Research Methods

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  • Created by: Kim_Hurn
  • Created on: 07-11-17 15:54
EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
Involves the manipulation of an IV to measure the effect on the DV.
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AIM
A general statement of what researchers intend to investigate.
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HYPOTHESIS
A clear, precise and testable statement that states the relationship between variables.
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DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS
States the direction of the difference or relationship.
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NON-DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS
Does not state the direction of the difference or relationship.
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VARIABLE
A 'thing' that can vary/change in an investigation, used in experiments to determine if changes in one thing result in changes to another.
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INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
An aspect of the experimental situation that is manipulated by the researcher, or changes naturally.
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DEPENDENT VARIABLE
A variable that is measured by the researcher.
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OPERSTIONALISATION
Defining variables clearly in terms of how they can be measured.
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EXTRANEOUS VARIABLE
Any variable, other than the IV, that may have an effect on the DV. If not controlled, EV's are nuisances.
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CONFOUNDING VARIABLE
Any variable, other than the IV, that may have affected the DV meaning we cannot be sure on the true source of changes to the DV.
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DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS
Where a participant changes their behaviour within the situation to suit the purpose of the investigation.
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INVESTIGATOR EFFECTS
Any effect of the investigator behaviour on the research outcome (DV)
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RANDOMISATION
The use of chance in order to control the effects of bias.
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STANDARDISATION
Using the same formalised procedures and instructions for all participants in a research study.
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EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
The different ways in which the testing of participants can be organised in relation to the experimental conditions.
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POPULATION
Group of people who are the focus of the researcher's interest, from which a smaller scale is shown.
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TARGET POPULATION
Subset of the general population.
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SAMPLE
A group of people who take place in a research investigation.
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SAMPLING TECHNIQUES
The method used to select people from the population.
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GENERALISATION
Extent to which findings and conclusions from a particular investigation can be applied to the overall population.
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BIAS
When certain groups may be over or under represented within the sample selected.
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PILOT STUDY
A small-scale version of an investigation that takes place before the real one is conducted. It checks the procedures, materials, measuring scales etc work and allows the researcher to make necessary changes.
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SINGLE-BLIND PROCEDURES
Participants will not be told the aim of the research at the beginning of the study, and other details may also be kept from participants.
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DOUBLE-BLIND PROCEDURES
Neither participants nor researcher are aware of the study and its aims.
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ETHICAL ISSUES
Arise when a conflict exists between the rights of the participant in research studies and the goals of producing authentic, valid and worthwhile data.
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BPS CODE OF CONDUCT
A legal document produced, instructing psychologists about what is and is not acceptable when dealing with participants.
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CONTROLLED OBSERVATIONS
The experimenter has a higher level of control over variables that may affect the results.
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NATURALISTIC
Take place in a more familiar environment to the participant, where the desired behaviour is more likely to occur.
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COVERT OBSERVATION
Participants' behaviour is recorded without their knowledge, so they are unaware.
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OVERT OBSERVATION
Participants are aware they are being observed as informed consent was given beforehand.
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BEHAVIOURAL CATEGORIES
When a target behaviour is broken up into components that are observable and measureable.
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EVENT SAMPLING
Counting the number of times a particular behaviour occurs in a group or target individual.
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TIME SAMPLING
Records behaviour with a pre-established time frame.
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UNSTRUCTURED OBSERVSATION
Researcher writes down everything they see, tending to produce rich detail and is most appropriate in small scale research with little participants.
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STRUCTURED OBSERVATION
Simplifies target behaviours that are the main focus allowing the researcher to quantify their observations using a pre-determined list of behaviours.
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QUESTIONNAIRES
A set of written questions used to assess a persons thoughts and / or experiences.
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OPEN QUESTIONS
Does not have a fixed range of answers and respondents are free to answer how they like.
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CLOSED QUESTIONS
Offers a fixed number of responses, usually 'yes' or 'no' or a scale of 1 to 10.
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CORRELATION
Mathematical technique in which a researcher investigates an association between two variables.
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CO-VARIABLES
Variables investigated within a correlation, which investigates the association between variables.
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POSITIVE CORRELATION
As one co-variable increases so does the other.
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NEGATIVE CORRELATION
As one co-variable increases the other decreases.
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ZERO CORRELATION
When there is no relationship between the co-variables.
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QUALITATIVE DATA
Expressed in words and non-numerical data.
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QUANTITATIVE DATA
Can be counted, usually given as numbers, open to be analysed statistically and easily converted into graphs.
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PRIMARY DATA
Information obtained first hand by the researcher for the purpose of their investigation.
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SECONDARY DATA
Information collected by someone else, pre-dating the current investigation.
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META-ANALYSIS
'Research about research', processing results from studies to provide an overall view.
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MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY
'Averages' giving information about the most typical values in a set of data.
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MEASURES OF DISPERSION
Based on the spread of scores, how far scores vary and differ from one another.
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STANDARD DEVIATION
Tells us how much scores deviate from the mean and each score, all differences are added up and divided by the number of scores giving variance.
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SUMMARY TABLE
When they appear in the results section of a report but are not merely raw scores but are converted to descriptive statistics.
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NORMAL DISTRIBUTION
Symmetrical spread of frequency data, forming a bell shape pattern.
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SKEWED DISRIBUTION
Data is not symmetrical.
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POSITIVE SKEW
Long tail on positive (right) side of the peak, distribution mostly left.
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NEGTAIVE SKEW
Long tail on the negative (left) side of the peak, distribution mostly right.
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PEER REVIEW
Assessment of scientific work by other who are specialists in the same field to ensure that research for publication is high quality.
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CASE STUDIES
In-depth investigation, descriptions and analysis of a single individual, group or event.
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CONTENT ANALYSIS
Enables the indirect study of behaviour by examining communications that people produce.
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CODING
Stage of content analysis in which communication studied is analysed by identifying each instance of chosen categories.
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THEMATIC ANALYSIS
Inductive and qualitative approach to analysis that involves identifying implicit or explicit ideas within the data.
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RELIABILITY
How consistent the findings from an investigation or measuring device are.
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TEST-RESET
Method of assessing the reliability of a questionnaire or psychological test by assessing the same person on two separate occasions.
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INTER-OBSERVER RELIABILITY
Extent of agreement between two or more observers involved in observation of a behaviour.
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VALIDITY
Extent to which an observed effect is genuine and represents what is actually 'out there'.
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FACE VALIDITY
A measure is scrutinised to determine whether it appears to measure what it is supposed to measure.
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CONCURRENT VALIDITY
Extent to which a psychological measure relates to an existing similar measure.
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ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
Extent to which findings from a study can be generalised to other settings and situations.
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TEMPORAL VALIDITY
Extent to which findings from a study can be generalised to other historical times and eras.
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INTERNAL VALIDITY
Whether the effects are due to the manipulation of the IV and not another factor.
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EXTERNAL VALIDITY
Relates to factors outside of the investigation.
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PROBABILITY
A measure of likelihood that a particular event will occur.
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SIGNIFICANCE
Tells us how certain we are that a difference or correlation exists.
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CRITICAL VALUE
When testing a hypothesis, the numerical boundary or cut-off point between acceptance and rejection of the null hypothesis.
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TYPE 1 ERROR
The incorrect rejection of a true null hypothesis (a false positive).
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TYPE 2 ERROR
The failure to reject a false null positive hypothesis (a false negative).
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

A general statement of what researchers intend to investigate.

Back

AIM

Card 3

Front

A clear, precise and testable statement that states the relationship between variables.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

States the direction of the difference or relationship.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Does not state the direction of the difference or relationship.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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