RESEARCH METHODS

Question 1

Hypotheses

Answer 1

Null hypothesis - “there will be no difference between the IV conditions and their effect on the DV”

Research / alternative hypothesis - “there will be a difference in our result”

Question 2

Directional

Answer 2

The researcher has a very clear idea of what difference they expect to see in the results
Usually based on previous research findings
One tailed

Question 3

Non directional

Answer 3

States that there will be a difference but the researcher is not clear about which direction the difference will go
Two tailed

Question 4

Operationalised

Answer 4

Making a behaviour measurable

Question 5

Lab experiment

Answer 5

Take place in a highly controlled environment
Researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV

Question 6

Lab study examples

Answer 6

Asch
Milgram
Moscovici
Latane + Darley’s smoke filled room

Question 7

Lab experiments AO3

Answer 7

+ high control over extraneous variables
+ replication is possible making it valid
- lack generalisability as the lab experiment could be artificial and not like every day life
- demand characteristics (aware they’re being tested in a lab setting so might behave unnaturally)
- low mundane realism

Question 8

Field experiments

Answer 8

Takes place in a natural, more everyday setting
Researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV

Question 9

Filed study examples

Answer 9

The Bystander effect
Hofling 1966 (nurses)

Question 10

Field experimental design AO3

Answer 10

+ higher ecological validity than lab experiments
- less control than lab studies over extraneous variables.
- replication might not be possible
- ethical issues

Question 11

Natural experiment

Answer 11

The researcher takes advantage of pre existing independent variables
The IV is not brough about by the researcher. It wouldn’t have happened even if the researcher wasn’t there

Question 12

Natural experiment design AO3

Answer 12

+ allows research to take place that might not be ethical otherwise
+ high external validity
- less generalisable
- participants might not be randomly allocated to experimental conditions meaning that the researcher might be less sure that the IV affects the DV

Question 13

Quasi experiment

Answer 13

The IV is based on an existing difference between people (age, gender)
No one manipulates the IV, it just exists
Environment is still highly controlled

Question 14

Quasi experiment design AO3

Answer 14

+ controlled conditions
- can’t randomly allocate participants to experimental conditions and therefore might be confounding variables

Question 15

What are experimental designs

Answer 15

Experimental design refers to how participants are allocated to the different conditions (IV) in an experiment

Question 16

An experimental condition is

Answer 16

Where you manipulate a variable to see the effects

Question 17

A controlled condition is

Answer 17

Where nothing is manipulated so that we have a base line to compare our results with
Example - Bandura

Question 18

Independent group design

Answer 18

Different participants used in each condition of the independent variable
Each condition of the experiment includes a different group of participants
Should be done by random allocation

Question 19

Independent group design AO3

Answer 19

+ avoids order effects
- there will be a difference between participants in the group that might affect the results (age, sex, social background) PARTICIPANT VARIABLES
- more people are needed than with repeated measures design TIME CONSUMING + COSTLY

Question 20

Repeated measure design

Answer 20

The same participants take part in each condition of the IV
This means that each condition of the experiment includes the same group of participants

Question 21

Repeated group design AO3

Answer 21

+ participant variables are controlled
+ fewer people are needed as they take part in all conditions
- participants might get research fatigue. Boredom of doing same tasks. ORDER EFFECTS

Question 22

Matched pairs design

Answer 22

There are different participants in each condition (just like independent group design) but they are matched on characteristics and try avoid participant variables

Question 23

Matched pairs design AO3

Answer 23

+ reduces participant variables as the researcher has tried to pair up the participants so that each condition has people with similar abilities/ characteristics
+ avoids order effects
- time consuming trying to find closely matched pairs
- impossible to match people exactly, unless identical twins

Question 24

What are the 5 sampling methods

Answer 24

Random
Opportunity
Volunteer
Systematic
Stratified