Research Methods Flashcards
(134 cards)
1
Q
What are the four main techniques for collecting data?
A
- self-report
- experiment
- observation
- correlation
2
Q
What are the three types of experiments?
A
- Laboratory experiment
- Field experiment
- Quasi experiment
3
Q
What is an aim?
A
Statement of the research purpose
4
Q
What is a hypothesis?
A
An informed prediction of what the researcher expects to find.
5
Q
What is a null hypothesis?
A
A statement predicting no difference between conditions.
6
Q
What is a directional hypothesis?
A
States there will be a difference between conditions/people and states the direction.
7
Q
What is a non directional hypothesis
A
States that there will be a difference between conditions but does not state the direction.
8
Q
What is an independent variable?
A
The variable that the researcher alters or manipulates to look for the effect on another variable.
9
Q
What is a dependent variable?
A
The variable that the researcher measures.
10
Q
What is an extraneous variable?
A
Unwanted variable that could affect the DV.
11
Q
What is an independent measures design?
A
Participants take part in only one condition of the experiment.
12
Q
What is an advantage of independent measures design?
A
No order effects. (when the sequence in which participants experience conditions influences their performance)
13
Q
What are disadvantages of independent measures design?
A
- Participant variables (individual differences between participants)
- More participants needed
14
Q
What is a repeated measures design?
A
All participants take part in all conditions of the experiment.
15
Q
What are advantages of repeated measures design?
A
- No participant variables (individual differences between participants)
- Fewer participants needed so cheaper
16
Q
What is a disadvantage of repeated measures design?
A
Order effects present (when the sequence in which participants experience conditions influences their performance)
17
Q
What is a matched pairs design?
A
Participants are tested on variables relavent to the study and then matched and one person from each pair completes one condition. Random allocation (randomly assigned to conditions)
18
Q
What are advantages of matched pairs design?
A
- No order effects (when the sequence in which participants experience conditions influences their performance)
- Less participant variables (individual differences between participants)
19
Q
What are disadvantages of matched pairs design?
A
- Time consuming to match participants
- Not all participant variables are controlled (individual differences between participants)
20
Q
What is a laboratory experiment?
A
High control over variables, artificial setting.
21
Q
What are strengths of laboratory experiments?
A
- EVs (extraneous variables) can be controlled so cause and effect can be established.
- Uses standardised procedures - replicable.
22
Q
What are weaknesses of laboratory experiments?
A
- Hawthorne effect- participants may change behaviour
- Artificial setting- low ecological validity.
23
Q
What is a field experiment?
A
Takes place in a natural setting IV manipulated by the experimenter.
24
Q
What are strengths of a field experiment?
A
- More realistic behaviour than a lab as in a natural environment
- Higher ecological validity - Less chance of demand characteristics
25
What are weaknesses of a field experiment?
- May lose control of EVs (extraneous variables) so difficult to establish cause and effect.
- Ethical issues such as deception (when researcher withholds information/misleads participants) or consent more likely.
26
What are strengths of a quasi experiment?
- May have higher validity because they take place in real-world settings or involve naturally occurring events, which makes the findings more generalizable to everyday life.
- Can use standardised procedures so less EVs
27
What are weaknesses of a quasi experiment?
Few opportunities to carry out as behaviours may be rare- may also lead to small samples.
28
What is reliability ?
A measure of consistency.
29
What is validity?
A measure of accuracy.
30
What are the types of validity?
- internal (face, concurrent),
- external- (ecological, temporal)
31
What are tests of reliability?
- re-test
- inter-rater.
32
What is a re-test?
The same test is tested on the same group of individuals on two different occasions.
33
What is inter-rater reliability?
Degree of agreement between different observers/raters when assessing same behaviour, test or event. Testing consistency of judgments.
34
What is internal validity?
Accuracy of cause-and-effect within the study.
35
What is external validity?
How well the study’s findings can be applied to the real world.
36
What is face validity?
How much a test or measurement appears to measure what it is supposed to measure based on a person’s judgment. Whether the test seems appropriate/relevant within the study even if it hasn’t been tested yet.
