iGCSE psych > research methods > Flashcards

research methods Flashcards

(139 cards)

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1
Q

iv

A

independent variable
the variable directly manipulated by the researcher (can have levels)

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2
Q

dv

A

dependent variables
the variable being measured in a study

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3
Q

operationalised

A

making the variables in an investigation detailed and specific

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4
Q

why is operationalisation important

A

so other researchers know and they are testable

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5
Q

extraneous variable

A

a variable that is not controlled and can thereby affect results of the study

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6
Q

confounding variable

A

an extraneous variable that damages the results of the study

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7
Q

Situational variables

A

an extraneous variable present in the environment of the study

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8
Q

demand characteristics

A

when participants change their behaviour to meet the perceived aims of the study

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8
Q

example of situational variable

A

noise
distractions
temp

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9
Q

order effects

A

when participants improve or worsen in the second condition because they have practiced or become fatigued

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10
Q

investigator effects

A

when a researcher unintentionally gives participants clues on how to behave

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11
Q

participant variables

A

extraneous variables specific to participants

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12
Q

examples of participant variables

A

mood
ability
personality

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13
Q

standardised procedure

A

where the procedure of the study is kept the same in all conditions

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14
Q

counterbalancing

A

where half of the participant
group experience condition A then condition B, while the other half experience condition B then condition A

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15
Q

randomisation

A

when participants are randomly allocated to either condition A or B first or second

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16
Q

what does counterbalancing and randomisation control

A

order effects

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17
Q

single-blind technique

A

when info about the study is withheld from participants

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18
Q

double-blind

A

when the aims are withheld from both participants and researchers

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19
Q

what does single-blind and double-blind control

A

demand characteristics

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20
Q

random allocation

A

when participants are randomly assigned to a condition of the study

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21
Q

what does random allocation control

A

participant variables by ensuring that participant variables are distributed across conditions of the study

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22
Q

hypotheses

A

statements of predicted outcomes based on the theory being tested

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23
Q

null hypothesis

A

a prediction that the results will fail to show any difference (or relationship) that is consistent or systematic

