Scientific Processes

Question 1

What is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 1

States the direction of the difference or relationship
(State what you think the outcome will be)

Only put directional hypothesis if research has been carried out before

Question 2

What is an aim?

Answer 2

A general statement of what the researcher intends to invesitgate, the purpose of the study

Question 3

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 3

A clear, precise testible statement that states the relationship between the variables to be investigated.

Question 4

What is an non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 4

Doesn’t state the direction of the difference of the relationship
(Always start with ‘there will be a difference’)

Question 5

What is the independant and dependant variable?

Answer 5

Independant variable- What the researcher changes
Dependant variable- What the researcher measures

Question 6

What are extrenuous variables?

Answer 6

Any variable other than the independant variable that may affect the dependant variable

Question 7

What are cofounding variables?

Answer 7

Cofounding variables do change systematically with the IV.
Often end up with a second unintended variable

Question 8

What are demand characterisitcs?

Answer 8

In research situation ppts will try & work out whats going on.
Certain clues may help them interpret whats going on
These clues are the demand characterisitcs

Ppts may also look for clues to tell them how they should behave in an experimental situation
They may act in a way that they think is expected & over perform to please experimenter (this is the please U effect)

Question 9

What is the investigator effect?

Answer 9

• The unwanted influence of an investigator on the research outcome

Question 10

What is randomisation?

Answer 10

• The use of chance methods to reduce the researchers unconscious biases when designing an investigation

Question 11

What is standardisation?

Answer 11

• Using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for all ppts in a research study

Question 12

What is an independant groups design?

Answer 12

When two seperate groups of ppts experience two different conditions of the experiment

Question 13

What is the issue with independant groups?

Answer 13

The ppts who occupy the different groups are not the same in terms of

Question 14

What are repeated measures

Answer 14

Where all participants take part in all conditions of the experiment

Question 15

What is a matched pairs design?

Answer 15

• Pairs of participants are first matched on some variables that may affect the dependant variable (e.g. similar iqs)
• Then one member of the pair is assigned to condition A and the other to condition B

Question 16

What is one issue with an independant groups design?

Answer 16

• Independant groups are less economical than repeated measures as each ppts contributes a single result only.
• Twice as many participants would be needed to produce equivalent data to that collected in a repeated measures design
• This increases time/money spent on recruiting ppts

Question 17

What is one strength of independent groups?

Answer 17

• That order effects are not a problem whereas they are a problem for repeated measures desgins
• Ppts also are less likely to guess the aims

Question 18

What is the biggest issue for repeated measures?

Answer 18

Each ppt has to do at least two tasks and the order of these tasks may be significant (i.e there are order effects)

Order effects also arise because repeating two tasks could creat boredom or fatigue that might cause deterioration in performance on the second task so it matters what order the tasks are in.

Question 19

What is the benefit of matched pairs?

Answer 19

• Ppts only take part in a single condition so order effects and demand characterisitcs are less of a problem

Question 20

What are the various different methods of sampling?

Answer 20

• Random Sampling
• Stratified Sampling
• Opportunity Sampling
• Volunteer Sampling
• Systematic Sampling

Question 21

What is meant by the ‘population’ when referring to sampling?

Answer 21

The population is the group of people from whom the sample is drawn

Question 22

What does it mean when a sample is representative?

Answer 22

If sample is representive then you can generalise the results of your study to the wider population

Question 23

What is random sampling?

Answer 23

• A sample in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being chosen
• Involves identifying everyone in the target population and selecting the number of participants you need in way that gives everyone in the population an equal chance of being picked

Question 24

What random sampling methods are there?

Answer 24

The ‘lottery method’:
* Create random number table
* Allocate each memeber of the population a random number and then choose the participants using the computer

Question 25

What are the advantages and disadvantages of random sampling?

Answer 25

Advantages:
* More likely to be representive of whole population
* Potentially unbiased

Disadvantages:
* Time consuming & difficult- complete list of traget population may be extremely difficult to contain
* Expensive

Question 26

What is opportunity sampling?