37
What is ecological validity?
How well the results of a study can be applied to real-life situations.
38
What is ecological validity?
How well the results of a study can be applied to real-life situations.
39
What is temporal validity?
The extent of which the results of a study can be generalised overtime. (If findings are still applicable/relevant in the future)
40
What is primary data?
Obtained first hand by research.
41
What is secondary data?
Data from other studies or government stats.
42
What is an advantage of primary data?
Useful as suits aims of researcher.
43
What is a disadvantage of primary data?
Time and effort to collect.
44
What is an advantage of secondary data?
Easy and convenient to use.
45
What is a disadvantage of secondary data?
May not fit with researcher aims.
46
What are ethics?
BPS guidelines are a code of conduct all professional psychologists should follow.
47
What is informed consent?
Participants should be told of the purpose of the research and requirements of participation.
48
What is deception?
Participants should not be lied to or misled about aims.
49
What is the right to withdraw?
Participants right in a research study to stop participating at any time without consequences/pressure.
50
What is confidentiality?
Personal data must be protected and respected.
51
How to prevent ethical issue of informed consent?
Sign a form that tells them what is expected.
52
How to prevent ethical issue of deception?
Full debrief to explain true aims.
53
How to ensure participants are protected from harm?
Debrief and follow up.
54
How to prevent ethical issue of privacy and confidentiality?
Keep details anonymous (give numbers or use initials)
55
What is a target population?
The large group of people the researcher wishes to study.
56
What is a sample?
The small group of people who represent the target population and who are studied.
57
What is a representative sample?
The sample of participants is made up of people who have the same characteristics and abilities as the target population.
58
What is a generalised sample?
The results from the sample can be said to apply to the target population.
59
What are demand characteristics?
Participants change behaviour due to working out the aim of the experiment.
60
What are investigator effects?
The effect of the investigator on the DV through their design or interaction with participants.
61
What are 4 ways of controlling variables/dealing with issues in experimental designs?
- Random allocation of participants to conditions
- Counterbalancing (varying order in which participants experience different conditions across participants)
- Randomisation of the task
- Standardisation of materials/instructions
62
How does random allocation help control variables?
Reduces investigator bias.
63
How does counter balancing help control variables?
Reduces order effects.
64
How does randomisation of the task help to control variables?
Reduces investigator bias.
65
What is random sampling?
Each person has equal chance of being selected.
66
What is an advantage of random sampling?
No bias.
67
What is a disadvantage of random sampling?
Takes time.
68
What is opportunity sampling?
Selecting people available at time e.g. who is present in the shopping mall.
69
What is an advantage of opportunity sampling?
Quick and easy.
70
What are disadvantages of opportunity sampling?
- Researcher bias
- Less representative
71
What is systematic sampling?
Selecting every nth person from a list of target population.
72
What is an advantage of systematic sampling?
Avoids researcher bias.
73
What is a disadvantage of systematic sampling?
Sample may be unrepresentative.
74
What is stratified sampling?
Selecting participants from sub groups.
75
What is an advantage of stratified sampling?
Most representative.
76
What is a disadvantage of stratified sampling?
Very time consuming.
77
What is an observation?
Researcher watches or listens to participants and gathers data.
78
What is a natural observation?
Record behaviour where it normally occurs.
79
What is a controlled observation?
Researcher manipulates aspects of the environment.
80
What is a covert observation?
Participants not aware behaviour is being recorded.
81
What is an overt observation?
Participants told in advance that they are being observed.
82
What is a participant observation?
Researcher is involved in observation.
83
What is a non participant observation?
Researcher remains separate from observation.
84
What are behavioural categories?
Target behaviours are selected and broken down into observable categories e.g. using mobile phone.
85
What is inter-observer reliability?
Two observers record data at same time with same mark sheet, results are compared.
86
What is time sampling?
Recording behaviours at certain time intervals during the observation e.g. every 10 minutes.
87
What is event sampling?
Recording all behaviours during the period of an observation e.g. one hour.
88
What are advantages of observations?
- When participants not aware - higher ecological validity
- Controlled observations - easier to replicate
89
What are disadvantages of observations?
