Research Methods Part 1 Unit 1

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  • Created by: harriet
  • Created on: 04-04-13 13:17
What is quantitative research? (+ examples)
Research designed to produce numerical data. The methods which usually produce this kind of data include: experiments, correlation studies, structured observations, structured interviews and closed quentionnaires.
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What is qualitative research?(+ examples)
Research designed to produce descriptive data. The methods which produce this data include: unstructured interviews, case studies, open questionnaires and some observational studies.
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Strengths and limitations of quantatitive research
STRENGTHS - easy to analyse, replicable, more objective. LIMITATIONS - less meaningful and low in ecological validity
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Strengths and limitations of qualitative research
STRENGTHS - rich and detailed, meaningful, high validity. LIMITATIONS - difficult to replicate, difficult to analyse, low reliability (very personal subjective account)
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What is a hypothesis?
A statement about what the psychologist thinks will happen in a given circumstance. It must be specific and operationalised.
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Give an example of an experimental hypothesis
"Students will recall significantly more on a Monday morning than a Friday afternoon"
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Give an example of a null hypothesis
"There will be no significant difference in recall of students on either Monday morning or Friday afternoon"
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What is a directional(one-tailed) hypothesis?
This is when the hypothesis indicates which direction the results will go. E.g. "Studying improves exam grades". A psychologist may use this when background research indicates the direction
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What is a non-directional (two-tailed) hypothesis?
This is when a hypothesis does not indicate the direction of the results, but states one factor AFFECTS another. For example "Anxiety INFLUENCES performance". This could be used when the background research does not indicate a direction.
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In sampling, what is meant by 'Generalisation', and how can we make it valid?
The process of applying the findings of the research more widely. In oder to make these valid, the sample must be representative of the target population.
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What is a Target Population?
This is the group of people the psychologist wishes to study. Once a target population has been identified then a method of sampling those representative is devised.
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What is a Sample?
The people studied in a piece of research.
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What is Random Sampling?
In a random sample every member of the target population has the same chance of being chosen. E.g Computer generator or picking names from a hat.
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Pro's of Random Sampling?
It is free from Researcher Bias
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Con's of Random Sampling?
They are very difficult to organise. The selected people may not wish to take part. It may not necessarily lead to a representative sample.
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What is Stratified Random Sampling?
This is when the researcher identifies the different people (strata) in the target population and works out the proportions of each strata to make it representative. Within each strata the sample should be gathered randomly.
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Pro's of Stratified Random Sampling?
It is free from researcher bias, it is representative.
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Con's of Stratified Random Sampling?
It is very time consuming compared to other methods.
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What is Systematic Sampling?
This means that every nth person of the target population is selected, e.g. every 5th person in the register.
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What is Opportunity Sampling?
This is when the participants volunteer to take part. The researcher can most easily obtain those who are willing, availible, suitible and members of the target population.
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Evaluate Opportunity Sampling.
It is less time consuming and less complicated than other methods. However it is open to researcher bias as the psychologist selects the sample.
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What are Field Experiments?
Experiments which take place in natural conditions, but where the criteria for an experiment is met. These are carried out when it is important that the behaviour being studied happens in a natural environment.(soical psychology)
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What are the Advantages of Field Experiments?
High Ecological Validity - the study is true to real life. Reduction of demand characteristics - participants are less aware of their behaviour being measured than when in a lab setting.
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What are the Disdvantages of Field Experiments?
Less control - there's an increased likelihood of the study being influenced by confounding variables. Less replicable - the presence of confounding variables makes an exact repeat of the study difficult
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What are the advantages of Lab Experiments?
It is easier to set up the equipment and conditions needed to achieve strict control over the confounding variables and isolate the IV. It is easily replicted. Produces quantitative data which is easy to analyse.
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What are the disadvantages of Lab Experiments?
Low ecological validity(expand), demand characteristics (expand)
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What is low Ecological Validity?
This is when a situation is artificial (e.g. a lab experiment) which may have little connection to real life psychology.
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What are Demand Characteristics?
This is when the participants try to make sense of the research situation they find themselves in and act accordingly. E.G trying to oblige the experimenter/being deliberately awkward
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What Ethical Issues may arise in Lab Experiments?
Social Pressure - formal situation/authority of experimenter may cause them to behave in an artificial way. Right to Withdraw - participant reluctant to exercise right if they think it may cause serious disruption to experimenter's research.
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What is a Quasi Experiment?
This is when experimental procedures are applied yet the study does not meet the requirements of experimental control, e.g. not random asignment of ppt to conditions/the IV is not directedly manipulated by researcher -naturally occurring IVs e.g. age
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Quasi Experiments?
It allows for investigation using pre-existing variables but there is no direct manipulation so there is less confidence inferring cause and effect
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What is an Independant Variable?
The variable which the experimenter manipulates - operationalise
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What is a Dependant Variable?
This is the variable which the experimenter measures - operationalise
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What is an Independant groups (measures) design?
Different participants are tested in each condition of the experiment. The most common way of deciding which participants go into which groups is by means of randomisation.
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What are the advantages of independant measures?
