Research Methods

Question 1

What does the operationalisation of variables do?

Answer 1

Ensures the variables area as measurable as possible

Question 2

Evaluations acronym

Answer 2

GRAVE
Generalisability
Reliability
Applicability
Validity
Ethics

Question 3

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 3

Any variable that you’re not investigating that can potentially affect the outcomes of your research study. An unwanted variable

Question 4

What is a confounding variable?

Answer 4

Factors other than the independent variable that may cause a result. This makes it hard to identify whether the change occurring in the DV is caused by the IV or confounding variable

Question 5

What is a demand characteristic?

Answer 5

Any clues that help the participant work out what’s going on.

Question 6

What two ways might demand characteristics affect results?

Answer 6

• The ‘please-u’ effect- perform to how they think is expected
• The ‘screw-u’ effect- perform to sabotage results

Question 7

What is randomisation?

Answer 7

Chance methods, reduce researcher’s unconscious bias

Question 8

What is standardisation?

Answer 8

All subjects should be subject to the same:
- Environment
- Information
- Experience

Question 9

What are the three experimental designs?

Answer 9

• Independent groups
• Repeated measures
• Matched pairs

Question 10

What is the experimental design Independent groups?

Answer 10

one group for each condition

Question 11

What is the experimental design Repeated measures?

Answer 11

one group takes part in both conditions

Question 12

What is the experimental design Matched pairs?

Answer 12

two groups, matched with each other in pairs based on qualities.

Question 13

Strengths of the independent groups experimental design? [1]

Answer 13

• Won’t experience order effects

Question 14

Weaknesses of the independent groups experimental design? [2]

Answer 14

• More participants needed
• Hard to control participant variables

Question 15

Strengths of the repeated measures experimental design? [2]

Answer 15

• only one group of people needed
• No participant variable problems

Question 16

Weaknesses of the repeated measures experimental design? [2]

Answer 16

• May be order effects such as boredom, fatigue, and practise.
  May figure out aim- demand characteristics

Question 17

Strengths of the matched pairs design? [2]

Answer 17

• No demand characteristics
• No order effects

Question 18

Weaknesses of the matched pairs design? [2]

Answer 18

• Takes time to match them
• May not be possible to match groups perfectly