- Ethical issues of consent if observing in a public place
- Observer bias - researches can be subjective
- When participants know they are being watched behaviour may change
90
What is a structured interview?
Pre-planned list of questions to ask, interviewer does not deviate.
91
What is an un-structured interview?
No pre-set questions, a general aim is decided and questions are devised as the interview progresses.
92
What is an advantage of structured interviews?
Easy to compare responses between participants.
93
What are types of interviews?
- Face to face
- Real-time contact (any interview done in real time - can be video call/ phone call)
94
What is a disadvantage of structured interviews?
Prevent the opportunity for more depth to be obtained from follow up questions.
95
What are advantages of un-structured interviews?
- Insight gained into thoughts and feeling (high in validity)
- Allows interviewer to build rapport (trusting relationship through mutual understanding, respect + good communication)
96
What are disadvantages of un-structured interviews?
- Difficult to compare responses between participants
- Higher chance of interviewer bias
97
What is a questionare?
Prepared list of questions that can be answered in writing, over the phone, internet etc.
98
What are open questions?
Tend to produce qualitative data. More detailed responses.
99
What are closed questions?
Fixed range of answers e.g. rating scale or yes/no.
100
What are advantages of questionnaires?
- Gather information from many people
- Closed questions are easy to analyse
101
What are disadvantages of questionaires?
- Leading questions cause issues with validity (suggest a preferred response e.g. “don’t you agree…”)
- Social desirability bias (people responding to questions in a way that they think is more socially acceptable)
102
What are case studies?
An in-depth investigation of an individual, group, event or institution.
103
What are advantages of case studies?
- Research lacks specific aims so researcher more open-minded
- Best way to study rare behaviours
104
What are disadvantages of case studies?
- Focus on one individual or event so can’t be generalised
- Can be subjective
105
What is quantitative data?
Information in forms of numbers.
106
What is an advantage of quantitative data?
Easy to analyse and draw conclusions/ compare between participants.
107
What is a disadvantage of quantitative data?
Lacks depth - may not find out insight/meaning.
108
What is qualitative data?
Non-numerical data.
109
What is an advantage of qualitative data?
More depth and detail - can gain meaning and insight.
110
What are disadvantages of qualitative data?
- Time consuming to analyse
- Difficult to compare between partcipants
111
What is range?
Spread of data. Arrange in order and subtract lowest from highest score.
112
What is standard deviation?
Spread of scores around the mean.
113
What is mean?
Mathematical average add up all scores and divide by the number of scores.
114
What is the median value?
Middle value when data put in order from lowest to highest.
115
What is the mode?
Most common score.
116
What is an advantage of range?
Easy to calculate.
117
What is a disadvantage of range?
Can be distorted by extreme values.
118
What is an advantage of standard deviation?
Should be more representative.
119
What is an advantage of mean?
Uses all of data so most sensitive measure.
120
What is a disadvantage of mean?
Distorted by extreme values.
121
What is advantage of a median?
Not affected by extreme scores.
122
What is a disadvantage of a median?
Less sensitive than the mean to variation in values.
123
What is an advantage of mode?
Very easy to calculate.
124
What is a disadvantage of mode?
Can be unrepresentative.
125
What is a correlation?
Shows a relationship between two variables. Shows link or association but NOT cause and effect.
126
What is a positive correlation?
As one variable increases so does the other.
127
What is a negative correlation?
As one variable increases the other decreases.
128
What is zero correlation?
There is no relationship between the two variables.
129
What are scatter diagrams?
Display correlation one co-variable is placed on X axis one is placed on Y axis. A dot is placed where they meet.
130
What is a histogram?
Continuous categories/data, no spaces between bars.
131
What is a bar chart?
Bars can be in any order data is not continuous e.g. favourite colour.
132
What is normal distribution?
Symmetrical spread of data forms a bell shape with mean, median and mode at peak.
133
What is positive skewed distribution?
Scores cluster to the left (lots of low scores)
134
What is negative skewed distribution?
Scores cluster to the right (lots of high scores)
