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Depression + Research Methods > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

(97 cards)

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1
Q

Strengths of Questionnaires

A

Good for large amounts of people / both qualitative and quantitative data

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2
Q

Weaknesses of questionnaires

A

Social desirability bias / ambiguity

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3
Q

Strengths of interviews

A

Unstructured are rich in data / structured are easy comparisons

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4
Q

Weaknesses of interviews

A

Interviewer bias / social desirability bias

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5
Q

Questionnaires can be..

A

Open (qualitative data) or closed (quantitative data)

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6
Q

Case studies are..

A

A rich in detail, qualitative account of one or two persons and their experiences

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7
Q

Strengths of case studies

A

Good quality data can be used to challenge theories

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8
Q

Weaknesses of case studies

A

Cannot generalise

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9
Q

Correlations are used to..

A

Look for relationships between 2 variables

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10
Q

Strengths of correlations

A

Investigate naturally occurring variables to see if they are unethical. For example smoking and lung cancer

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11
Q

Weaknesses of correlations

A

Doesn’t establish cause and effect

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12
Q

Lab experiment

A

Conducted in artificial conditions

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13
Q

Strength of lab experiment

A

High levels of control therefore high internal validity

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14
Q

Weakness of lab experiment

A

Artificial. Low ecological validity and low in mundane realism

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15
Q

Field experiment

A

Natural settings but IV is still manipulated

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16
Q

Strength of natural experiment

A

Realistic as participants are unaware

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17
Q

Natural experiment

A

Natural settings but NO manipulation

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18
Q

Strength of field experiment

A

High in ecological validity

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19
Q

Weaknesses of field experiment

A

Hard to extraneous variables therefore low internal validity

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20
Q

Weakness of natural experiment

A

Lack of randomisation therefore low internal validity

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21
Q

Controlled observations

A

Participants know they are being observed

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22
Q

Strength of controlled observation

A

More detailed info obtained than experiments

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23
Q

Weakness of controlled observation

A

Observer bias - know they’re being observed

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24
Q

Naturalistic observations

A

Examines behaviour with no interference

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25
Strength of naturalistic observation
High ecological validity
26
Weakness of naturalistic observation
Poor control of extraneous variable therefore low internal validity
27
Independent groups
Different participants in each groups (random)
28
Strength of independent groups
No order effects therefore high internal validity
29
Weakness of independent groups
Individual differences
30
Repeated measures
Participants do both conditions
31
Strength of repeated measures
Controls individual differences
32
Weaknesses of repeated measures
Order effects therefore low internal validity
33
Matched pairs
Different people in each condition but matched on key variables
34
Strength of matched pairs
Controls individual differences
35
Weakness of matched pairs
Hard to find individuals exactly the same
36
Random sample
Completely random (computer generated)
37
Strength of random sample
Unbiased - equal chance of selection therefore high external validity
38
Weakness of random sample
Does not guarantee representative sample
39
Opportunity sample
Using people who are readily available
40
Strength of opportunity sample
Less time consuming
41
Weakness of opportunity sample
Biased - only small part of target population
42
Volunteer sample
Asking people to take part, usually through advertising
43
Strength of volunteer sample
Access to a variety of participants therefore less biased
44
Weakness of volunteer sample
Volunteer bias as they're more motivated
45
Experimental hypothesis
Precise, testable statement
46
Null hypothesis
Statement of no effect
47
Directional hypothesis
Predict effect of IV on the DV
48
Non-directional hypothesis
State there will be an effect but won't state direction
49
Independent variable
The variable the experimenter manipulates
50
Dependent variable
The variable that is measured/effected
51
Operationalisation
Be specific (eg time of day would say 10 o'clock)
52
Pilot studies
Small scale. Allow researches to check standardised procedures and highlight anything that needs to be changed
53
Investigator effects
Anything investigator does that can effect results (body language)
54
Single blind design
Participants don't know the aim
55
Double blind design
Participants and investigator don't know the aim
56
Internal validity
Is the test measuring what it is intending to measure?
57
External validity
Can findings be generalised
58
Internal reliability
Test is consistent within itself
59
External reliability
Same results achieved each time it's repeated
60
Split half
Two halves of test. Both of equal quality to show high internal reliability
61
Ethics
Deception Informed consent Confidentiality Protection from harm
62
Measures of central tendency
Mean, median mode
63
Mean
Average score, add all values and divide
64
Strength of mean
Makes use of all values
65
Weakness of mean
Misrepresentative if there is an extreme value
66
Median
Middle score
67
Strength of median
Not effected by extreme scores
68
Weakness of median
Does not consider all values
69
Mode
Most frequently occurring value
70
Strength of mode
Useful when data is in categories
71
Weakness of mode
Not useful when there are several modes
72
Measures of dispersion..
Range | Standard deviation
73
Range
Difference between largest and smallest values
74
Standard deviation
Tells us the average distance from the mean
75
Strength of range
Quick and easy to calculate
76
Weakness of range
Affected by extreme values
77
Strength of standard deviation
All values are considered
78
Weakness of standard deviation
Much harder to calculate than the range
79
Bar chart
Data in categories. Columns do not touch
80
Histogram
Data on continuous scale. Columns touch
81
Scattergram
Measuring relationships between two variables
82
Negative correlation means..
As one variable increases the other decreases
83
Positive correlation means..
They rise together
84
Correlation co-efficient
Extent to which variables are related Positive correlation is +1.0 Negative is -1.0
85
Content analysis
1. Make hypothesis 2. Decide which sources of info to use 3. Look for suitable categories for the info 4. Two or more judges assign categories 5. Count how many times info relates to category 6. Qualitative turns into quantitative
86
Stratified sampling
Sub groups in population are identified and participants are chosen to represent groups
87
Snowball sampling
Start with a few then ask them to direct you to other suitable participants
88
Speciesm
Just because we can talk does that mean we can control everything?
89
Animal research is a problem because..
Difficult to judge pain and emotion
90
House of Lords three R's
Reduction (in number of animals used) Replacement (use alternative methods if possible) Refinement (use techniques to reduce stress)
91
Basic sections of report
1. Title 2. Abstract (key info on aims, PP's, research methods, findings) 3. Introduction - outlining previous research 4. Aim/hypothesis 5. Method (detailed description of design, procedures, materials, PP's) 6. Results (described from raw data/inferential stats to show significance) 7. Discussion (discussion of results and alternative suggestions for future) 8. References 9. Appendices
92
Major features of science
Falsification - research should have clear hypothesis to enable testing Objectivity - observations should be unaffected by bias Replicability - research can be repeated Control - seeking casual relationships Empiricism - information gained through direct observation
93
What did KUHN say about psychology being a science?
Psychology cannot be a science as there's no single paradigm
94
Psychology could be a science because..
Psychology and science share a seeking of control and development of theories
95
Miller suggests that psychology is not a science because..
It is simply dressing up pseudoscience
96
Peer review
Assessment of research by other experts in the field, to check for incorrect faulty data and check the validity, credibility, quality and appropriateness of research
97
Problems with peer review?
Slow, and expensive to employ experts. Also bias as they are all experts

Depression + Research Methods (6 decks)

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