Experiments: Sampling

Question 1

What is the participant

Answer 1

The individual taking part in the research

Question 2

What is the sample

Answer 2

• The group of participants taking part in the research
• it should be representative of the target population

Question 3

What is the target population

Answer 3

The group a researcher is interested in researching
- e.g. schizophrenics/students/etc

Question 4

What is the sampling frame

Answer 4

The list of ‘items’ which a sample is drawn from (i.e. a more manageable number)

Question 5

What does it mean if a sample is representative

Answer 5

The sample illustrates/reflects the target population

Question 6

What does it mean if a sample is generalisable

Answer 6

Applying the findings to the population

Question 7

What does it mean if a sample is Gender bias

Answer 7

The sample is focused or centred on one gender and therefore it is distorted

Question 8

What does it mean if a sample is Androcentric

Answer 8

• The sample is focused or centred on men
• this is a problem because you can’t generalise the findings to women if only men are represented

Question 9

What does it mean if a sample is ethnocentric

Answer 9

• Evaluating other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one’s own culture that has been sampled
• One group is seen as superior to another

Question 10

Why is having a large sample good

Answer 10

• less likely to be biased (participant variables will be minimised )
• more likely to be representative of the target population so findings are easily generalised to the target population

Question 11

Why might having a large sample be bad

Answer 11

• more time consuming for the researchers to find = costly
• more time consuming for analysing the data = costly

Question 12

Describe the sampling Method: Opportunity sampling

Answer 12

• selects a group of participants based on the section of the population given at a given time
• e.g. a researcher may use people at local supermarket at the time

Question 13

Describe the sampling Method: Random sampling

Answer 13

• every member of target population has an equal chance of being selected
• to gather random sample = access to everyone in target population, then use the lottery method or random number generator

Question 14

Describe the sampling Method: snowball method

Answer 14

• relies on referrals from initial participants to generate additional participants
• e.g. participants already obtained are asked to ask people they know if they would also like to participate

Question 15

Describe the sampling Method: self selected

Answer 15

• produced by asking for volunteers to take part in the research
• participants select themselves (through advertisements)

Question 16

Describe the sampling Method:systematic sampling

Answer 16

• predetermined system is used to select participants form the target population
• e.g. every nth person
• number of participants selected depends on how big the sample is

Question 17

Describe the sampling Method: stratified and quota sampling

Answer 17

• very similar to each other
• select participants based on frequency in the population
• therefore ratio of groups in sample = same as in target population
• the sub groups (strata) within population are identified and selected according to incidence
• for stratified: individuals selected using random technique
• for quota: opportunity technique is used

Question 18

What is a strength and a weakness to: Opportunity sampling

Answer 18

Strength:
- quick and easy to select the sample as just taking advantage of the people available
Weakness:
- may be biased as it consists of people in a certain area at a certain time, who are likely to be similar in some way. Therefore its unlikely to be a representative of the target population

Question 19

What is a strength and a weakness to: Random sampling

Answer 19

Strength:
- everyone in target population has an equal chance of being selected
- therefore sample should be representative of the target population
Weakness:
- More complex + time consuming, because you need access to a list of whole population = difficult if target population is large
- once selected, participants might not actually want to take part

Question 20

What is a strength and a weakness to: snowball sampling

Answer 20

Strength
- allows researcher to locate groups of people who are difficult to access such as drug addicts or people with specific disabilities
Weakness
- unlikely to be very representative as all the participants will be similar people because they are all friends of friends

Question 21

What is a strength and a weakness to: Self selected sampling

Answer 21

Strength
- running ads in areas where you can get big publication = gain a large sample with broad range of people
- consent in’t a problem = people who volunteer are giving their consent
Weakness
- sample is likely to be biased, people who volunteer = similar: helpful and inquisitive natured

Question 22

What is a strength and a weakness to: systematic sampling

Answer 22

Strength
- obtains an unbiased sample as they are selected using a predetermined, objective, consistent system
Weakness
- not truly unbiased unless you chose a number using a random method and stick with this process
- need access to list of all target population
- those selected might not be willing to take part

Question 23

What is a strength and a weakness to: Stratified/quota sampling

Answer 23

Strength
- its a representative sample compared to other techniques, because there’s equal representations of all the sub groups in the target population
Weakness
- difficult + time consuming = sub groups need to be identified and proportions calculated before the sample is selected
- in quota: each quota may be biased when selecting by opportunity sampling