Answer 26

• Consists of taking the sample from people who are avaliable at the time
• The study is carried out and fit the criteria you are looking for

Question 27

What are the advantages of opportuinity sampling?

Answer 27

Much less costly in terms of time and money than other methods (e.g. random sampling as you do not need to go out and get a full list of the population)

Question 28

What are the disadvantages of opportunity sampling?

Answer 28

Opportunity sampling suffers from two forms of bias:
* Firstly, sample is unreprensatitive of target population as it is drawn from a very specific area in a town so findings cannot be generalsied to target population

• Secondly, the researcher has complete control over the selection of participants and, for instance, ,ay avoid people they do not like the look of (researcher bias)

Question 29

What is volunteer sampling?

Answer 29

(Also called self-selected sampling) consists of participants becoming part of a study because they volunteer when asked or in response to an advert

Question 30

What are the advantages and disadvantages of volunteer sampling?

Answer 30

Advantages:
* Easy, requires minimal input from the researcher (they come up to you)
* Less time consuming than other forms of sampling
* Researcher end up with volunteers who are more engaged, more so than someone who was stopped in the street

Disadvantages:
* Volunteer bias- Asking for volunteers may attract a certain ‘profile’ of person, that is, one who is curious and more likely to try and please the researcher (which might then affect how findings can be generalised)

Question 31

What is stratified sampling?

Answer 31

• Where researcher divides or ‘stratifies’ the target group into sections, each representing a key group (or characteristic) that should be present in the final sample.

Question 32

What are the advantages and disadvantages of stratified sampling?

Answer 32

Advantages:
* Designed to accurately reflect the composition of the population meaning that the generalisation of findings becomes possible

Disadvantages:
* The identified strata cannot reflect all the ways that people are different, so compelete representation of the target population is not possible

Question 33

What is systematic sampling?

Answer 33

Consists of the researcher choosing every nth person from a population

Question 34

What are the advantages and disadvantages of systematic sampling?

Answer 34

Advantages:
* The researcher has no influence over who is chosen

Disadvantages:
* Time consuming
* Participants may refuse to take part

Question 35

What is meant by bias in sampling?

Answer 35

• Means that the sample isn’t 100% representative of the target population
• This may occur because not everyone in the population has a chance of being picked from the sample

Question 36

What are ethical issues and when do they arise in psychology?

Answer 36

• Arise when a conflict or dilemma exists between ppts rights and researchers needs to gain valuable & meaningful findings.

Question 37

What is informed consent?

Answer 37

• Involves making ppts aware of the aims of the research, procedures their rights (including rights to withdraw) & also what their data will be used for

Question 38

What is deception?

Answer 38

• Deliberately misleading or withholding information from ppts at any stage of the investigation

Question 39

What is protection from harm?

Answer 39

• Ppts should not be placed at any more risk than they would be in their daily lives, & should be protected from physical & psychological harm

Includes being made to feel embarassed, inadequate or being placed under stress or pressure

• Important feature of protection of harm is ppts being reminded of fact that they have right to withdraw from investigation at any point

Question 40

What is the difference between privacy and confidentiality?

Answer 40

Privacy- Where ppts have the right to control information about themselves

Confidentiality- Our right, enshrined in law under the data protection act to have any personal data protected

Question 41

What is the BPS code of conduct?

Answer 41

• Has its own BPS code of ethics & includes a set of ethical guidelines
• Researchers have a professional duty to observe these guidelines when conducting the research

Question 42

How do you deal with informed consent?

Answer 42

• Ppts should be issued with a consent letter or form detailing all relevant infomation that might affect their decision to participate

Question 43

How do you deal with deception and protection from harm?

Answer 43

• At end of study ppts should be given full debreif- with this ppts should be made aware of true aims of investigation & any details they were not supplied w during the study
• Ppts should be also told what their data is being used for & must be given right to withdraw during study & rught to withold data

Question 44

What is a pilot study?

Answer 44

A small-scale trial run of the actual investigation

Aim is to check procedures materials,measuring scales etc. work- also allows researcher to make changes or modifications if necessary