research methods

Question 1

What is validity?

Answer 1

If the data provides a true and accurate description/picture

Question 2

What is reliability?

Answer 2

When the experiment can be repeated and will produce the same results

Question 3

What is representativeness?

Answer 3

The extent to which a sample mirrors the researcher’s target population and its characteristics

Question 4

What is generalisability?

Answer 4

When the results can be applied to the rest of the population

Question 5

What is objectivity?

Answer 5

The researcher does not get involved in taking part in the research and it is not affected by their behaviour

Question 6

What is experimental method?

Answer 6

The manipulation of an IV to have an effect on the DV which is measured and stated in results

Question 7

What is an aim?

Answer 7

A goal you want to accomplish in order to be successful and focus on what your trying to do.
A statement of the purpose of your investigation

Question 8

What is an independent variable?
What is a dependent variable?

Answer 8

• Things that are manipulated or changed
• The variable that is measured

Question 9

What is operationalising variables?

Answer 9

Giving a clear definition of what these variables are and how we are going to measure them

Question 10

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 10

A precise, testable statement about the expected outcome of an investigation, specific statement, not a question

Question 11

What is a experimental hypothesis?
What is a null hypothesis?
What is a directional hypothesis?
What is non directional hypothesis?

Answer 11

• Predicts a relationship between variables
• States that there will be no relationship
• Predicts the direction in which change is expected to occur
• Predicts change and does not specify direction

Question 12

What is internal validity?
What is external validity?
What is control?

Answer 12

• The extent that the variables you are manipulating cause the outcome
• The extent that the study is an accurate representation of outside the study
• Extent to which any variable is held constant by the researcher

Question 13

What is mundane realism?
what is a confounding variable?
What is an extraneous variable?

Answer 13

• How far the study mirrors the real world
• A variable which varies systematically with the IV
• Does not vary systematically with the IV

Question 14

What is a pilot study?
What problems does a pilot study test for?
Why is a pilot study important?

Answer 14

• Small scale trial run of research to test before researcher commits to the full research
• Design, method, clarity of instructions, measuring instruments, measurements taken, allows a time scale
• Problems can be rectified without an entire participant sample and a set of stimulus being wasted

Question 15

What is a lab experiment?
Strengths of a lab experiment?
Limitations of a lab experiment?
Examples of a lab experiment?

Answer 15

• Experiment in controlled conditions, researcher deliberately changes IV to see effect on DV, artificial environment
• High control over extraneous variables, high control, replication
• Lacks generalisability, low external/ecological validity, demand characteristics
• Pavlov’s dogs, Baddeley memory experiments

Question 16

What is a field experiment?
Strengths of a field experiment?
Limitations of a field experiment?
Examples of a field experiment?

Answer 16

• Carried out in a natural setting, researcher manipulates IV to see effect on DV
• Higher mundane realism, high external validity, high ecological validity
• Loss of control of extraneous variables, ethical issues
• Hofling (social influence), Schaffer and Emerson (attachment)

Question 17

What is a quasi- experiment?
Strengths of a quasi- experiment?
Limitations of a quasi- experiment?

Answer 17

• IV is based on existing difference between people
• High control, replication is possible
• Cannot randomly allocate so may be confounding variables (affects DV)

Question 18

What is a natural experiment?
Strengths of a natural experiment?
Limitations of a natural experiment?

Answer 18

• Researcher uses pre-existing IV, change in variable naturally occurs
• Provides opportunity, high external validity
• May only occur rarely, low generalisation, may not be randomly allocated

Question 19

What are case studies?
Strengths of case studies?
Limitations of case studies?

Answer 19

• A detailed study of a specific subject such as a person
• Detailed, rare scenarios
• Generalisation, ethical issues

Question 20

What is experimental design?
What are two conditions you can have in an experiment?

Answer 20

• Refers to how participants are allocated to the different conditions (or IV) in an experiment
• Experimental condition, control condition

Question 21

What is independent groups design?
Strengths of independent groups design?
Limitations of independent groups design?

Answer 21

• When 2 separate groups of ppts. experience two different conditions of the experiment
• Order effects not a problem, ppts. less likely to guess the aim
• Less validity, more expensive, more ppts. needed

Question 22

What is repeated measures design?
Strengths of repeated measures design?
Limitations of repeated measures design?

