Research Methods

Question 1

Confounding variables

Answer 1

> A variable that is not the IV but which varies systematically with the IV.
‘Confound’ means cause confusion - changes in DV may be due to the confounding variable rather than the IV.

Question 2

Extraneous variables

Answer 2

> Does not act as an alternative IV, but may have an effect on the DV.

Question 3

Mundane realism

Answer 3

> Refers to how an experiment mirrors the real world.

Question 4

Generalisation

Answer 4

> To what extent can I generalise these findings to everyday life

Question 5

Internal validity

Answer 5

> The degree to which an effect was due to the experimental manipulation rather than other factors

Question 6

External validity

Answer 6

> The degree to which research can be generalised to other settings - to other settings (ecological), to other groups of people (population), or over time (historical)

Question 7

Repeated measures design - Explanation

Answer 7

> All participants receive all levels of the IV

Question 8

Repeated measures design - Limitations

Answer 8

> Order effects
When participants do the second test they may guess the purpose of the experiment, which may effect their behaviour

Question 9

Repeated measures design - Solutions to limitations

Answer 9

> Counterbalancing - AB or BA< ABBA
A cover story can be presented about the purpose of the test

Question 10

Independent group design - Explanation

Answer 10

> Participants placed in separate groups - each group does one level of the IV

Question 11

Independent group design - Limitations

Answer 11

> Researcher cant control the effects of participant variables (abilities or characteristics) - becomes a confounding variable

Question 12

Independent group design - Solutions to limitations

Answer 12

> Randomly allocate participants to conditions which distribute participant variables evenly

Question 13

Matched pairs design - Explanations

Answer 13

> Match participants on key characteristics believed to affect performance on the DV

Question 14

Matched pairs design - Limitations

Answer 14

> Very time-consuming and difficult to match participants on key variables
Not possible to control all participant variables because you can only match known to be relevant, but other could be important.

Question 15

Matched pair design - Solutions to limitations

Answer 15

> Restrict the number of variables to match to make it easier
Conduct a pilot study to consider variables that might be important when matching

Question 16

Lab experiments

Answer 16

> Controlled setting

Question 17

Lab experiments - Strength

Answer 17

> High internal validity - good control over all variables is possible - confident that ant any change in DV is due to the IV

Question 18

Lab experiments - Weakness

Answer 18

> Low ecological validity - aware they are being studied and the tasks involved tend to be more artificial - may change their behaviour

Question 19

Field experiment - Explanation

Answer 19

> Controlled outside a laboratory

Question 20

Field experiment - Strength

Answer 20

> Not likely to be aware that their behaviour is being studied - therefore behaviour may be more ‘natural’ and relaxed

Question 21

Field experiment - Limitation

Answer 21

> Low internal validity - more difficult to control extraneous variables

Question 22

Natural experiment

Answer 22

> Experimenter has not manipulated the IV directly - it varies ‘naturally’

Question 23

Quasi experiment

Answer 23

IV is actually not something that varies at all - it’s a condition that exists

Question 24

Investigator effect

Answer 24

> Direct - consequence of the investigator interacting with the participant
Indirect - consequence of the investigator designing the study

Question 25

Opportunity sample

Answer 25

> People who are most easily available at the time of the study > Easiest method - takes less time > Biased - drawn from a small part of the population

Question 26

Random sample

Answer 26

> Random technique > Unbiased - equal chance of being selected > Time consuming - contact all of those selected

Question 27

Stratified sample

Answer 27

> Subgroups within a population are identified - selected randomly from subgroups > More representative > Time consuming

Question 28

Systematic sample

Answer 28

> Use a predetermined system to select participants > Unbiased > Not truly unbiased unless you select a number using a random method and start with this

Question 29

Volunteer sample

Answer 29

> Newspaper, noticeboard, internet > More representative and less bias > Volunteer bias - people may be more motivated to be helpful, or may need the money offered

Question 30

Informed consent

Answer 30

> Participants must be given info concerning the nature and purpose of the research and their role in it > Presumptive consent - asking a group similar to the participant whether they would take part

Question 31

Deception

Answer 31

> Participant is not told the true aims of the study > Fully debriefed after study -informed of true nature and allowed to withhold data (form of retrospective informed consent)

Question 32

Right to withdraw

Answer 32

> Participants can stop if they are uncomfortable in any way > Informed at the beginning of a study

Question 33

Protection from harm

Answer 33

> Participants should not experience negative physical or psychological effects > Stop the study if harm is suspected

Question 34

Confidentiality

Answer 34

> Trust that personal information will be protected > Numbers or false names to represent participants

Question 35

Privacy

Answer 35

> Right to control the information shared about themselves > Don't study anyone without consent unless public place and behaviour

Question 36

Unstructured observations

Answer 36

> Records all relevant behaviour but has no system

Question 37

Structured observation

Answer 37

> Various systems to organise observations

Question 38

Behavioural categories

Answer 38

> Dividing a target behaviour into a subset of specific and operationalised behaviours

Question 40

Sampling

Answer 40

> Event sampling - counting the number of times a certain behaviour occurs > Time sampling - recording behaviours in a given time frame