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research methods Flashcards

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1
Q

scientific

A

relies on and produces empirical evidence
-objective
-self correcting

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2
Q

non scientific

A

ideas formed without empirical evidence
-includes psuedoscience, beliefs theories claming to be scientific but are not

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3
Q

scientific method

A
  1. ask question
    2.research question
  2. form hypothesis
  3. test with experiment or investigation
    5.analyse data
  4. results can support or reject hypothesis, if rejected use for basis of research and re do steps 1-6
  5. communicate results
  6. reproduce findings
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4
Q

iv

A

variable of which quantities are manipulate, controlled, selected

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5
Q

dv

A

variable researcher measures, in an experiment

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6
Q

operationalised vairales

A

specifying exactly how variables will be manipulated in a particular controlled experiment

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7
Q

example of operationalised variables

A

dv= concentration

operationalised= concentration as shown by the number of minutes spent on an assigned task without stopping

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8
Q

formulating a hypothesis steps:

A

-identifying independant and dependant variables(operationalise)
-predicti direction
-include people of intrest

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9
Q

controlled experiemtn

A

allow researchers to strictly maniplutae variable
-has a cause and effect relationship

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10
Q

controlled experiments include

A

-experimental group- group exposed to manipulated IV
-control group- group who recieve no experimental treatment/ intervention in oder to serve as a baseline for comparison

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11
Q

within subjects design

A

experimental design where all participants complete every expreimantal condition (also known as repeated measures)

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12
Q

advantages of within subjects design

A

-results are more likely due to manipulation of IV then participant diffrences if split group
-less people needed
-good for real world

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13
Q

disadvantages of within subjects design

A

-can produce order effects- fatigue
-participants dropping out can effect results

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14
Q

between subjects design

A

individuals allocated to diffrent groups and complete only one experimental design

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15
Q

advantages of between subjects design

A

-may be less time consuming than within
-doesnt create order effects

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16
Q

disadvantages of between subjects design

A

-may require more participants
-participant diffrences may effect results (e.g may not be due to iv but diffrences )

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17
Q

mixed design

A

combines emelmets of within and between
-able to note diffrecnces occuring within each experimental group over time and compare diffrences

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18
Q

advantages of a mixed design

A

-allows experimenter to compare results across multiple domains
-allows multiple experimental conditions to be compared to a baseline

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19
Q

disavantages of a mixed design

A

-more costly/ time consuming
-demanding for researchers and assistants

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20
Q

case studies

A

indepth investigation of an individual, group or phenominon, contains real or hypothetical situation

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21
Q

case studies may be

A

-problem solving, where develpoing a new design or procedure is required
-environemental information
-participant biological history

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22
Q

correlational studies

A

non experimental study where researchers observe and measure relationships between 2 or more variables without any manipulation of them

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23
Q

aim of correlational studies

A

-find relationship between variables
-describe variables
-make predictions based on variables

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24
Q

classification

A

arrangement of phenomina, objects or events into managable sets
-used to create lables

