Scientific Processes Flashcards
(33 cards)
Define aims
The objective or purpose of the experiment.
Define Bias.
An inclination to a certain position or thought. For example, in hostile attribution bias, hostility or negativity is more likely to be assumed from a neutral face.
What are Behavioural Categories?
An observational technique wherein participants’ possible behaviours are separated into more specific components. This allows for operationalisation of the behaviour. For example, splitting aggression into categories of “swearing” and “punching”.
What are closed questions?
Strengths and weaknesses?
A type of question that can only be answered with a limited number of answers, usually a “yes” or “no”.
Easier to analyse however less information.
What is a Confounding Variable?
A type of extraneous variable that is related to the independent variable in the experiment. For example, if you were testing the effects of anxiety on memory recall, the relative levels of sensitivity to anxiety-inducing stimuli would be a confounding variable.
What are the Control Variables
Any variables that are kept constant through the experiment to prevent their effects on the dependent variable.
What is counterbalancing?
To make half of the participant sample experience the different conditions of the experiment in one order, and the other half of the participants complete it in the opposite order.
What are Demand Characteristics?
Changes in the participants’ behaviour to comply with the hypothesis of the researcher.
What is the Dependent variable?
The variable that changes in response to manipulation of the researcher, that is being measured for the experiment. For example, if you were testing the effects of anxiety on memory recall, memory recall would be the dependent variable.
What is a directional hypothesis?
A hypothesis that specifies the direction of the relationship of the experiment e.g. coffee will have a positive effect on the reaction time of participants.
What is Event Sampling?
An observational technique wherein an observer records every time a particular behaviour or “event” occurs, usually in the form of a tally chart.
What are extraneous variables?
Variables other than the independent variable that have an effect on the dependent variable. For example, if you were testing the effects of anxiety on memory recall, the intelligence levels of the participants could be an extraneous variable.
What is generalisation?
To attribute information from a sample to the rest of the population.
What is a hypothesis?
A prediction of the outcome of an experiment.
What is an independent group experiment?
An experimental design wherein different participants are involved in different conditions of the experiment. For example, using two different groups of people to test the effect of music on memory recall, with one group memorising during music playing and the other in silence.
What is the independent variable?
The variable that is manipulated by the researcher to observe its effects on the dependent variable. For example, if you were testing the effects of anxiety on memory recall, anxiety would be the independent variable.
What is the investigation effects?
Unconscious changes in the investigators behaviour to comply with the hypothesis of the investigation.
What is the ‘matched pairs’ experimental design?
An experimental design wherein participants in different conditions of the experiment are matched on certain variables to reduce the effect of participant variables. For example, in the Bobo doll study, children were matched on scores of aggressiveness for each condition.
What is a non directional hypothesis?
When do you write one?
A hypothesis that does not specify the direction of the relationship of the experiment e.g. coffee will change the reaction times of participants (whether it will increase or decrease the times is not specified).
Write on when there is limited previous research or no conflicting evidence.
What are open questions?
Strengths and weaknesses?
A type of question that requires answers that are longer than “yes” or “no”.
Gathers more information however harder to analyse
What is the operationalisation of variables?
To clearly state and objectify a variable. For example, instead of measuring “aggression”, researchers would convert it into observable categories like “punching” and “kicking”.
What is opportunity sampling?
Advantages/Disadvantages.
A sampling technique that involves obtaining a sample via anyone that is available from the population at the time of collecting the sample. For example, handing questionnaires out to people outside a shopping mall.
Quick easy, often used in real life
May only gather participants with specific characteristics (confounding variable) and not representative to wider population
What is peer review?
The assessment of work by other people with similar levels of expertise in that field, to provide an unbiased expert opinion of the quality of said work.
What is a pilot study?
Why is one made?
Preliminary/trial studies carried out to ensure the clarity of the study itself. For example, using a pilot questionnaire on a sample of people that give feedback on the clarity of the questions.