It is the simplest design to operate. It eliminates order effects caused by taking part in one trial. It reduces demand characteristics.
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What are the the disadvantages of independant measures?
The differences in results may be due to individual differences in the participants. It is uneconomical with participants, as it requires more participants than a repeated measures design.
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What is a Repeated (related) Measures design?
This is when Participants take part in both (or all) conditions, their performance in the different conditions is compared.
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What are order effects?
These are effects caused my taking part in more than one trial. e.g. practice effect (doing better in the next trial) and boredom or fatigue (caused by working through trials) which can effect the results.
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What are the advantages of repeated measures?
Good control of participant variables. More economical than independant measures as it requires fewer participants.
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What are the disadvantages of repeated measures?
Order effects. Requires counter-balancing which complicates the design, high levels of demand characteristics.
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What is counter-balancing?(example)
This is when the ppts are split to reduce the errors caused by order effects.E.g. half the participants perform in condition A first, then perform in condition B. Whereas the other half would perform in condition B followed by condition A
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What is matched pairs?
Each participant is matched with another participant on characteristics which are considered relevant to the experiment, e.g. sex, personality, intelligence. One participant from each pair is allocated at random to each condition.
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Advantages of matched pairs?
Good control of participant variables, order effects are eliminated, demand characteristics are reduced.
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Disadvantages of matched pairs?
Time consuming to match up ppts, complete matching is not possible, uneconomical with ppts and if one ppt drops out the nature of the design means that two drop out.
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What is an extraneous variable and why is it important that we control them?
A variable which is not the I.V but which has an effect on the D.V if it is not controlled. It is important to control them so we can be sure it is really the I.V effecting the D.V
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What is a confounding variable?
This is a variable which has already affected the outcome. (often confounding variables are not recognised by the researcher but emerge through critical inspection of the study by others after it has taken place)
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What is a participant variable?
Some extraneous/confounding variables are known as participant variables. This refers to different characteristics of participants which may affect the outcome of an experiment, e.g. age/sex/intelligence/attentiveness
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What is a situational variable?
Some extraneous/confounding variables are known as situational varaibles and refers to factors in the environment which may affect the outcome of an experiment. E.g. time of day/temperature/distractions due to noise
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What extraneous/confounding variables can exist with an experimental method?
Demand characteristics, investigator effects, situational variables, order effects, participant variables
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How can we reduce demand characteristics?
Psychologists may use the single blind procedure where ppts are not informed about the condition in which they are placed in and are not aware of the aim of the research. However this raises ethical issues concerning deception and informed consent.
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What are Investigator/Experimenter effects?
When the experimenters expectation, hypothsis, and personal characteristics influence the conduct of the study. The experimenter may unconsciously design the study in such a way that the expectation is achieved.
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How can investigator/experimenter effects be reduced?
Psychologists may use the double blind procedure where neither the ppt or investigator knows the hypothesis of the study. Or psychologists may use computerised testing where ppts interact with a computer - this method means data is harder to misrecor
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What is matched pairs?
Each participant is matched with another participant on characteristics which are considered relevant to the experiment, e.g. sex, personality, intelligence. One participant from each pair is allocated at random to each condition.
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Advantages of matched pairs?
Good control of participant variables, order effects are eliminated, demand characteristics are reduced.
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Disadvantages of matched pairs?
Time consuming to match up ppts, complete matching is not possible, uneconomical with ppts and if one ppt drops out the nature of the design means that two drop out.
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What is an extraneous variable and why is it important that we control them?
A variable which is not the I.V but which has an effect on the D.V if it is not controlled. It is important to control them so we can be sure it is really the I.V effecting the D.V
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What is a confounding variable?
This is a variabled which has already affected the outcome. (often confounding variables are not recognised by the researcher but emerge through critical inspection of the study by others after it has taken place)
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What is a participant variable?
Some extraneous/confounding variables are known as participant variables. This refers to different characteristics of participants which may affect the outcome of an experiment, e.g. age/sex/intelligence/attentiveness
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What is a situational variable?
Some extraneous/confounding variables are known as situational varaibles and refers to factors in the environment which may affect the outcome of an experiment. E.g. time of day/temperature/distractions due to noise
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What extraneous/confounding variables are can exist with an experimental method?
Demand characteristics, investigator effects, situational variables, order effects, participant variables
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How can we reduce demand characteristics?
Psychologists may use the single blind procedure where ppts are not informed about the condition in which they are placed in and are not aware of the aim of the research. However this raises ethical issues concerning deception and informed consent.
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What are Investigator/Experimenter effects?
When the experimenters expectation, hypothesis, and personal characteristics influence the conduct of the study. The experimenter may unconsciously design the study in such a way that the expectation is achieved.
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How can investigator/experimenter effects be reduced?
Psychologists may use the double blind procedure where neither ppt or investigator knows the hypothesis of the study. Or psychologists may use computerised testing where ppts interact with a computer - this method means data is harder to misrecord.
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What are Pilot studies?
A pilot study is a small scale version of the study carried out with a few ppts to highlight possible problems in the planned study
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What experimental designs are there?
Repeated, independant and matched pairs.
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What types of experiments are there?
Field, Laboratory, and Quasi
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