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25
example of classifications
grouping together behaviour, sysmptoms to diagnose mental illness
26
identification
process of recognition of phenomina as belonging to a particular set or possibly being part of a new or unique experience
27
identification
assign certain things to their respective label or group
28
field work
any research involving observation and interaction with people and environemnts in real worl settings, conducted beyond a labatory
29
fieldwork is used for
-research that needs to be real world -researchers investigate correlation rather than causation
30
types of field work
-direct observation -qualitative interview -questionarres -focus groups -yarning circles -literature reviews -modelling -product, process or system of development -simulation
31
direct observation
researcher watches and listens to participant of a study, with no direct intervention and involvement or manipulation of variables
32
qualitative interveiew
involves a researcher asking questions to gather in depth info about a topic -generally open ended questions
33
questionarres
set of questions given to participants to awnser; -can be open ended -or closed (select an awnser)
34
focus groups
qualitative research involving researcher conducting discussion with small group of people
35
yarning circles
AItSIp individuals involve in a group discussion, involving exchanging ideas, reflections, talking
36
literature review
a review of previous findings related to a researchers topic, may be: -primary data -secondary data
37
primary data
collected first hand by a researcher
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secondary data
data collected by others
39
literature reviews are important because
they help researchers know the current state of knowledge based on a topic
40
modelling
stimulates various psychological phenomina
41
modelling can be
physical- e.g a plastic human brain conceptual- used to simplify ideas
42
product, process or system of development
refers broadly to something created to help people in daily life
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stimulation
process of using a model to strudy the behaviour of a real or theoratcal system used to demonstarate how diffrent variables operate in a system
44
population
group of ppl who are the focus of the research and from where the sample is drawn
45
sample
subset of the population who participate in a study
46
representative sample
studys results are more accurate and generalisable to the population
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achieveing a representative sample is dependant on
-the size of the sample= bigger the sample is the more likely to be representative of a population -sampling technique used
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convenicence sampling
selecting readily available memebers of the population
49
random sampling
every member of the popualtion has the same chance of being selected
50
statified sampling
selecting people from the popuation in a way that ensures that its strata are proportionally represents the sample
51
process of statified sampling
1. dividing research population into diffrent strata based on charicteristics relavent to study 2. selecting participants from each stratum in proportion to how they appear in the population
52
allocation
process of assigning participants to experimental conditions or groups
53
random allocation
ensures every sample participant has an equal chance of being allocated to any group within an experiment
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a study either uses
random/ non random allocation
55
extraneous variables
any variable not the IV but may cause an unwanted effect on the DV
56
Confounding variable
variable that has directly and systematically effected the DV apart from the IV
57
particiapnt related variables
charicteristics of a studies participants that may effect the results e.g age, intelligance
58
order effects
tentancy of the order in which participants complete experimental conditions to have an effect on their behaviour
59
types of order effects
participant effects= participants perform better in the later conditions due to having done it before fatigue effects= participants perform worse in later conditions due to being tired
60
placebos
type of expectancy effect, a participants expectation for the study changes in their behaviour
61
2 types of ways placebos help
1. help equalise level of expectancy across both groups 2. during informed consent participants will be told they either have a placebo or not, balancing expectations
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experimenter effects
expectations of researcher effects results
63
situational variables
any environmental factor that may effect DV e.g tempreture, lighting, time of day
64
non standardised instructions + procedures ( how to protect from happening)
-conditions of test should be same -procedures should be same
65
if a non standardised instructions occur
introduces unwanted situational variables for either specific participants or entire experimental groups
66
demand charicteristics
cues in an experiment that may signal to a participant the intention of the study and influence their behaviour
67
ways of preventing extraneous and confounding variables (demand charicteristics)
single or double blind procedures
68
ways to prevent order effects
counter balancing, ability to administer diffrent order for subjects designs, ensuring there are an equal amount who are last and first of experimental and control groups
69
ways to prevent participant related variable
must change subject design, the within subject design
70
ways to prevent placebo effects
administer a placebo to control design, ensure researcher doesnt know this eaither
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ways to prevent experimenter effects
blind or double blind procedures
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ways to prevent non standardised instructions and procedures
ensure all instructions are clear and same for all
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ways to prevent situational variables
do not use within subjects design
74
primary data
data collected first hand by a researcher
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secondary data
data sourced from others prior research
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quantitative data
numerical
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qualitative data
qualities of something (feelings)
78
objective data
factual non biased
79
subjective data
personal opinions
80
outliers
sometimes when something sits too far away from others, it can be removed - median is only one not effected by outliers
81
how to calculate percentages
given number (divided by)/ total number x by 100
82
percentage change formula
old number- new number (divided by)/ old number x100
83
measures of central tendancy
descriptive statistics that summarise a data set by describing the centre of distribution include: -mean -median -mode
84
Mean definition
Numerical averadge of data as a single value
85
how is a mean calculated
by adding up total of all data values and dividing this by number of data values in set
86
mode
most frequently occuring value in a data set
87
measures of variability (spread)
-statistics that summarise and describe spread and distibution of data set
88
variability (spread) includes
-range -standard deviation
89
range
minusing lowest value from heighest -used to display overall dispertion of scores
90
standard deviation
shows how much data deviates from mean
91
data tables
help to display data
92
graphing conventions
all graphs needs to include: -a title -x and y axis labelled with appropriate variables -units of measure labelled on each axis Dv= y axis IV= x axis
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bar charts
graph displaying relationship between at least two variables using a straight line to correct data points
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line graphs
displays relationship between two variables using a straight line to correct data points -used to show data patterns and changes over time
95
Accuracy
how close a measurement is to the true value (what is supposed to be (e.g if a clock doesnt work it is not the true value)
96
precision
how closely a set of measurement values agree with each other but gives no indication of how close the measurement are to the true value
97
Measurement errors
-systematic or normal errors
98
systematic errors
errors in data that differ from true value by consistent amount
99
systematic errors effect
accuracy
100
systematic errors occur due to
-environmental factors -observational/ researcher error -incorrect measurement callibration
101
repeatability
extent to which same study used under same conditions will produce same results
102
reproducibility
the generalisability or extent to which the same study used under diffrent conditions will produce the same results
103
rhobust
how well repeatability and reproducibility can be generalised
104
Internal validity
when experiment measures what it intends to measure
105
external validity
only considered when internal is present, extent to which results of investigation can be applied to similar individuals in diffrent settings
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what helps achieve internal validity
-adequacy of measurement tools -adequacy of experimental design -wheather IV truly effected DV
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what helps achieve external validity
-sampling procedures create a more representative sample -using a larger sampling size
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conclusions
adress aim, findings and if hypothesis was supported or not suppoted
109
ethical considerations/values
non legally binding principles that researchers to follow to ensure results are respectful to participants, include: -respect -benificence -integrity -justice -Non maleficience
110
respect
ethical concept -consideration for people in the study example: if you make participants drive sleep deprived, stanford prison experiment, protection of autonomy
111
benificence
maximising benifits and minimising harm (maximising benifits for society)
112
Integrity
honesty, objectivity and authenticity about reporting findings
113
Justice
no unfair burden on a particular group from an action, and that there is fair distribution and acess to the benifits of an action
114
Non maleficence
no harm principle, any harm should not be disproportionate to the benifits
115
ethical guidelines
legally binding principles that researchers must follow in order to create a legally legitimate experiment, this includes: -confidentiality -informed consent procedures -use of deception
116
use of deception
use of intentionally misleading participants about true nature of study and procedures -must highlight this in consent form -and deception must be de-breifed in conclusion of study
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debriefing
ensures at the end of an experiment participants leave knowing aim, results and conclusions
118
volunatry participation
principle that ensures there is no coercion on pressure put on the participant to partake in an experiment
119
withdrawl rights
right og participants to be able to discontinue their involvement in an experiment at any time during or after the conclusion of, an experiment without penality
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