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OCR A Level Psychology > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

1
Q

What are ethics?

A

Ethics are moral guidelines used by psychologists studying human behaviour to protect their participants

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2
Q

Who provided the ethical guidelines?

A

The British Psychological Society (BPS)

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3
Q

What does the ‘Deception’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants shouldn’t have information withheld from them

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4
Q

What does the ‘Consent’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Permission of participant should always be given

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5
Q

What does the ‘Confidentiality’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants’ data shouldn’t be shared

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6
Q

What does the ‘Observation’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants should only be observed covertly, in a public place

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7
Q

What does the ‘Withdrawal’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants should be allowed to drop out at any time

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8
Q

What does the ‘Protection’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants should be protected from psychological and physical harm

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9
Q

What does the ‘Advice’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants should be offered advice if needed

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10
Q

What does the ‘Debrief’ part of DCCOWPAD state?

A

Participants should always have a debrief after the study has taken place to let them know the full research aim

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11
Q

Which areas of DCCOWPAD come under ‘Respect’?

A

Consent
Withdrawal
Confidentiality

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12
Q

Which area of DCCOWPAD comes under ‘Competence’?

A

Advice

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13
Q

Which areas of DCCOWPAD come under ‘Responsibility’?

A

Protection

Debrief

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14
Q

Which areas of DCCOWPAD come under ‘Integrity’?

A

Deception

Observation

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15
Q

What are the 4 categories of DCCOWPAD?

A

Respect
Competence
Responsibility
Integrity

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16
Q

What is a sample?

A

The group of people you’re studying

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17
Q

What is sampling?

A

How you recruit participants for a study

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18
Q

What is Random Sampling?

A

When the target population has an equal chance of being chosen

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19
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Random Sampling?

A

Strengths: Unbiased

Weaknesses: Time consuming,
Some people might not want to participate

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20
Q

What is Target Population?

A

The group of people you’re investigating

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21
Q

What is Snowball Sampling?

A

When participants recruit other participants for a study

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22
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Snowball Sampling?

A

Strengths: Can find people with rare characteristics

Weaknesses: Time consuming,
Biased,
Have to use another method of sampling to find the first participant

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23
Q

What is Opportunity Sampling?

A

Selecting people who are readily available at the time

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24
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Opportunity Sampling?