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24
Alternative (experimental) hypothesis:
a prediction of the outcome of a study based on what is expected to happen
25
directional hypothesis
predicts the direction the results will go in
26
non-directional hypothesis
a hypothesis that predicts a difference will be found, but does not specify what it is
27
experimental hypothesis
used in field and lab experiments
27
target population
group of people that are investigated in a study
28
sample
a selection of the target population that is studied in the investigation
29
sampling methods
a technique used to gather a representative group of people as a sample from the target population
30
random sampling technique
technique where random sample of participants are chosen
31
strengths of random sampling technique
representative sample as everyone has an equal chance controls participant variables that may affect the study
32
weakness of random sampling technique
people may not agree to take part
33
stratified sampling technique
a technique that ensures subgroups of the target population are proportionately represented in a sample
34
how does stratified sampling technique work
make subgroups within target population and take a random proportionate sample from each
35
strengths of stratified sampling technique
ensures no people missed so is very representative
36
weakness of stratified sampling technique
time consuming same as random sampling
37
sample error
when a sample is not representative of the target population
38
volunteer sampling technique
gather sample by advertising for volunteers
39
strength of volunteer sampling technique
faster and less effort more ethical
40
weaknesses of volunteer sampling technique
less representative biased sample
41
biased sample
when sample does not fully reflect the target population
41
opportunity sampling technique
recruits participants who are readily available at the time
42
strength of opportunity sampling technique
quickest and easiest
43
weaknesses of opportunity sampling technique
biased sample unreliable (different if repeated)
44
research design
how participants are allocated to the conditions of study
45
experimental design
a research design when used in an experiment
46
independent measures design
participants are split into groups and each group is only tested in one condition
47
strength of independent measures design
no order effects
48
weakness of independent measures design
more participants needed individual differences in the groups
49
controlling issues for independent measures design
participants can be randomly allocated to each condition
50
repeated measures design
same participants used in all conditions of the study
51
strengths of repeated measures design
fewer participants (save money) no differences between groups
52
weaknesses of repeated measures design
demand characteristics order effects
53
controlling problems for repeated measures design
order effects need to be controlled by counterbalancing or randomisation
54
matched pairs design
different people used in conditions, but matched on important characteristics (based on the aim of the study)
55
strengths of matched pairs design
fair comparisons can be made between groups
56
weaknesses of matched pairs design
time consuming not all characteristics can be matched easily
57
reliability
the consistency of an outcome or result of an investigation (if you repeat it will you get the same results)
58
how can investigations be unreliable
if they do not use a standardised procedure
59
reliability in sampling methods
no biased sample
60
reliability in experimental design
IM design can cause unreliable results
61
validity
whether the test measures what was intended
62
internal validity
whether the measures used in a test genuinely test what they were designed to test
63
external validity
whether the findings from the sample are generalisable to the target population
64
relationship between reliability and validity
usually opposite, if one is higher, other one is lower
65
validity in sampling methods
if sample error occurs then no validity (external)
66
validity in experimental design
RM: may be fatigued so not actually measuring/participants can guess the aim
67
qualitative methods
ways of conducing research that find new information and gathering detailed information (qualitative data)
68
validity and reliability in qualitative methods
internal validity: high external validity: may be low reliability: low
69
researcher bias
when a researcher interprets the outcome of a study according to their own view (subjective)->low validity
70
triangulation
more than one measure is taken to cross validate the findings
71
objective
not open to interpretation, unbiased
72
quantitative methods
conducting research that tests a prediction and gathers quantitative data
73
validity and reliability in quantitative methods
external validity: high internal validity: potentially low reliability: high
74
ethical issues
researchers follow codes or rules of conduct when carrying out research to protect participants from harm
75
informed consent
agreement of people to participate in the study once there is full disclosure of all aims of the study, nature and outcomes
76
deception
misleading or lying to participants
77
debrief
full disclosure given to participants after study
78
confidentiality
not disclosing the identity of participants
79
right to withdraw
ensure participants are clearly aware of their right to leave the study at any point
80
protection of participants
safeguarding participants against physical and psychological harm
81
laboratory experiment
an investigation that is staged in an artificial and controlled environment
82
lab experiment strengths
high level of control and very reliable cause and effect can be established (internal validity)
83
lab experiment weaknesses
low ecological validity participants may display demand characteristics reductionist: does not consider other variables that could be involved
84
field experiment
an experiment staged in a natural environment
85
field experiment strengths
natural environment (eco validity and mundane realism) some extraneous variables can be controlled
86
field experiment weaknesses
not all extraneous variables can be controlled potentially no informed consent
87
natural experiment
a study that examines a naturally occurring variable in a real-life situation
88
natural experiment strengths
high eco validity IV is not manipulated
89
natural experiment weaknesses
cannot allocate participants (influence findings) difficult to control extraneous variables
90
interview
research method designed to gather self-reported information from participants.
91
structured interview
standardised list of pre-set questions are asked
92
what information is gained in interview
beliefs, opinions and attitudes
93
interview schedule
a list of set questions in a certain order prepared before hand
94
semi-structured interview
has some pre-set questions, but also some open-ended questions of points of discussion
95
unstructured interview
free-flowing conversation around a particular topic with a respondent
96
interview strengths
gather info about things which would be difficult to find in an interview
97
social desirability bias
respondents answer in a way they deem is more socially acceptable
97
interview weaknesses
social desirability bias interviewer effect
98
interviewer effect
the characteristics of an interviewer impact the way a respondent answers questions
99
structured interview strength
fast info gathering easy to replicate
100
structured interview weakness
only access to superficial info, no free response
100
semi-structured interview strength
pre-set qs and respondents can answer in their own way can deviate from schedule if relebant
100
semi-structured interview weakness
time consuming interviewer needs more training
101
unstructured interview weakness
time consuming interviewers need to be well trained and build rapport
101
unstructured interview strength
gathers most in depth info explore more deeply
102
questionnaires
a self-report technique designed to ask lots of people questions about a topic.
103
close-ended questions
questions with a fixed response to choose from
104
open-ended questions
questions with no fixed response
105
questionnaire weaknesses
low rate of reply
106
questionnaire strengths
inexpensive ethical (can easily choose not to do it) more likely to be honest (less social desirability bias)
107
correlation
technique used to find relationships between variables
108
positive correlation
as one goes up, other also goes up
109
negative correlation
as one goes up, the other goes down
110
correlation strength
can be used to examine relationship between many variables less interventionist, more ethical
111
correlation weakness
cause and effect cannot be established
112
case study strength
can be used when set up is unethical provides in depth info
112
case study
a study of a single person, group or event in depth
113
case study weakness
cannot be repeated lacks generalisability potentially lose objectivity
114
observation
a research method that involves watching and recording behaviour
115
controlled observation
observation carried out in a lab or controlled environment
116
naturalistic observation
conducted in an everyday environment where the behaviour is normally seen
117
overt observation
conducted with participant knowledge (can be structured or natural)
118
covert observation
participants are not aware of observation (usually naturalistic)
119
participant observation
observer is involved in the group they're observing
120
nonparticipant observation
observer is not actively involved
121
inter-rater reliability
when more than one observer codes behaviour and their results are compared to check for agreement
122
strengths of observation
reliability can be checked with inter-rater reliability
123
observation weakness
unreliable if measures are not put in place can lack validity (if observed behaviours do not match study aim) ethical issues with covert observation
124
observer bias
when an observer interprets the observed behaviour according to their own view (more likely during participant observation)
125
data analysis
transforming and summarising data to find and show useful information
126
descriptive statistics
ways of summarising data to make it easier to understand mean, median, mode, range, graphs
127
primary data
data collected specifically for the research purpose
128
secondary data
data used in study that was already collected for a different purpose usually
129
meta-analysis
procedure used to merge and analyse findings from other studies in order to draw conclusions
130
qualitative data
descriptive data, like words or pictures
131
quantitative data
numerical data
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