Research methods

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  • Research methods
    • Experiment
      • Lab experiment
        • strength is that good control of extraneous variables
        • weakness is that the artificial situation can cause behavior to be unrepresentative
        • study conducted in artificial environment
      • field experiment
        • a strength is that their behaviour is likely to be representative
        • a weakness is that control of extraneuous variables is diffiult and replication is harder
        • researcher manipulates iv in natural setting for participants
      • quasi experiment
        • a strength is that they can be used to study real world issues
        • only possible when naturally occuring differences arise
        • experimenter makes use of existing difference in situaions. iv naturally occurring
      • Experimental design
        • Matched pairs
          • a strength is that no order effects
          • a weakness would be that matching participants is time consuming and difficult
          • arranaged into pairs that are similar in relevant ways to the study
        • Repeated meausres
          • good when participants are hard to find as less of them needed
          • order effects such as practice and fatigue could distort the results
          • each participant performs both levels of iv
        • independent measures
          • a strength would be that there are no order effects
          • a weakness would be that more participants are needed
          • different participants used at each level of the iv
      • Variables
        • Independent variable
          • factor that is manipulated by experiemnter
        • dependent variable
          • the factor that is measured by the experimenter
    • correlation
      • Measured variables
      • scatter diagrams
        • Positive
          • both variables increase in the same direction
        • negative
          • as one variable increases the other decreases
        • no correlation
      • the relationship between two variables
      • strength would be that can demonstrate the presence or absence of a relationship
      • a weakness is that it doesn't establish a cause and effect
      • correlation coefficient
    • Self report
      • questionnaires
        • self report method that uses written questions
      • Interviews
        • structured
          • asks predominantly closed questions in a fixed order and are scripted
          • strength everyone is treated the same way
        • unstructured
          • starts with general question then depends on the answers of participant and may be a list of topics to cover
          • a strength is that new themes that arise can be explored
        • semi- structured
        • participants respond verbally to questions asked by interviewer
        • people may be less inclined to tell the truth than in a questionnaire, social desireablitiy
    • Observation
      • Structured
        • records specified range of behaviors in pre-decided and pre defied categories
          • a strength is that categories that are pre determined are agreed by the observers which betters the reliability
          • a weakness is thast predetermined categories can be limiting when new behaviours appear
      • unstructured
        • records non- specified, wide range of behaviors any that seem relevant
          • strength is that there are no restrictions on the behaviors that can be recorded
          • weakness is that by attempting to write down everything observers may miss important aspects
      • observer role
        • covert
          • participants are unaware
            • strength is that participants more likely to act as they normally would
            • if observers are identifies or suspected then validity is compromised
        • overt
          • participants are aware
            • a strength is that the technique is more ethical as informed consent can be applied
            • a weakness is thattheir responses may not be how they would normally react
        • Participant
          • researcher engaged with participants as part of the social setting
            • a strength is that an insight into the participants real emotions and motives
            • a weakness is that being involved can make the observer subjective
        • Non- participant
          • researcher not engaging as part of social situation
            • a strength is observers can remain objective as they are not involved
            • a weakness is that if unaware it raises  ethical issues such as informed consent and right to with draw
      • sampling
        • event sampling
          • uses a checklist of possible activities which are tallied as they occur
            • strength it can record every occurrence of each behaviour
            • weakness is that it gives no indication of how much time is spent on each behaviour
        • time sampling
          • limited list of possible activities. recorded in relation to short specified time intervals.
            • strength - gives an indication of what order the events happen in
            • Weakness- records are difficult to obtain as timings have to be precise. if indictaed by noisy timer you could get demand characteristics
      • naturalistic
        • behaviors are observed in participants normal envronment
          • a strength is that participants act more realistically
          • a weakness is that extraneour variables can rarely be controlled
      • controlled
        • recorded where there has been some manipulation of the environment by the researchers
          • a strength is that extraneous variables can be controlled
          • a weakness is that participants in an unfamiliar environment may react differently to usual

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