Research Methods Flashcards
(64 cards)
1
Q
What’s an aim?
A
A general statement outlining what the researcher intends to investigate
2
Q
Independent variable?
A
The one you manipulate
3
Q
Dependent variable?
A
The one you measure
4
Q
Extraneous variable?
A
A variable other than the IV which has influenced the DV
5
Q
Co-variables?
A
Two variables examined to see if there’s a correlation between them
6
Q
Operationalise variables?
A
Defining clearly with detail
7
Q
What’s a hypothesis?
A
A testable statement which makes a prediction about the results
8
Q
Types of hypothesis?
A
Experimental- directional or non directional
Null
9
Q
Types of sampling?
A
Random Systematic Stratified Opportunity Self selected
10
Q
Random sampling?
A
Every person has an equal chance of being selected-names in a hat \+no bias in selection \+fairly representative -sample could be biased -not always practical
11
Q
Systematic sampling?
A
Every nth person from target population
+no bias
+fairly representative
-not unbiased unless you randomly select the starting point
12
Q
Stratified sampling?
A
Small scale reproduction of the target population
+no bias
+fairly representative
-requires detailed knowledge of target population
-time consuming
13
Q
Opportunity sampling?
A
Approaches anyone who seems suitable
+quick and convenient
-likely to be biased
-can’t make generalisations
14
Q
Self selected sampling?
A
Replying to an advert \+easy to get sample \+less chance of them deliberately sabotaging study -biased -can’t generalise
15
Q
Code of ethics and conduct (BPS, 2009)
A
Respect
Competence
Responsibility
Integrity
16
Q
Ethical issues?
A
Informed consent The use of deception Right to withdraw from the investigation Confidentiality Protection of participants from harm
17
Q
How to deal with ethical issues
A
Adhering to code of conduct
Talking to an ethics committee
Cost-benefit analysis
BPS can enforce punishments
18
Q
Dealing with informed consent?
A
Obtain profit general consent
Obtain presumptive consent
Obtain fully informed consent
19
Q
Dealing with the use of deception?
A
Obtain prior general consent
Debrief participants
20
Q
Dealing with the right to withdraw?
A
Provide the right to withdraw
21
Q
Dealing with confidentiality?
A
Avoid collecting personal details from participants
22
Q
Dealing with protection of participants?
A
Terminate research
Provide right to withdraw
Debrief participants
23
Q
What is an ethical issue?
A
They arise when there is a dilemma between what the researcher wants to do in their study and the rights and best interests of the participants
24
Q
Types of experimental methods?
A
Laboratory
Field
Natural
Quasi
25
Lab experiments?
IV deliberately manipulated
Environment that is designed
Full control of extraneous variables
Participants aware
```
+high control
+cause and effect determined
+easy to replicate
-unnatural behaviour
-demand characteristics
-possible ethical issues
```
26
Field experiments?
IV deliberately manipulated
Usual environment
Some control of extraneous
Participants unaware
```
+behaviour will be natural
+reduced demand characteristics
-difficult to replicate
-cause and effect difficult to determine
-possible ethical issues
```
27
Natural experiments?
IV not deliberately manipulated
Usual environment
No control of extraneous
Participants unaware
```
+natural behaviour
+reduced demand characteristics
+allows investigation of unusual situations
-difficult to replicate
-cause and effect can’t be determined
-possible ethical issues
```
28
Quasi experiments?
IV not deliberately manipulated
IV is a characteristic of the participant
Lab or usual environment
Some control of extraneous
+allows investigations of unusual situations
-cause and effect difficult to determine
29
What’s a confounding variable?
A specific example of an extraneous variable generally discovered after experiment
30
Types of extraneous/confounding variables?
```
Participant variables
Situational variables
Demand characteristics
Investigator effects
Order effects
```
31
Control of extraneous and confounding variables?
```
Standardisation
Counterbalancing
Randomisation
Random allocation
Single blind design
```
32
What’s a pilot study?
A small scale trial run of a study to find out if anything needs to be modified
33
Experimental designs?
Repeated measures
Independent groups
Matched pairs
34
Repeated measures evaluation?
```
+no participant variables
+fewer participants required
-possible order effects
-demand characteristics
-different materials needed for each condition
```
35
Independent groups evaluation?
