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Flashcards in Research Methods Deck (73)
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1
Q

What are the 8 steps n the scientific method

A
  1. Identify area of research and form a research aim
  2. Collect information
  3. Identify research and formulate hypothesis
  4. design method to test hypothesis
  5. collect and analyse data
  6. Draw a conclusion
  7. report findings
  8. Test conclusion
2
Q

Define variable

A

A variable is a quantity or quality that can be different at different times or in different places

3
Q

What is an independant variable

A

The variable deliberately manipulated or varied in some way by the experimenter. The experimenter controls the independent variable and is planned before the experiment begins. It is usually something compared to another (male/female, sleep/no sleep)

4
Q

What is the dependent variable

A

The dependant variable is what is measured in the research. It is dependant on the IV to occur (so think, what will the IV cause). The DV is usually continuous and of numerical value.

5
Q

What is the IV in the am “are males or females better at reading maps?”

A

IV: Whether they are male or female
DV: How many maps they can read

6
Q

Does driving whilst talking on the hone increase the likelihood of an accident? What is the IV and the DV

A

IV: On the phone or not
DV: Number of accidents

7
Q

Is mood increased by eating chocolate? What is the IV and the DV

A

IV: eating chocolate or not
DV: measurement of mood (may be through a self rating of how you feel)

8
Q

How do you operationalise a variable

A

Operationalisation of a variable means the variable is stated in terms that show how it is measured

9
Q

What is the operationalised versions of “age”

A

age in total months

10
Q

What is the operationalised version of “aggression”

A

The number of aggressive acts of behaviour within a third minute period

11
Q

What is a hypothesis

A

A hypothesis in psychological research is a clear statement predicting how changes
in the independent variable(s) will affect the value of the dependent variable(s).
A hypothesis should also clearly state the population about which the researcher
intends to draw conclusions.

12
Q

WHAT IS THE AIM

A

The aim is the purpose of the study

13
Q

What should the hypothesis always begin with

A

it is predicted that

14
Q

What should be included in the hypothesis

A

identification of the population
IV
DV
A testable prediction

15
Q

What would the hypothesis be to “to test the effect of sleep deprivation on performance”

A

It is hypothesised that the Monash university students who are sleep deprived will take longer to complete simple tasks than those who are not sleep deprived

16
Q

What ist he operationalised hypothesis be to “to test the effect of sleep deprivation on performance”

A

It is hypothesised that the monash university students who get less than 4 hours of sleep per night will take longer recorded time to complete 100 anagrams than those who had more than 8 hours sleep per night.

17
Q

Why is selecting a sample important

A

Because the population may be an impractical size, as a sample size increasing so does the accuracy

18
Q

What are the there types of sampling

A

convinience
random
startified

19
Q

What is convenience sampling

A

A sample is selected in the quickest and easiest way possible

20
Q

What is the advantages and disadvantages to convenience sampling

A

Advantages
- quick easy and cheap

Disadvantages
- I s bias sample, and Not representative of the population

21
Q

What is random sampling

A

Every member has an equal chance of being selected for a sample

22
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of random sampling

A
  • Free from bias, representative of sample
  • Quick and easy
  • Difficult to achieve with a large population
23
Q

hat is stratified sampling

A

Break the population into groups and select participants from each group in the same proportion they appear in the population

24
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages to stratified sampling

A
  • more representative of the population

- time consuming

25
Q

What is the situation most suitable for each type of sampling

A

Convenience: Interest biased, no publishable
Random: Large samples
Stratified: Important research where characteristics could skew data

26
Q

What is random allocation

A

WHEN EVERY MEMBER OF THE SAMPLE HAS AN EQUAL CHANCE OF BEING IN EITHER THE CONTROL OR EXPERIMENTAL GROUP

27
Q

What is the control group

A

used as a comparison, not exposed to experimental condition (IV)

28
Q

What is the experimental group

A

The group exposed to experimental conditions

29
Q

What is subjective data

A
is that which relies on personal experience or report. are based on opinion, and there is no external yardstick by which they are measured. If you asked all the people in your class how they feel
about mathematics, you would collect a wide range of responses
30
Q

What is objective data

A

Is that which can be directly observed or measured. Each person
using an objective measure correctly will obtain
the same result. In the simplest terms, if each
person in the class measured the length and
breadth of a desk, they would each obtain the

31
Q

What is qualitative data and provide two examples

A

refer to descriptions of the characteristics of what is being

studied. In psychological research this could be:
- emotional state: happy/sad/angry, etc.
- difficulty of task: easy/moderate/difficult/very difficult.

32
Q

What is quantitive data

A

refer to measurements – numerical information about the

variables being studied.

33
Q

What are the different types of investigation

A
observation 
case studies 
interview 
questionnaire 
self-report
34
Q

What is a case study and an e.g.

