research methods Flashcards

Question

evaluate content analysis

Answer 1

**_strengths_** - easy way to collect data without needing to collect participants. **coding analysis** - more objective use of data - easy to compare against other sources of info. **thematic analysis** - Deeper understanding of the context behind the themes. **_limitations_** - more time consuming as many films/interviews must be transcribed. **coding analysis** - Lack of detail on the context behind the words. - Researcher bias in the choosing of the words to count. **thematic analysis** - difficult to analyse - researcher bias in interpretation of themes - subjective interpretations.

Answer 2

**strengths** - Detailed understanding of the person (idiographic) - Can be used to prove/disprove nomothetic experiments - Have high EV as tend to be studied in natural setting. **limitations** - Unable to generalize (as unique) - time consuming

Answer 3

one-tailed (non-directional = two-tailed)

Answer 4

IV1 will be higher/ lower then IV2

Answer 5

there will be a difference between Iv1 and Iv2 in the DV

Answer 6

- Select and write appropriate names on paper - Place into a hat and shake - Pull out a name without looking and allocate to Condition A - Reshake hat and pull out a name, Allocate to Condition B - Repeat until the correct no of pps have been allocated. Reduces investigator bias and Increases generalisability as avoids the likelihood of similar people in one condition.

Answer 7

- Split the pps in half. - ½ do Condition A then B - ½ do Condition B then A. Removes order effects from a repeated measures design

Answer 8

all variables in procedure = same (same instructions, procedure, timings) Controls for extraneous variables and Increases the test-retest reliability.

Answer 9

pps unaware of aim of exp reduces demand characteristics.

Answer 10

pp and the researchers are unaware of the aim of the experiment reduces demand characteristics of pps, reduces investigator bias in researchers.

Answer 11

- Put an advert out, with aim & procedure. - Pps approach the researcher to take part. **strength** - Large sample size: an advert reaches large audience, already consented, no drop out. **limitation** - Unrepresentative: extroverts, retired or students more likely to volunteer

Answer 12

Use the pps available at the time. E.g. professor using their own students. **strength** - Practically easier: Captive audience already there. No effort required. **limitation** -Unrepresentative: all similar pps, e.g. students of high IQ

Answer 13

- Put all names on equal sized paper - Place them into a hat, shake - Pull out name - Re-shake hat & pull out name - Repeat until the appropriate sample size is reached. **strength** - More representative: equal chance of selecting a variety of pp characteristics. Lack of human choice in the sampling method. **limitation** - Unrepresentative: still a chance that there could be a sample bias, e.g., people of similar characteristics.

Answer 14

- Gather a list of pps - Choose every nth name off the list E.g., every 5th person until have the appropriate sample size. **strength** - Representative: no human choice in the system, likely to have more varied characteristics. **limitations** - Still unrepresentative: can still have sample bias, depends on the list and the order names are in.

Answer 15

- Calculate the proportion of characteristic(s) in the target pop. - Work out the same proportion of characteristics in the sample. E.g., If 60% female and 40% male, in a sample size of 10 = 6 females & 4 males. **strength** - Most representative: it has been calculated to be similar to the target population. However difficult to match every characteristic. **limitation** - Practically harder/low sample size: need to acquire data on characteristics, calculate sample proportion and gain consent for those that match.

Answer 16

- repeated measures - independent measures - matched pairs

Answer 17

Same pps take part in Condition A & B **strength** - No individual differences: same pps compared to themselves. Lack of participant variable differences. **limitation** - Order effects: boredom, fatigue or practice effects from doing study twice. can be controlled by counterbalancing.

Answer 18

Different pps take part in Condition A & B **strength** - No order effects: different pps so only do the study once. **limitation** - Individual differences: comparing different pps with dissimilar participant variables Controlled by MP design

Answer 19

Different pps but matched in Condition A & B for a similar characteristics. **strength** - No order effects: different pps, only do study once. - Fewer individual differences: matched for similar characteristics, so less pp variable differences. **limitation** - Still some individual differences: Different pps and cannot match for every single characteristics, so pp variable differences still. Controlled through RM design

Answer 20

a small-scale trial run of an actual investigation to check for any issues, modify the design or procedure which saves time and money. pps given a questionnaire after the study to check for any issues, e.g. **for an experiment:** check the instructions made sense, check timings and correct materials **For observation:** check coding + beg categories = correct and specific enough, check timings/ location issues. **for self-report**- remove confusing/ inappropriate questions, check questionnaire works - answers can be recorded correctly

Answer 21

- allocate research funding - Validate the quality and relevance of the research (i.e., whether it is socially sensitive). - Suggest amendments or improvements to the research paper or study itself

Answer 22

- Editor starts the process; allocating research to a reviewer. - Reviewer reads and critiques in a 2-4 week deadline. reviewer critiques: - Validity of the science, any scientific errors, design or methodology issues. - importance of the findings to the scientific community - Originality of the work and any inaccurate/missing references (plagiarism)

Answer 23

- accept - accept but amendments - reject but with resubmission - outright reject.

