?

Answer 7

Directly and deliberately manipulating the IV and observing its effects on the DV, takes place in a highly controlled environment + minimises any extraneous variables.

Question 8

What is a field experiment?

Answer 8

Still changes the IV and observes its impacts on the DV, but it takes place in a natural/real life setting.

Question 9

What is a quasi experiment?

Answer 9

The IV isn’t determined by the researcher and they try to determine a cause and effect link between 2 variables (IV + DV). (PPS cannot be randomly assigned)

Question 10

What is a natural experiment?

Answer 10

The experimenter takes advantage of a naturally occurring IV. e.g. measuring heart rate before + after an exam. (PPS can be randomly assigned)

Question 11

What is an opportunity sample?

Answer 11

Uses PPS who happen to be available at the time of the study (recruited out of convenience).

Question 12

What is a volunteer sample?

Answer 12

Individual self select to partake in the study e.g. an ad in the newspaper.

Question 13

What is a stratified sample?

Answer 13

The sample proportionately reflects subgroups of people e.g. men and women, and is far more representative.

Question 14

What is a random sample?

Answer 14

All members of a population have the same chances to selected to be in the sample. Each person id given a random number which is then picked by a random number generator.

Question 15

What is an independent groups design?

Answer 15

PPS only take part in 1 condition.

Question 16

What is a matched pairs design?

Answer 16

PPS are matched bases on their similar characteristics, then each person does one condition.

Question 17

What is a repeated measures design?

Answer 17

PPS do both conditions (uses counter-balancing to minimise any potential order effects).

Question 18

Why use a pilot study?

Answer 18

• Save money and time
• Identifies any problems or needed improvements for the
  methodology

Question 19

Covert vs Overt observation:

Answer 19

Overt = PPS know they are being watched
Covert = PPS are unaware they are being watched

Question 20

Participant vs Non Participant observation:

Answer 20

Participant = the researcher takes part in the study e.g. Zimbardo where he was the prison warden
Non Participant = the researcher observes from a distance as to not disturb PPS

Question 21

What is time sampling?

Answer 21

Observing/recording behaviour in a pre-established time-frame.

Question 22

What is event sampling?

Answer 22

Recording the number of times a particular behaviour is performed during the observation

Question 23

Calculations for measures of central tendency:

Answer 23

Mean = add up, divide by how many there are
Median = arrange data from lowest to highest then find the central value
Mode = the most frequently occurring value

Question 24

Calculations for measures of dispersion:

Answer 24

Range = subtract the lowest from the highest
Standard Deviation = no need to calculate but a low SD means the data is close together so there isn’t a wide spread of data

Question 25

Normal vs Skewed distributions:

Answer 25

Normal = symmetrical and forms an even bell curve
Skewed = the frequency of data in uneven and is therefore clustered to one end

Question 26

Positive vs Negative skews:

Answer 26

Positive = data is concentrated to the right
Negative = data is concentrated to the left

Question 27

How do we conduct content analysis?

Answer 27

1) Hypothesis
2) Coding units (what you are tallying)
3) Gather resources
4) Tally the coding units in a table
5) Analyse the data
6) Write a scientific report

Question 28

What is thematic analysis?

Answer 28

Thematic analysis is the method used to analyse and produce qualitative data. The process involves reading a qualitative dataset form, such as a transcript. The researcher then identifies critical themes (coding units) that are evident in the data.

Question 29

How do we calculate the sign test?

Answer 29

1) State the hypothesis
2) Compare the 2 sets of data. If the value has decreased in the second condition it is negative (-), and if there is no difference the value is discounted from the data
3) Count the number of times the less frequent sign occurs
4) if it is significant, reject null and accept alternative hypothesis

Question 30

Why use 0.05 probability?

Answer 30

It means there is a 5% probability of your findings being significant due to chance. The only real reason is because 0.01 is saying there is a 1% probability (too low) and 0.1 is saying there is a 10% probability (too high).

Question 31

Type 1 vs type 2 error:

Answer 31

Type 1 = wrongly accept the alternative hypothesis
Type 2 = wrongly accept the null hypothesis

Question 32

Name the features of science used in psychology:

Answer 32

Empirical method: based on gathering evidence through direct observation. Experimental and observational methods are good examples of the empirical method

Objectivity: unbiased e.g. the use of inter rater reliability

Falsifiability: if a theory has the possibility to be proven wrong

Replicability: Getting the same results again and again. A study can be considered to be replicable, if a standardised procedure is used

Paradigm: regarded as ‘a way of doing things’ and assumptions of a subject, this is also how the subject should be studied. There is no singular paradigm because there are different approaches to studying human behaviour. The assumptions of each approach, is the paradigm for that approach.

Theory construction: occurs through gathering evidence from direct observation. The findings from studies lead to the generation of theories.

Hypothesis testing: Testing the validity of a theory. One theory should lead the generation of a number of hypotheses which can be tested.If the results of a study supports a theory, this strengthens the theory