A

An in depth study on a singular person or small group

e.g.. phones gage

35
Q

What are the applications of a case study

A

Can be used in rare or unusual conditions

36
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses to a case study

A

Very detailed

Difficult to generalise to the whole population

37
Q

What is observational studies and an example

A

A study reliant upon watching or overriding others behaviours, actions and responses
eg. bystander effect

38
Q

What are the applications

A

Situational or environmental studies which require a natural environment

39
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of ob. studies

A

More naturalistic setting

data can be subjective

40
Q

Self report

A

A study reliant on participants feedback via various mediums

41
Q

What are the applications of a self report

A

Behaviour and opinions that can not be directly observed

42
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of self reports

A

May indicate trends

Data can be difficult to compare and analyse (could be lying)

43
Q

What are the types of self reports

A

questionnaire
interview
rating scales

44
Q

What type of info is a quentionnaire

A

Very versatile and easy to administer in large numbers. Can be open or closed questions

45
Q

What type of info is an interview

A

Can obtain lots of quality data as responses are open. Can change/adapt to questions as they go

46
Q

what type of info of rating scales

A

Fixed responses are more easily compared and measured (likert scale)
gives quantitive data

47
Q

What is primary data

with an example

A

That which is sourced for the purpose of addressing the research question. It could be sourced through questionnaires, interviews, and rating scales.
eg. doing an experiment and drawing findings

48
Q

What is secondary data and provide an example

A

That which is sourced through someone else research or data sources. It could be used as a basis to form a hypothesis, strengthen findings, explore trends and patterns and much more.
eg. census data

49
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of primary data q

A
  • specific and detailed
  • can inform future research
  • current
  • time and cost involved
  • sample size restricted
50
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of secondary data

A
  • cheap and easy to obtain
  • large amounts of data
  • can be over long periods of time
  • not most up to date and may not be specific
51
Q

What is an extraneous variable and give an example

A

Something that has an unwanted effect on results and hence alters the DV. The only thing that should be different between the groups is the IV. All other differences should be controlled by the experimenter, so the only thing different is the IV.

eg. both groups are equal in gender and intelligence, personal factors (body weight and sleep deprivation) both conditions are equal in treatment and time of day.

52
Q

What are the types of extraneous variables

A
  • participant differences: Personal to participant (gender, mood, height, weight, IQ, age)
  • non-standardised instructions and procedures: When experiments is run they groups are treated differently (enthusiastic experimenter, given more info.)
  • order effects
  • placebo effect
  • experimenter effects
53
Q

What sampling techniques are best for eliminating extraneous variables

A

Random sampling

Stratified sampling

54
Q

Whats the type of experiment which help minimise EV

A

Observational study

Self report

55
Q

What are the three types of experimental design

A

independent groups
matches participants
repeated measures

56
Q

What is independent groups

A

also known as ‘random allocation’, it is defined by every member of the sample is randomly allocated to either the control or experimental group

57
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages to independent groups

A

cost and time efficient

there may be individual participant differences causing EV

58
Q

What is the matched participants design

A

Each member of the sample is paired based on a particular characteristic and then one member of each pair i randomly allocated to be in the control and experimental group

59
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages to matched participants design

A

fewer individual participant differences between the groups which eliminated EV

Time consuming as a pre-test is involved (extra stage)

60
Q

What is the repeated measures design

A

Each ember of the sample is involved in both the control and experimental conditions

61
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages

A

No participant differences

order effects

62
Q

What is order effects

A

An EV that occurs when the sequence of the two conditions impacts on the DV e.g.. boredom, knowledge, practice, experience, fatigue

63
Q

What is counterbalancing

A

Half of the participants are explored the control condition and then experimental condition, which the order of conditions for the other half is reversed. Counter balancing does not eliminate order effects, it eliminates the impact of order effects on the results

64
Q

What are cross sectional studies

A

Those that collect data at one point in time

65
Q

What are longitudinal studies

A

are those that collect data from the same individuals over a long period of time

66
Q

What is the hawthorne effect

A

a change in behaviour due to the knowledge they are being observed

67
Q

What is a single blind procedure and how is this done

A

The participant is unaware whether they ar in the control or experimental group

done through the placebo effect

benefit: Results can be unbiased if the participant expects the results

68
Q

What is a double blind procedure and how is this a benefit

A

The experimenter and participants are unaware if they are in the control of experimental groups

Placebo & 3rd party

benefit: eliminates experimenter effect

69
Q

What is the placebo effect

A

Fake or false drug or treatment. The effect is the change in participant behaviour due to expectation regarding the treatment they are receiving.

70
Q

What is the experimenter effect

A

A change in particular behaviour due to the experimenter’s treatment or influence

71
Q

What is a confounding variable

A

A variable other than the IV that has a systematic effect on the value of the DV.

72
Q

What is the difference between the EV and the CV

A
  • If it caused a change in the DV
  • Cold it be a new IV? Could it be an IV altogether
  • Is it bad
  • EV does not really change the DV and conclusions can still be drawn
  • CVS lead to no conclusions
73
Q

When studying the effect of caffeine on memory what if the caffeine group were all university professors

are we looking at an EV or a CV

A

CV because the fact they were professors could have causes their memories to be better rather than the Caffeine