Answer 24

**strengths** - Ensures that only high-quality research is published. - Checks that all work is original and not plagiarised. - Anonymity of reviewer can ensure honest critique. **limitations** - anonymity of reviewer’s = can criticise a rival researcher. An ‘open review process’ avoids this. - Editors tend to publish significant results more than non; to increase the credibility of their journal (file drawer problem). - Slows down rate of change in science – ‘new’ theories going against current opinion are less likely to be passed by a reviewer

Answer 25

- inter-rater/observer reliability - test-retest reliability

Answer 26

- 2 or more observers individually record behaviour - They compare the scores using a correlation. - If there is +0.8 correlation between the scores, there is high inter-rater reliability.

Answer 27

- Pps take the same test twice, using the same procedure at different times or settings. - If there is a +0.8 correlation between the scores there is high test-retest reliability

Answer 28

Whether the results from a sample can be generalised to other types of people in the normal population.

Answer 29

Whether a test looks like it measures what it intends to measure.

Answer 30

- Compare a new measure against an existing valid measure. - If there is a +0.8 correlation between the scores, the new measure has high concurrent validity.

Answer 31

- **empiricism** (direct observation) - **control** (IV causes DV) - **objectivity** (results not effected by subjective option) - **replicability** (repeat study to get same results)

Answer 32

Shared set of assumptions about a subject matter & methods used

Answer 33

- observation - produce theory - create hypothesis - draw conclusions - observe

Answer 34

- existing theory - create hypothesis - collect data - draw conclusion - accept/ reject hypothesis

Answer 35

- **Abstract** - summary sentence from all sections - enables reader to ensure research is appropriate. - **introduction** - background review of psych research. Explains how the research fit into research already in existence. - **method** - materials, design, sample, procedure. enables accurate replication of study for test-retest. - **results** - descriptive, inferential stats, graphs, tables. shows data analysis for reader to refer to and check accuracy of interpretation. - **discussion** - explains results and how results fit with previous research, limitations, future research. Shows researches implications. - **references** - ensures credit is given to authors of research referred to, avoid plagiarism, allow reader to find original source.

Answer 36

Surname, initial. (year). title of journal, volume/issue number, page number

Answer 37

surname, Initial. (year). book title. publishing location: publisher

Answer 38

primary = directly gathered data, e.g. experiments or observations secondary = indirectly gathered info from other sources e.g. meta analysis, study of many other studies results and conclusions drawn.

Answer 39

**_primary data_** **strength** - specifically related to the hypothesis being tested. **limitation** - time consuming to collect and expensive **_secondary data_** **strength** - cheap to use, easy to conduct. **limitation** - data isn’t specific to the hypothesis being tested.

Answer 40

middle value when put in order. ordinal data, not as effected by outliers.

Answer 41

most frequent number. nominal data, not effected by outliers

Answer 42

how far the data is spread from the mean most precise measure (uses all data set)

Answer 43

(score/total score) x 100

Answer 44

(new-original)/original) x 100

Answer 45

((original-new)/original) x 100

Answer 46

categories (IV) experiments

Answer 47

continuous data distribution of data

Answer 48

correlation co-variables

Answer 49

represents descriptive stats

Answer 50

when the mean, median and mode are all equal.

Answer 51

the mode is lower than the median and mean.

Answer 52

the move is higher than the median and mean.

Answer 53

measure is too easy (neg skew) or difficult (pos skew) sample bias - opportunity or volunteer sample outliers in data, affecting the mean

Answer 54

- make the measure harder (neg skew) or easier (pos skew) - reduce the sample bias, e.g. stratified or random sample. - remove outliers in data

Answer 55

Data has fixed intervals between each score. It is on a scale or has a fixed 0. e.g. time, height, score, number of

Answer 56

Ranked based on subjective data, the intervals between each pp score varies. e.g. rating of colour preference/ attractiveness

Answer 57

data in categories or labels. Tends to be binary data e.g. yes or no, agree or disagree, old or young.

Answer 58

(interval) age data in years (ordinal) rank age - 1 being youngest, 2 next oldest etc. (nominal) age below 30 = young age above 30 = old

Answer 59

(interval) heart rate of racing drivers bpm (ordinal ) rank bpm 1 being lowest, 2 next highest. (nominal) below 50 bpm = slow, higher than 50 = fast.

Answer 60

p<0.05 (5%) 95% confidence there is a significant finding. only 5% probability that the results are due to chance. balance between probability of making a type 1 and type 2 error.

Answer 61

false positive rejected the bulk when should have accepted it more likely at 10% level of significance

Answer 62

false negative accepted null when should have rejected it. more likely at 1% level of significance

Answer 63

if the research is socially sensitive as it’s better to be cautious and make a type 2 error (could be damaging to society if incorrect)

research methods Flashcards

(91 cards)