psycology 3.2: Research Methods - Overview

?
  • Created by: martina
  • Created on: 30-09-19 19:53
describle the scientific method
Content Analysis • Case Studies • Experiments • Variables • Methodology and Experimental design • Experimental Controls • Interpreting and analysing research results • Ethical Issues
1 of 54
Content Analysis
Psychological researchers may assess the content of advertisements, video games, TV shows, etc. and tally how often certain aspects occur, and then attempt to link this with human behaviour.
2 of 54
when is content analysis a relevant research method?
When it comes to aggression,
3 of 54
define content analysis
Content analysis is a research tool used to indirectly observe the presence of certain words, images, concepts or themes within many different types of media (art, advertisements, video games, TV shows, etc.).
4 of 54
a suitable medium for content analysis
Any medium that can be recorded and reviewed is suitable.
5 of 54
how can content be anayalised
it can be summarised using statistics and comparisons.
6 of 54
name some research methods used for case studies
(questionnaires, observations, interviews, experiments etc…) to gather as much in depth information about that person or small group as possible
7 of 54
define qualitative data:
data involving what the person thinks or feels such as stories or attitudes.
8 of 54
quantitative data
data involving numbers and statistics such as percentages and test scores.
9 of 54
define experiment
a research method which measures participants’ performance in two or more conditions. It is a way to find out if one factor affects another…
10 of 54
how are lab experiments carried out
Lab experiments are carried out in a controlled environment. The researcher directly manipulates the IV.
11 of 54
how are field experiments carried out.
Field experiments are carried out in a natural environment (e.g. a school, a shopping centre, a psychiatric ward). The researcher directly manipulates the IV.
12 of 54
define natural experiments
Natural experiments have an IV that is not directly manipulated by the researcher because it already exists (e.g. comparing people with depression and those without). Natural experiments can take place in a laboratory or in the field.
13 of 54
define The Scientific Principle:
Hypothesis (what you think the results will show) 2. Methodology (how an experiment is conducted) 3. Experimental / participant design 4. Participants (people) or animals 5. Variables (dependent and independent) 6. Controls 7. Results 8. Ethics
14 of 54
define Hypothesis
When psychologists conduct experiments, they make predictions about the outcome of their experiments.
15 of 54
can it be tested
yes it describes the difference a researcher expects to find between participants in the different conditions of the experiment.
16 of 54
define hypothesis proposes
a relationship between two variables, how the independent variable (what the researcher changes) affects the dependent variable (what the research measures).
17 of 54
define Methodology
describe any system of methods, collection of principles and rules of a procedure: . Methodology refers to how psychology works, including how data is gathered. It involves considering ‘how do we know
18 of 54
Experimental design
is the way that participants are used in different conditions in an experiment, or the way in which the experimenter arranges the participants into conditions.
19 of 54
define Independent groups design
When different participants are used in different conditions in an experiment
20 of 54
Repeated measures design
When the same participants are used in different conditions in an experiment
21 of 54
Matched Pairs
Each condition uses different but similar participants.
22 of 54
define Participants
Participants are the people used in the experiment.
23 of 54
Variables
The things that change in an experiment are called variables. A variable is any factor, trait, or condition that can exist in differing amounts or types.
24 of 54
independent variable
e is the one that is changed by the experimenter.
25 of 54
dependent variables
are the things that the experimenter observes, measures, and records – which have responded to the change made to the independent variable.
26 of 54
Controls
Controls are measures put in place to keep everything the same.
27 of 54
explain further what controls are
These are things like making sure all participants in a group see the exact same stimulus, that it is the same size, that they get the same instructions, etc.
28 of 54
when would the the experimenter use controls
To make sure that only the independent variable affects the dependent variable,. keep variables the same in all conditions.
29 of 54
Results
Experiments in psychology generate a great deal of data, and this data needs to be analysed, compiled, and presented to make sense of the findings.
30 of 54
describe data from a psychology experiment:
a) averages and b) bar charts. These are called descriptive statistics.
31 of 54
what method is used to summarise results from an experiment.
Descriptive statistics are defined as ways to summarise results from an experiment.
32 of 54
what does this show
They can show typical or average results, or how spread out results are.
33 of 54
mode
an average which is the most common score, or response, in a data set
34 of 54
mean
an average which is calculated by adding up all the scores and dividing by the number of scores
35 of 54
median
an average which is the middle number in a set of scores, when they are put in order from smallest to largest
36 of 54
Ethical Issues
Ethics refers to the correct rules of conduct necessary when carrying out research.
37 of 54
what refers to the correct rules of conduct necessary when carrying out research.
ethics
38 of 54
are rules of conduct necessary
Ideally, rules of conduct would not be necessary and all research would be conducted such that there were no moral or ethical issues.
39 of 54
Ethical issues
are potential psychological or physical risks for people in experiments.
40 of 54
Informed consent
is an individual’s right to know what will happen in an experiment, and its aims, before agreeing to participate.
41 of 54
is it sufficient to simply get potential participants to say “Yes”.
Whenever possible investigators should obtain the consent of participants.
42 of 54
Right to withdraw
is the participant’s right to leave a study at any time and their ability to do so.
43 of 54
should participents be able to leave a study
Participants should be able to leave a study at any time if they feel uncomfortable, even if they have been paid or rewarded for participating.
44 of 54
start of the study what should participents be made aware of
They should also be allowed to withdraw their data. They should be told at the start of the study that they have the right to withdraw. They should not have pressure placed upon them to continue if they do not want to.
45 of 54
when does Ethical Issues - Deception happen?
Deception happens when participants are misled or wrongly informed about the aims of the research.
46 of 54
The researcher should avoid deceiving participants about the nature of the research only if
there is no alternative - there are some types of research that cannot be carried out without at least some element of deception.
47 of 54
when would this be ethical?
Participants must be deceived as little as possible, and any deception must not cause distress.
48 of 54
when given informed consent as a result of deception,
the participents will have agreed to take part without actually knowing what they were consenting to.
49 of 54
Ethical Issues – Ethical Guidelines
The British Psychological society (BPS) provides solutions to help experimenters avoid and address ethical issues.
50 of 54
are ethical guidelines. legal documents
These solutions aren’t legal requirements that experimenters must follow, rather they are ethical guidelines.
51 of 54
if you obtain informed consent before testing someone in a psychological experiment.who would you ask
An ethical committee or peers or colleagues
52 of 54
why does she have to explain the experiment to the participents
Because they have a right to know what they will do and what the results will be used for
53 of 54
What else does she have to tell the participants before she starts?
That they have the right to withdraw – at any time; that they will not be identified as individuals in the results
54 of 54

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Content Analysis

Back

Psychological researchers may assess the content of advertisements, video games, TV shows, etc. and tally how often certain aspects occur, and then attempt to link this with human behaviour.

Card 3

Front

when is content analysis a relevant research method?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

define content analysis

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

a suitable medium for content analysis

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Psychology resources:

See all Psychology resources »See all 3.2: Research Methods resources »