```
+no order effects
+lower risk of demand characteristics
+same materials can be used
-participant variables likely
-more participants needed
```
36
Matched pairs evaluation?
+fewer participant variables
+no order effects
+lower risk if demand characteristics
+same materials can be used
-participants can’t be matched on everything so some participant variables
-matching participants is difficult and time consuming
-more participants needed
37
Measures of central tendency
Mean
Median
Mode
38
Measures of dispersion
Range
| Standard deviation
39
Non experimental methods?
Observational techniques
Self report techniques (questionnaires and interviews)
Correlations
Case studies
40
Difference between experiments and correlations?
Experiments- researcher looks for differences between two conditions, manipulates IV, cause and effect can be determined
Correlations- researcher looks for relationship between co-variables, no manipulation of IV, cause and effect can’t be determined
41
What’s a correlation coefficient?
The strength of a correlation from -1 to +1
| The closer it is to -1 or +1 the stronger it is
42
Correlation evaluation?
+allows research into unknown areas
+can make use of existing data when other methods are unethical
-cant determine cause and effect
-correlations can only identify linear relationships
43
Types of observation?
Naturalistic- behaviour in a natural setting
Controlled- behaviour in a prepared situation
Overt-participants aware
Covert- participants unaware
Participant- researcher becomes part of group
Non participant-researcher not part of group
44
Evaluation of naturalistic and controlled?
Naturalistic
+behaviour will be natural
-little control over research situation
Controlled
+good control over situation
-behaviour may be unnatural
45
Evaluation of overt and covert observation
Overt
+more ethical
-may alter their behaviour
Covert
+won’t alter behaviour
-less ethical
46
Evaluation of participant and non participant?
Participant
+data may be accurate (first hand experience)
-data may be inaccurate (biased)
Non participant
+data may be accurate (unbiased)
-data may be inaccurate (seen from a distance)
47
How to record data from an observation?
Unstructured-write everything
Structured-write specified behaviour down from behaviour categories
Can be event sampling or time sampling
48
What is inter-observer reliability?
How consistently different observers have recorded the same observed behaviour
49
Styles of closed questions?
Likert scales
Rating scales
Fixed choice questions
50
Evaluation of questionnaires
```
+large amounts of data collected quickly
+less investigator bias than interviews
+quick
-social desirability bias
-biased sample
```
51
Evaluation of structured interview
+standardisation of procedure
| -social desirability bias
52
Evaluation of unstructured interviews
```
+good rapport established
+can obtain detailed information
-interpretation of data can be subjective
-time consuming
-social desirability bias
```
53
Evaluation of case studies
+detailed data collected
+allow insight into situations which can’t be created by researchers
-replication is difficult
-difficult to generalise to a wider population
54
Evaluation of qualitative and quantitative
Quantitative
+easier to analyse
-forced to choose a response
Qualitative
+difficult to analyse
-conclusions likely to be accurate and meaningful
55
Evaluation of primary and secondary data
Primary
+data will be wholly relevant
-time consuming and expensive
Secondary
+quick and inexpensive
-data may not be wholly relevant
56
What is meta analysis
Results from a large number of studies combined
+volume of data larger than is usually possible to collect
-researcher may be biased in picking the data
57
What is peer review?
When people submit their results for publishing and people scrutinise it before the editor decides whether or not to publish it
58
Evaluation of peer review
+increases chance of errors being identified
+ensures poor quality work isn’t published
+adds to knowledge
+ensures research in a journal is authentic
-some may slip through
-bias towards positive findings
-bias towards prestigious researchers and departments
-bias towards established research areas
-time consuming and expensive
59
Psychological research for the economy
Research about improving memory and eye witness accounts
Research into attachment allowing women to go to work and men to raise kids
Research into mental illness and treatment
60
What is statistical testing?
Determines the likelihood that the effect/difference/relationship they’ve found is due to chance
61
What does statistically significant mean?
Low likelihood that results are due to coincidence
62
What does not statistically significant mean?
High likelihood that the results are due to coincidence
63
The process of statistical testing?
1. Investigation conducted, data collected
2. Appropriate statistical test chosen and calculated from the data
3. A value is obtained
4. Value compared to critical table for that test
5. Appropriate hypothesis supported and the other rejected
64
When to use the sign test?
Looking for a difference between two conditions
Used a repeated measures or matched pairs design
Collected data that can be organised into categories
