Research methods

Question 1

What is a naturalistic observation?

Answer 1

Watching and recording a behaviour in the setting which it would usually occur

Question 2

What is a controlled observation?

Answer 2

Watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment

Question 3

What is a covert observation?

Answer 3

Participants behaviour is watched and recorded without their knowledge or consent

Question 4

What is an overt observation?

Answer 4

Participants behaviour is watched and recorded with their knowledge and consent

Question 5

What is a participant observation?

Answer 5

The researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour is being watched

Question 6

What is a non participant observation?

Answer 6

The researcher remains outside the group whose behaviour is being watched

Question 7

Strength/weakness of Naturalistic observation

Answer 7

High external validity
Replication difficult

Question 8

Strength/weakness of controlled observation

Answer 8

Confounding/extraneous variables controlled
Cannot be applied to life

Question 9

Strength/weakness of covert observations

Answer 9

High internal validity
Ethics are questioned

Question 10

Strength/weakness of overt observations

Answer 10

More ethical
Demand characteristics may be an issue

Question 11

Strength/weakness of participant observations

Answer 11

Strong insight into the situation
May loose objectivity

Question 12

Strength/weakness of non participant observations

Answer 12

Objective
Loose insights

Question 13

What is an unstructured observation?

Answer 13

When a researcher writes down everything they see

Question 14

What is a structured observation

Answer 14

Simplifying target behaviours into behavioural categories

Question 15

What is a behavioural category

Answer 15

When a target behaviour is broken up into components that are observable and measurable (operationalisation)

Question 16

What is event sampling?

Answer 16

Counting the number of times a particular event occurs in a target individual or group

Question 17

What is time sampling?

Answer 17

Recording behaviour withing a pre established time frame

Question 18

S/W of structured

Answer 18

Quantative data
No depth of data collected

Question 19

S/W of unstructured

Answer 19

Qualatitve data
Observer bias

Question 20

S/W of behavioural categories

Answer 20

Structured and objective
Must not require futher interpretation, should not overlap categories

Question 21

S/W of event sampling

Answer 21

Wont miss behaviours
May overlook important details if complex

Question 22

S/W of time sampling

Answer 22

Reducing number of observations made
May be unrepresentative

Question 23

What is an extraneous variable

Answer 23

any variable that may affect the dv if its not controlled

Question 24

What is a confounding variable

Answer 24

Varies sytematically to the IV, cannot tell if the change is due to the IV

Question 25

What is randomisation?

Answer 25

The use of chance methods to reduce the researchers unconscious bias when designing an investigation. Controls investigator effects

Question 26

What is standardisation?

Answer 26

List of exactly what will be done in the study. Non standardised changes do not act as extraneous variables

Question 27

What is demand characteristics?

Answer 27

Cues from the researcherthat may be interpreted by participants as revealing the purpose. May lead to participants changing behaviour

Question 28

What are investigator effects?

Answer 28

Any effect of the researchers behaviour on research outcome. May include selection of and interaction with participants.

Question 29

What is a non directional hypothesis?

Answer 29

Does not state the direction of the difference

Question 30

What is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 30

States the direction of the difference in the relationship

Question 31

What is Independent groups design?

Answer 31

Ps in two seperate groups and experience two diff conditions

Question 32

S/W of independent groups

Answer 32

Order effects not a problem Lots of time/money as need of more ps

Question 32

What is a repeated measures design?

Answer 32

All ps take part in both conditions

Question 32

What is a matched pairs design

Answer 32

Ps paired together based on variables relevant to the experiment, then in seperate groups

Question 32

What is random allocation

Answer 32

Randomly allocating ps to diff conditions Even disribution Used in independant measures

Question 33

S/w of repeated measures

Answer 33

Participant variables controlled Demand characteristics

Question 33

S/W of matched pairs

Answer 33

Order effects/ demand charc Time consuming and expensive

Question 34

What is counter balancing

Answer 34

Used in repeated measures, control order effects ABBA technique Half ps take part in conditions A-B half B-A

Question 35

What is nominal data?

Answer 35

Data that is in seperate categories

Question 36

What is ordinal data

Answer 36

Data with a set order or scale to it (1-10)

Question 37

What is interval data

Answer 37

Using an ordered scale

Question 38

What is the mean

Answer 38

Average calculated by adding all values and then dividing by the number of values

Question 39

What is the meadian

Answer 39

The centeral value when data kis ordered low to high

Question 40

What is the mode

Answer 40

Most frequently occuring value

Question 41

What is the range

Answer 41

Spread of scored, biggest take away smallest