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AS AQA Psychology Paper 2 > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

(58 cards)

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1
Q

What is Aims?

A

Developed from theories and are general statements that describe the purpose of an investigation.

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2
Q

What is a hypothesis

A

A testable statement which predicts the outcome at the start of a study

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3
Q

What is a directional hypothesis?

A

Identifies the direction of difference between two conditions.

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4
Q

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

A

States a difference between conditions but the nature of the difference is not made clear.

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5
Q

When would you use a non-directional hypothesis?

A

Non-directional hypothesis when there is no previous research, or previous studies are contradictory.

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6
Q

What is operationalisation?

A

Variables being investigated should be clearly defined and measurable.

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7
Q

What are extraneous variables?

A

‘Nuisance’ variables that do not vary systematically with the IV and can often be controlled before the experiment begins.

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8
Q

What are confounding variables?

A

Variables that do vary systematically with the IV so we cannot be sure what caused the change in the DV.

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9
Q

What are demand characteristics?

A

Participants interpret cues from the experimenter (investigator effects) and research situation. They may change their behaviour as a result.

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10
Q

What is standardisation?

A

Making sure that all participants are subject to the same instructions and experience.

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11
Q

What is the independent group designs?

A

Participants are allocated to different groups where each group represents one experimental condition.

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12
Q

What are repeated measures?

A

All participants take part in all conditions of the experiment

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13
Q

What is the matched pairs design?

A

Pairs of participants are the first matched on some variables that may affect the DV. Then one member of the pair is assigned to condition A and the other condition B.

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14
Q

What is random allocation?

A

An attempt to control for participant variables in an independent group design which ensures that each participant had the same chance of being in once condition as any other.

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15
Q

What is counterbalancing?

A

An attempt to control for the effects of order in a repeated measures design.

Half the participants experience the conditions in one order, and the other half in the opposite order.

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16
Q

What is a laboratory experiment?

A

An experiment that takes place in a controlled environment within which the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV, whilst maintaining strict control of extraneous variables.

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17
Q

What is a field experiment?

A

An experiment that takes place in a natural setting within which the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV.

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18
Q

What is a natural experiment?

A

An experiment where the change in the Iv is not brought about by the researcher but would have happened even if the researcher had not been there. The researcher records the effect on the DV.

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19
Q

What is a quasi-experiment?

A

A study that is almost an experiment but lacks key ingredients. The IV had not been determined by anyone (the researcher or any other person) - the ‘variables’ simply exist, such as being old or young. Strictly speaking this is not an experiment.

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20
Q

What is population?

A

A group of people who are the focus of the researcher’s interest, from which a smaller sample is drawn.

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21
Q

What is a sample?

A

A group of people who take part in a research investigation. The sample is drawn from a target population and is presumed to be representative of that population.

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22
Q

What is bias in the context of sampling?

A

When certain groups may be over or under-represented within the sample selected.

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23
Q

What is generalisation?

A

The extent to which findings and conclusions from a particular investigation can be applied to the population.

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24
Q

What is stratified sampling?

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A

A stratified sample is a sophisticated form of sampling in which the composition of the sample reflects the proportions of people in certain sub-groups (strata) within the target population or the wider population.
To carry out a stratified sample the researcher first identifies the different strata that make up the population. Then, the proportions needed for the sample to be representative are worked out. Finally, the participants that make up each stratum are selected using random sampling. For example, let’s say in Manchester, 40% of people support Manchester United, 40% support Manchester City, 15% support Bolton and 5% support Leeds. In a stratified sample of 20 participants there would be eight United fans, eight City, three Bolton fans and one solitary Leeds supporter. Each of these would be randomly selected from the larger group of fans of their team, e.g. Bolton fans selected from Bolton supporters, if there are enough.

25
What are ethical issues?
When a conflict exists between the rights and dignity of the participants and the aims of the research. Researchers must follow the BPS code of conduct.
26
What is informed consent?
Participants should be made aware of the aims, procedures and their right to withdraw before they agree to take part. There are alternatives: presumptive, prior general and retrospective consent.
27
What is deception?
Participants should not be deliberately misled. Some deception is acceptable but participants must be fully debriefed at the end.
28
What is protection from harm?
articipants should not be exposed to any more risk than they would be in everyday life. If harm has been caused, participants should be offered counselling as part of the debrief.
29
What is confidentiality?
Participants' anonymity and privacy must be respected and names should not be recorded.
30
What is the BPS code of ethics?
A quasi-legal document produced by the British Psychological Society (BPS) that instructs psychologists in the UK about what behaviour is and is not acceptable when dealing with participants. It is built around four major principles: respect, competence, responsibility and integrity.
31
What is a pilot study?
A small-scale version of an investigation that takes place before the real investigation is conducted. The aim is to check that procedures, materials, measuring scales, etc, work and to allow the researcher to make changes or modifications if necessary.
32
What is a naturalistic observation?
Watching and recording behaviour in the setting within which it would normally occur.
33
What is a controlled observation?
Watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment.
34
What is a covert observation?
Participants behaviour is watched and recorded without their knowledge or consent.
35
What is an overt observation?
Participants behaviour is watched and recorded within their knowledge and consent.
36
What is a participant observation?
The researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour he/she is watching and recording.
37
What is a non-participant observation?
The researcher remains outside of the group whose behaviour they are watching and recording.
38
What are behavioural categories?
When a target behaviour is broken up into components that are observable and measurable.
39
What is event sampling?
A target behaviour or event is first established then the researcher records this event every time it occurs.
40
What is time sampling?
A target individual or group is first established then the researcher records their behaviour in a fixed time frame.
41
What is a self-report technique?
Any method in which a person is asked to state or explain their own feelings, opinions, behaviours and/or experiences related to a given topic.
42
What is an interview?
A live encounter where one person asks a set of questions to assess an interviewees thoughts and/or experiences. The questions may be pre-set or may develop as the interview goes along.
43
What are open questions?
Questions for which there is no fixed choice of response and respondents can answer in any way they wish.
44
What are closed questions?
Questions for which there is a fixed choice of responses determined by the questions may setter.
45
What are likert scales?
The respondent indicates their agreement with a statement by using a scale of usually 5 points. This scales ranges from strongly agree to strongly disagree.
46
What are rating scales?
A rating scale gets respondents to identify a value that represents their strength of feeling about a particular topic.
47
What are fixed choice options?
A fixed choice option item includes a list of possible options and respondents are requested to indication those that apply to them.
48
What is a correlation?
A mathematical technique in which a researcher investigates an association between two variables.
49
What are co-variables?
The variables investigated within a correlation.
50
What is a positive correlation?
As one co-variable increases so does the other.
51
What is a negative correlation?
As one co-variable increases the other decreases.
52
What is zero correlation?
When there is no relationship between the co-variables.
53
What is qualitative data?
Data that is expressed in words and non-numerical.
54
What is quantitative data?
Data that can be counted usually given as numbers.
55
What is secondary data?
Information that has already been collected by someone else and so pre-dates the current research project.
56
What is a meta-analysis?
‘Research about research’, refers to the process of combined results from a number of studies on a particular topic to provide an overall view. This may involve a qualitative review of conclusions and/or a quantitative analysis of the results producing an effect size.
57
What is primary data?
Information that has been obtained first-hand by the researcher for the purposes of a research project. In psychology, such data is often gathered directly from participants as part of an experiment.
58
What is descriptive statistics?
The use of graphs, tables and summary statistics for any measure of the average value in a set of data.

AS AQA Psychology Paper 2 (3 decks)

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