A

Strengths: Quick,
Cheap,
Convenient

Weaknesses: Usually biased,
Unrepresentative

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25
What is Self-selecting (Volunteer) Sampling?
When participants volunteer themselves to participate
26
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Self-selecting (Volunteer) Sampling?
Strengths: Participants are willing (less likely to drop out) Weaknesses: Time consuming, May have biased sample
27
What is Ethnocentrism?
When a sample is taken from one culture/area
28
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Ethnocentrism?
Strengths: Easier to recruit participants Weaknesses: Limited to generalising data
29
What is the opposite of Ethnocentrism?
Culturally representative
30
What is a Structured Observation?
When researchers know what they want to research and therefore create a structure (checklist)
31
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Structured Observation?
Strengths: More scientific, More reliable, All data is relevant Weaknesses: Can only record behaviours that are on your checklist
32
What is an unstructured Observation?
When the researcher records all behaviours they witness (don't have a checklist)
33
What are the strengths and weaknesses of an unstructured Observation?
Strengths: More detail Weaknesses: Missing behaviour (too much to write down)
34
What is a Naturalistic Observation?
Observations in a natural environment | The researcher doesn't interfere
35
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Naturalistic Observation?
Strengths: Normal behaviour (high ecological validity) Weaknesses: Very little control (anything can happen)
36
What is a Controlled Observation?
When the observation situation is staged
37
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Controlled Observation?
Strengths: Won't get things interfering with the observation (more accurate) Weaknesses: High amount of control causes situations to feel artificial (might not get real behaviour)
38
What is a Participant Observation?
When the researcher becomes part of the group being observed and takes an active role in the observation
39
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Participant Observation?
Strengths: Provides in-depth knowledge (good vantage point), Avoids researcher bias, Greater insight Weaknesses: Researcher joining group may alter behaviour, Easy to become emotionally involved
40
What is a Non-Participant Observation?
When the researcher is not part of the group being observed and does not take an active role
41
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Non-Participant Observation?
Strengths: Can remain more objective Weaknesses: Distance means you might not see everything
42
What is a Covert Observation?
When the researcher observes participants in secret | Participants are not aware that they're being observed
43
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Covert Observation?
Strengths: More likely to get natural behaviour Weaknesses: Less ethical
44
What is an Overt Observation?
The researcher informs participants that they're being observed
45
What are the strengths and weaknesses of an Overt Observation?
Strengths: More ethical Weaknesses: Might not get natural behaviour
46
What are Behavioural Categories?
Clearly defined behaviours that can be observed and recorded
47
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Behavioural Categories?
Strengths: Easier to record the same behaviours, Higher inter-rater reliability Weaknesses: Time consuming
48
What are Coding Frames?
Sub-categories among Behavioural Categories (in coded form) to allow for more specific behaviours to be recorded
49
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Coding Frames?
Strengths: More precise Weaknesses: Time consuming
50
What is Time Sampling?
When researchers record data within specified time intervals
51
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Time Sampling?
Strengths: Researchers may stay more focused, Weaknesses: Miss behaviours that could occur when you're not recording
52
What is Event Sampling
When researchers record every occurrence of behaviours within a specified period of time
53
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Event Sampling?
Strengths: Allows you to record all behaviours Weaknesses: Time consuming
54
What is Inter-rater Reliability?
The extent to which researchers- observing the same behaviour, in the same way- agree on the results
55
What are Observer Effects?
Participants may change their behaviour if they know they're being observed
56
What is Observer Bias?
A tendency for the researcher to see what they'd expect to see
57
What are Independent Variables?
The thing the researcher changes/manipulates to see the effect it has on something else
58
What are Dependent Variables?
The thing the researcher measures
59
What are Extraneous Variables?
A factor that could influence the researcher's results (Control Variable)
60
What are Confounding Variables?
A variable that the researcher cannot control (usually individual differences) These variables will interfere with the results
61
What are the 3 types of Research METHODS?
Lab Field Quasi
62
Describe a Lab experiment
IV is manipulated | Controlled and artificial setting
63
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Lab Experiments?
Strengths: High control- less interference, More ethical Weaknesses: Demand Characteristics, Lack of ecological validity
64
Describe a Field experiment
``` IV is manipulated Natural environment (realistic setting) ```
65
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Field Experiments?
Strengths: Fewer demand characteristics, High ecological validity Weaknesses: Low control -more interference Less ethical
66
Describe a Quasi experiment
IV is naturally occurring (cannot be manipulated) | Can be in either natural or artificial environment
67
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Quasi Experiments?
Strengths: High ecological validity Weaknesses: Less control (no manipulation)
68
What is an Independent Measures Design?
Participants complete only one condition in the experiment
69
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Independent Measures Designs?
Strengths: No chance of order effects, Less chance of participants changing their behaviour Weaknesses: Individual differences make it difficult to compare, More participants required
70
What is a Repeated Measures Design?
Participants complete all conditions
71
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Repeated Measures Designs?
Strengths: No individual differences, Fewer participants are needed Weaknesses: Chance of order effects, Higher chance of demand characteristics
72
What is a Matched-Pairs Design?
Participants only complete one condition but they're matched to other participants who share a characteristic
73
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Matched-Pairs Designs?
Strengths: No order effects, Can compare on participants with similar characteristics, Less chance of demand characteristics Weaknesses: Individual differences, More participants needed
74
Which hypothesis states that there WILL be a significant difference?
Alternate hypothesis | Also known as experimental hypothesis
75
Which hypothesis states that there WON'T be a significant difference?
Null hypothesis
76
What is a two-tailed hypothesis?
A hypothesis that doesn't state the direction of the experiment
77
What is a one-tailed hypothesis?
A hypothesis that states the direction of the experiment
78
