RELIABILITY

Question 1

Define reliability

Answer 1

The consistency of a procedure, test or measure.

Question 2

External reliability

Answer 2

• The extent a measure is consistent over time

Question 3

Internal reliability

Answer 3

• The extent a test measure is consistent with itself.

Question 4

IntrA-rater reliability

Answer 4

The consistency of one researcher’s judgments or measurements over time.

Question 5

Inter-observer reliability

Answer 5

• The level of consistency between two or more trained observers when they conduct the same observation.

Question 6

Inter-rater reliability

Answer 6

The extent to which different independent raters produce similar ratings, when judging/ coding the same set of data or phenomena

Question 7

Test-retest reliability

Answer 7

• Involves presenting the same ppt
• With the same test on 2 seperate occations.
• A reliable measure/test should give similar results.

Question 8

Split-half method

Answer 8

1. Involves splitting the items of a test into 2 halves.
2. Then comparing the results on each part.
3. To see whether the results taken from each part are similar. (correlation co-effiecent)

Question 9

How to improve relaibility?

Answer 9

• Operationalisation.
• Standardised procedures.
• Pilot testing.
• Training.
• Multiple raters.
• Statistical analysis
• Replication

Question 10

Why is reliability important in experiments?

Answer 10

• If the measures used are inconsistent, differences across conditions may be due to poor measurments rather than the effects of the IV.
• If the Dv isn’t measured reliably that the results cannot be used to test/ establish a casual effects.

Question 11

Why is it important (for reliability) to use multiple observers/ raters in an observation?

Answer 11

• Subjectivity: A single observer may have a subjective interpretation/ biases
• Human error: Accuracy cannot be verified so Errors such as misinterpreting behaviours, inaccurate recording of data may occur.
• Observer fatigue: Observing behaviours over long periods is taxing. (could lower attension)