Research Methods

Question 1

What are the different Experimental designs

Answer 1

1. Independent groups
2. Repeated measures
3. Matched Pairs

Question 2

Evaluate Repeated measures

Answer 2

+ Fewer participants needed
+ Reduces individual differences effecting

• Order effects (may get bored or second time easier)
• Demand characteristics (may guess true aim)

Question 3

Evaluate Matched Pairs

Answer 3

+ Reduces individual differences effecting

• Cant be matched exactly
• Time consuming + expensive

Question 4

Evaluate independent groups

Answer 4

+ Order effects is not a problem
+ Cheap and easy

• Individual differences

Question 5

How can you reduce individual differences in independent groups:

Answer 5

Random Allocation

Question 6

How can you reduce order effects in repeated measures:

Answer 6

counterbalancing

Question 7

Types of experiment:

Answer 7

• Lab
• Field
• Natural
• Quasi

Question 8

Evaluate Lab Experiments

Answer 8

+ high control
therefore cause and effect is greater
+ Replicability
therefore increased validity

• Lack generalisability as unrealistic setting
• Demand characteristics as pps aware they’re being tested

Question 9

Evaluate Natural Experiments

Answer 9

+ Gives opportunities which may not always be available
+ High external validity as natural occurrence

• Might not happen often, hard to generalise
• Cant randomly allocate as IV already exists

Question 10

Evaluate Quasi Experiments

Answer 10

+ High control
+ Replicability

• cant randomly allocate as IV already exists

Question 11

Evaluate Field Experiments

Answer 11

+ No demand characteristics if pps are unaware they’re being studied
+ High external validity

• Ethical issues with consent + privacy
• Hard to replicate less control

Question 12

Define Lab Experiment

Answer 12

Takes place in controlled environment

Researcher manipulates IV and measures DV

Question 13

Define Field Experiment

Answer 13

Takes place in natural environment

Researcher manipulates IV and measures DV

Question 14

Define Quasi Experiment

Answer 14

IV not determined by anyone, just simply exists

Question 15

Define Natural Experiment

Answer 15

Change in IV not determined by researcher, would have occurred anyway
Researcher records its effect on DV

Question 16

Methods of sampling:

Answer 16

1. Random
2. Systematic
3. Stratified
4. Opportunity

Question 17

Define Random Sampling

Answer 17

All members of target population have equal chance of being selected
Lottery method

Question 18

Define Systematic Sampling

Answer 18

Every nth person selected from sampling frame

Question 19

Define Stratified Sampling

Answer 19

Identify strata that make up population
Proportions needed worked out
Pps randomly selected

Question 20

Define Opportunity Sampling

Answer 20

Researcher takes anyone who is willing and available

Question 21

Define Volunteer Sampling

Answer 21

Volunteer selects themselves to take part in sample

Question 22

Evaluate Random Sampling:

Answer 22

+ Free from researcher bias

• May be difficult to obtain list of whole target population
• Sample could still be unrepresentative

Question 23

Evaluate Systematic Sampling:

Answer 23

+ Avoids researcher bias

+ Fairly representative

Question 24

Evaluate Stratified Sampling:

Answer 24

+ Avoids researcher bias
+ Representative sample

• Complete representation isn’t possible as not all stratas can be represented

Question 25

Evaluate Volunteer sampling:

Answer 25

+ Cheap easy - May attract certain type of person