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A-level Psychology (AQA) > Research Methods (experimental) > Flashcards

Research Methods (experimental) Flashcards

1
Q

What are the features of science in psychology?

A

(F.O.R.E)
1. falsifiability
2. objectivity
3. replicability
4. empirical method

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2
Q

what does falsifiability mean?

A

the possibility that a statement or hypothesis can be proved wrong

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3
Q

what does objectivity mean?

A

measurement of data is not affected by the expectations of the researcher

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4
Q

what does replicability mean?

A

recording procedures carefully for another researcher to repeat them and verify the original results

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5
Q

What is meant by the empirical method?

A

Methods of gaining knowledge that rely on direct observation or testing (not hearsay or rational argument)

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6
Q

What is a paradigm?

A

a shared set of assumptions about a subject matter of a discipline and the methods appropriate to its study

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7
Q

what is a paradigm shift?

A

Progress within an established science occurs when there is a scientific revolution. A handful of researchers begin to question the accepted paradigm, and this opposition gathers pace and popularity, and eventually a paradigm shift occurs when there’s too much contradictory evidence to ignore

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8
Q

what is hypothesis testing?

A

To make a clear and precise prediction based on a theory, a hypothesis should be tested using systematic and objective methods to determine whether it should be supported or rejected.

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9
Q

What is a laboratory experiment?

A

A lab experiment takes place in a controlled environment where variables can be easily manipulated.
Participants are aware that they are taking part in an experiment but may not know its true aims

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10
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a lab experiment?

A

Advantages:
- controlled variable
- high internal validity
- easy to replicate

Disadvantages:
- pps might act abnormally
-low ecological validity
-demand characteristic

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11
Q

What is a field experiment?

A

An experiment that happens in a natural/ordinary environment, the independent variable is deliberately manipulated by the researcher and measures the DV, participants are usually aware they are participating

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12
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of field experiments?

A

advantages:
-high ecological validity
-lack of demand characteristics

disadvantages:
-low internal validity
-less easy too replicate

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13
Q

What is a natural experiment?

A

An experiment that is conducted when it is not possible for ethical or practical reasons to manipulate the IV (the IV occurs naturally)

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14
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a natural experiment?

A

advantages:
- allows research where the IV can not be manipulated
- high ecological validity

disadvantages:
-lack of casual relationship
-lack of random allocation

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15
Q

What is a quasi-experiment?

A

A quasi-experiment is where the IV varies naturally between people, but the DV is still measured

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16
Q

what are the advantages and disadvantages of a quasi-experiment?

A

advantages:
- allows comparisons between types of people
- can be carried out in a lab

disadvantages:
- may be carried out in a lab
- lack of random allocation

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17
Q

What is an independent variable?

A

the variable that is manipulated (changed)

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18
Q

What is a dependent variable?

A

the variable that is being measured

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19
Q

What is an extraneous variable?

A

anything other than the IV that might affect the DV. These variables can be controlled by the researcher.
e.g: age of pps, time limits for tasks, content of word lists

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20
Q

What is a confounding variable?

A

Variables that aren’t controlled for in an experiment - which do affect the results (ruin them)
e.g: weather, mood of the pps, personalities & individual differences

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21
Q

what are research aims?

A

the stated intentions of what questions are planned to be answered

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22
Q

what is a hypothesis?

A

a formal, unambiguous statement of what is predicted. It must contain both conditions of the IV & the expected outcome of the DV, be operationalised and measurable

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23
Q

what is a directional hypothesis?

A

states whether the DV outcome is expected to be greater or lesser, positive or negative, and it is used when there has been previous research to suggest a direction

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24
Q

what is a non-directional hypothesis?

