Research Methods
- Created by: bio_bro
- Created on: 09-11-21 00:29
Aim - intention of investigation
Hypothesis - statements of expected outcome, must be clear + operationalised
Null hypothesis - predicts IV has no effect on DV
- Directional (one tailed) = specific about effect that IV will have on DV
- Non-directional (two-tailed) = Say IV will affect DV but not specific about how this will be
- Directional = sufficient background evidence (previous research)
- Non-directional = if evidence is unclear + researcher wants to suggest they are avoiding bias
Extraneous variables - things that could influence DV = therefore should be controlled e.g. individual differences
Confounding variables - variables that have already effected DV
- Should have been controlled
Operationalised - made specific so that the hypothesis is clear and testable
Types of experiments
- Lab
- Field
- Quasi
- Natural
Lab experiments (AO3)
- In environment that allows high degree of control over extraneous variables e.g. skinners box
- Controls variation of IV and measures change of DV
- Advantages:
More confident of relationship between IV + DV being casual
High degree of control = method more easily reliable = method is reliable
- Disadvantages:
High degree of control = situation is artificial = lack ecological validity (do not reflect natural behaviour)
Lack mundane (everyday) realism
Field experiments (AO3)
- In real world setting
- Researcher still manipulates IV but little control over extraneous variables
- Pts don’t know they are taking part in experiment
- Advantages:
Ppts don’t know they are in a study = no demand characteristics
Ppts behaving naturally = research has higher validity = behaviour reflects real life
- Disadvantages:
Loss of control over potential extraneous variables = harder to find causal relationship between IV + DV
Harder to replicate – because of lack of control over extraneous variables, unreliable
Natural VS Quasi
- IV cannot be manipulated by researcher (for ethical/practical reasons)
- Natural = IV refers to a situation or environmental factor e.g. kind of education system a child has been through
- Quasi = when IV is an individual difference e.g. gender, intelligence
- Advantage of Natural + Quasi:
ü Can study variables that we would not be able to (ethical/practical reasons)
- Disadvantages of Natural + Quasi:
ý Can’t manipulate the IV = must be cautious about assuming a causal relationship relying on natural variation = no control over potentially important extraneous variables
Experimental design?
- Allocating participants to conditions
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