How does one write an alternative, two-tailed hypothesis?
There will be a significant difference between ________ and ________ out of ___
79
How does one write a null hypothesis?
There will be no significant difference between ________ and ________ out of ___
80
What is a Questionnaire?
Written form of a self-report
81
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a questionnaire?
Strengths: Have the ability to reach a large number of participants Often encourages honest answers Weaknesses: Low response rates Cannot be changed at time- less flexible Cannot gain non-verbal information
82
What is a structured interview?
Verbal form of a self-report that has a schedule (pre-prepared questions)
83
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a structured interview?
``` Strengths: All questions are relevant Easy to compare people's answers Easy to replicate Less open to bias ``` Weaknesses: Can feel too formal Participants might not be honest Less depth
84
What is an unstructured interview?
Verbal form of a self-report that DOESN'T has a schedule (researcher creates questions during the interview)
85
What are the strengths and weaknesses of an unstructured interview?
Strengths: Interview feels less formal- participants more likely to open up ``` Weaknesses: More open to bias Hard to compare people's answers Hard to replicate Researcher could go off topic ```
86
What are closed questions?
Questions that have forced choice answers
87
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a semi-structured interview?
Strengths: Interview feels less formal- participants more likely to open up Relevant answers and some interesting ones Weaknesses: Can be time-consuming Can be biased
88
What is a semantic differential rating scale?
Measures a person's attitude towards something by putting something on a scale between two adjectives
89
What are the strengths and weaknesses of open questions?
Strengths: Answers more accurately show participants feelings Weaknesses: Very hard to analyse and compare Some answers may be irrelevant
90
What are the strengths and weaknesses of closed questions?
Strengths: Easy to analyse and compare All answers are relevant Weaknesses: No depth in answers Might not reflect participants true feelings- forced answers
91
What are the strengths and weaknesses of rating scales?
Strengths: Allows you to see the strength of the opinion Easy to analyse Weaknesses: Open to response bias Less meaning
92
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a semantic differential rating scale?
Strength: Gives the scale more meaning Easy to analyse Weaknesses: Open to response bias Less detailed- doesn't give a specific number
93
What is a Likert scale?
Allows participants to indicate how much they agree or disagree with a statement
94
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Likert scale?
Strengths: Allows you to see the strength of the opinion Easy to analyse Weaknesses: Open to response bias Less detailed- doesn't give a specific number
95
What is Response Bias?
Participants just selecting the middle option
96
What is Social Desirability Bias?
Participants changing their answers to make themselves look more socially desirable
97
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Likert scale?
Strengths: Allows you to see the strength of the opinion Easy to analyse Weaknesses: Open to response bias Less detailed- doesn't give a specific number
98
What is Quantitative data?
Data in the form of numbers
99
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Quantitative data?
Strengths: Easy to analyse and make comparisons Can repeat to test for reliability Weaknesses: Doesn't give context
100
What is Qualitative data
Data in the form of words
101
What is Primary data?
First-hand data | The researcher collects the data themselves
102
What is Secondary data?
Second-hand data | The researcher makes use of data collected by someone else
103
What are the strengths and weaknesses or Qualitative data?
Strengths: Depth, detail and insight Have reasons behind results Weaknesses: Can be hard to analyse Difficult to make comparisons Hard to replicate
104
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Primary data?
Strengths: Data will fit the needs of the experiment Weaknesses: Can take a lot of time to collect Will cost more for the researcher
105
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Secondary data?
Strengths: Saves time and money Less open to bias Weaknesses: Data retrieved may not be appropriate for the study Researcher could misunderstand data
106
What is the general definition of validity?
Whether a test is measuring what it claims to measure
107
What is Internal Validity?
How the study was done | How behaviour was defined and measured by the study
108
What is Face Validity?
Whether the study appears to measure what it should be
109
What is Construct Validity?
How well a test or tool measures the constructs that it was designed to measure
110
What is Concurrent Validity?
When a test correlates well with a measure that has been previously validated
111
What is Criterion Validity?
The extent to which a measure can predict a future behaviour or attitude
112
What is External Validity?
The extent to which you can apply the results to real life
113
What is Population Validity?
Whether the results from the study apply to people outside the study
114
What is Ecological Validity?
Whether the study reflects real life
115
What are the 8 Threats to Validity?
``` Ecological Validity Demand Characteristics Social Desirability Bias Response Bias Order Effects Individual Differences Observer Bias Weak Sample ```
116
What is the general definition of Reliability?
Whether the measure is consistent with how much it is measuring (the controls put in place to standardise procedure)
117
What is Internal Reliability?
How consistent a study is within itself
118
What is Inter-rater Reliability?
Where two or more observers observe the same behaviour at the same time using a behaviour checklist (observations only)
119
What is the Split-half Method?
A test/questionnaire/interview questions are split in half and the scores for each half of the test are compared wit hone another (test for reliability)
120
What is External Reliability?
The extent to which a measure varies from one use to another
121
What is the Test re-test?
Measure whether a psychological measure is consistent from one testing occasion to the next
122
What are the Measures of Central Tendency?
Mean Median Mode
123
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Mean?
Strengths: Uses all of the data Weaknesses: There can be extreme (anomalous) values
124
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Median?
Strengths: More useful for measuring the average when there are extreme values Weaknesses: Not all data is used
125
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Mode?
Strengths: Useful when there are categories of behaviour Useful to see a pattern in the data Weaknesses: Not all data used
126
WHat must one always include when drawing a graph?
Title Labelled (and operationalised) axis Plotted points
127
What must one always include when drawing a graph?
Title Labelled (and operationalised) axis Plotted points
128
What must one always include in a 12 mark question?
Definition of key term How you would use the key term in the context of the scenario A strength of the key term Your own experience (another strength/an elaboration on the previous strength)

OCR A Level Psychology (8 decks)

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