Answer 22

• All participants experience both conditions of the experiment and results tested for differences
• Ppt. variables controlled, fewer ppts. need, less time and money
• Order effects

Question 23

What is matched pairs design?
Strengths of matched pairs design?
Limitations of matched pairs design?

Answer 23

• Ppts. paired based in variables relevant to the experiment. One is matched to A one to B
• Order effects and demand characteristics are less of a problem
• Time consuming and expensive, less economical

Question 24

What is an interview?
What is a structured interview?
What is an unstructured interview?

Answer 24

• A simple questionnaire which is being delivered in real time, either face to face or on the telephone
• Pre-determined, standardised questions, no deviation from question is permitted
• New questions develop through the course of an interview

Question 25

What are the two types of data? What is primary data? What is secondary data?

Answer 25

- Qualitative, quantitative - Collected directly from first hand experiences, by the researcher for the purpose of the study being undertaken - Information collected for a purpose other than the current study. E.g. official statistics

Question 26

What is quantitative data? Strengths of quantitative data? Limitations of quantitative data?

Answer 26

- Numerical data, larger sample size, less researcher training required - Cause and effect, easy to analyse, patterns and trends, reliable, precise - Easy to be biased, difficult to understand, may not explain complex issues

Question 27

What is qualitative data? Strengths of qualitative data? Limitations of qualitative data?

Answer 27

- Uses language or context, rich in depth and detail, need to be highly trained - Less open to bias, cost effective, more detailed information - Difficult to analyse, time consuming, findings can't be generalised

Question 28

Strengths of questionnaires? Limitations of questionnaires? Construction of questionnaires?

Answer 28

- Easy to distribute, easily collated, people may feel more open - Social desirability, lack of understanding- validity, bias - Clarity, bias, analysis

Question 29

What is deception? What is confidentiality? What is privacy? What is right to withdraw? What is protection of participants? What is informed consent?

Answer 29

- Withholding some of the researcher aims - Keeping personal information private, safe and secure - The researcher should not invade a persons own privacy - A ppt. can withdraw from the research at any time for any reason - Ppts. should be protected both physically and psychologically - To reveal the true aims of a study, or at least informing ppts. of what will happen

Question 30

Why do we carry out statistical tests?

Answer 30

- The results could have occurred by chance, difference between groups might not be big enough to be significant

Question 31

When will a one tailed statistical test be used? When will a two tailed statistical test be used? When to use a sign test?

Answer 31

- When we have a previous indicative research - When we don't have previous research - When looking at paired or related data (matched pairs, repeated measures)

Question 32

What is stratified sampling? Strengths of stratified sampling? Limitations of stratified sampling?

Answer 32

- Subgroups (strata) within population identified, taken from each strata according to occurrence in sample- randomly - Sample will be representative of the population - Very time consuming and difficult to complete

Question 33

What is systematic sampling? Strengths of systematic sampling? Limitations of systematic sampling?

Answer 33

- Use whole population, decide an nth term and allocate each ppt. a number, select all ppts. who fall on the nth term - Should provide a representative and unbiased sample - Very difficult to achieve, not always truly random if the nth term isn't random

Question 34

Strengths of the range? Limitations of the range?

Answer 34

- Easy to calculate - May be unrepresentative- takes two most extreme values

Question 35

What is random sampling? Strengths of random sampling? Limitations of random sampling?

Answer 35

- Researcher has list of everyone in target population, uses random number generator or names in hat to select required amount of ppts. - Low chance of biased sample, improved population validity - Difficult to obtain list of entire population, representation is not guaranteed

Question 36

What is opportunity sampling? Strengths of opportunity sampling? Limitations of opportunity sampling?

Answer 36

- Researcher selecta anyone who is readily available and willing to take part - Time efficient, ppts. readily available, sizes can be larger - Skewed ppts. background, lacks population validity, ethical issues

Question 37

What is volunteer sampling? Strengths of volunteer sampling? Limitations of volunteer sampling?

Answer 37

- Ppts. put themselves forward, researcher places advert asking for volunteers - Can locate a particularly niche group of ppts. - Small sample size- people have to see the advert