A

doesn’t state the direction of the DV, just that there will be a difference
It is used when there is no previous research or it is contradictory

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25
what is a null hypothesis?
a prediction of no difference between between the two IV conditions on the the outcome of the DV
26
what is internal reliability?
each participant in a study is treated the same way
27
what is external reliability?
same/similar results are found after repeated tests
28
what are the assessments of reliability?
1. Test-retest reliability (external): test the same person twice 2. interobserver reliability (external): compares observations from different observers 3. measured using a correlation (should exceed +0.8)for reliability
29
how do you improve reliability?
repetition of study (check results over again)
30
what is internal validity?
a measure of whether results obtained are solely affected by changes in the variable being manipulated (i.e., by the independent variable) in a cause-and-effect relationship
31
what is external validity?
how far you can generalise the results of a study in relation to other settings, situations or individuals
32
what is ecological validity?
a type of external validity that measures the extent to which the findings can be generalized to a real-life setting
33
what is population validity
at type of external validity which measures whether or not the sample of people that participated in the study are representative of the general population
34
what is temporal validity?
at type of external validity that measures if the results of a study will generalise across time
35
what are the assessments of validity?
1. face validity: whether it looks like it measures what it should measure 2. concurrent validity: whether findings are similar to those on a well established test
36
how do you improve validity?
minimizing measurement by increasing the length of the assessment
37
summarise independant groups
1. recruit a group of pps 2. divide them into two 3. one group does the experiment with the IV set to condition one 4. the other does the task with the IV set to condition two 5. measure the DV for each group 6.compare the results for the two groups
38
what are the advantages of independent groups?
- no order effects - no demand characteristics - no carry over effects - no transfer of knowledge
39
what are the disadvantages of independent groups?
- recruiting pps - sample size - unfair playing field - less cost effective
40
summarise repeated measures
1. recruit a group of pps 2. the group does the experimental task with the IV set for condition 1 3. the group repeats the experimental task with the IV set for condition 2 4. compare the results from the two conditions
41
what does counter balancing a repeated measures mean?
half of the group does condition A followed by condition B, the other half does B followed by A (ABBA)
42
what are the advantages of repeated measures?
- fewer subjects - greater statistical power - evaluate results over time - detect within person change - more control over confounding variables
43
what are the disadvantages of repeated measures?
- order effect - fatigue - carry over effects - lower internal validity - hidden effects
44
summaries matched pairs
1. recruit a group of pps 2. find out what sort of people you have in the group 3. recruit another group that matches relevant characteristics (e.g: IQ) 4. treat the experiment as independent measures 5. compare the results for the matched pairs
45
what are the advantages of matched pairs?
- reduce error variability - increases statistical power -reduces sample size - increases internal validity -more efficient use of resources
46
what are the disadvantages of matched pairs?
- time consuming - lost data - imperfect matches - economic disadvantages - smaller sample
47
what are demand characteristics?
cues that might indicate the study aims to the pps
48
what are investigator effects?
when the researcher unintentionally influences the outcome
49
how can investigator effects and demand characteristics be avoided?
1. single blind = pps aren't aware of the aims till the end 2. double blind = neither the pps or the researcher is aware of the aims till the end
50
what is a control group?
used as a comparison or base line
51
what is a confederate?
(research actors) employed pps
52
why is random allocation to conditions important?
decreases systematic errors so individual differences are less likely to effect results
53
what is randomisation?
the process of randomly assigning subjects to a group using a random method to avoid order effects e.g: flipping a coin/ name out a hat
54
what is standardisation?
keeping everything the same for all pps so the investigation is fair
55
what is a pilot study?
check procedures and techniques, make appropriate changes
56
why are pilot studies carried out
to identify potential issues and modify the experiment
57
what are the advantages of carrying out a pilot study?
- reduce risk of errors - saves time and resources
58
what is opportunity sampling?
researcher asks who is around at the time of the research
59
what are the advantages of opportunity sampling?
60
what are the disadvantages of opportunity sampling?
61
what is random sampling?
obtaining a list of all the members of a target population all names are assigned a number and randomly picked
62
advantages of random sampling
63
disadvantages of random sampling

A-level Psychology (AQA) (5 decks)

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