A Level Psychology > Research Methods - Booklet 1 > Flashcards

Research Methods - Booklet 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

define independent variable

A

-the variable which can be altered/manipulated in order to see if it has an effect on another variable

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2
Q

define dependent variable

A

-variable which is measured to see if it has been affected

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3
Q

define extraneous variable

A

-‘nuisance variable’ which should be controlled as it can affect the dependent variable

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4
Q

define confounding variable

A

-a variable which is not the independent variable but can affect the dependent variable
-it is a variable which can change within the independent variable but cannot be controlled

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5
Q

how do we test the effect of the IV

A

-control condition
-experimental condition

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6
Q

describe variables in correlational studies

A

-known as co-variables

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7
Q

define operationalise

A

-the process of ensuring variables are in a form which can be easily tested and specifically defined in order to be fully understood

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8
Q

why must variables be operationalised

A

-the researcher needs to know what they are looking for
-if they don’t the validity and reliability of the data is reduced

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9
Q

define an aim

A

-a general statement about the purpose of the investigation

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10
Q

define a hypothesis

A

-a precise, testable statement about the expected outcome of an investigation

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11
Q

name the three types of hypothesis

A

-one tailed (directional)
-two-tailed (non directional)
-null

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12
Q

define a directional hypothesis

A

-a hypothesis which states the direction of the results (predicts an outcome)

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13
Q

define a non directional hypothesis

A

-a hypothesis which suggests a difference between the independent variables but not a direction

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14
Q

name when a directional hypothesis should be used

A

-if there is previous, consistent research to support it

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15
Q

define a research method

A

-a particular way of studying something in order to discover new information about it or to understand it better

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16
Q

name the 4 types of experimental methods

A

-laboratory experiment
-field experiment
-natural experiment
-quasi experiment

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17
Q

define a laboratory experiment

A

-an experiment that controls all other variables except the independent variable
-conducted in an artificial setting

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18
Q

define a field experiment

A

-experiments conducted outside of the laboratory in a natural environment
-a key variable is altered

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19
Q

define a natural experiment

A

-looks at how a naturally occurring independent variable affects a dependent variable without manipulating the independent variable

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20
Q

define a quasi experiment

A

-researcher is unable to use random allocation to put participants into different conditions as the independent variable is a particular feature of the participants

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21
Q

advantages of a lab experiment

A

-highly controlled
-replication
-causal relationship established

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22
Q

disadvantages of a lab experiment

A

-lacks ecological validity
-demand characteristics
-unethical - deception, no informed consent

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23
Q

advantages of a field experiment

A

-causal relationship established
-high ecological validity
-less demand characteristics

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24
Q

disadvantages of a field experiment

A

-less control over confounding variables
-unethical - cannot debrief

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25
advantages of a natural experiment
-more ethical -less demand characteristics -high ecological validity
26
disadvantages of a natural experiment
-hard to establish causal relationship -unethical - deception, confidentiality
27
advantages of a quasi experiment
-high control -high ecological validity
28
disadvantages of a quasi experiment
-lack of participant allocation leads to confounding variables -hard to establish causal relationship if IV not directly manipulated
29
define investigator effects
-when the researcher unintentionally influences the participants' behaviour or the outcome of the study -this can happen through body language, tone of voice, leading questions, expectations
30
define demand characteristics
-cues in an experiment that might reveal the aim of the study to participants -when this happens participants may change their behaviour, either to help confirm the hypothesis or deliberately act differently
31
define ecological validity
-how well the findings of a study apply to real life settings -if a study takes place in a highly controlled/artificial environment, its results may not generalise to the real world
32
define mundane realism
-the extent to which the tasks participants perform reflect everyday activities -a study with high mundane realism uses tasks that are typical or daily life
33
define self report
-when a person reports on their own feelings/thoughts/behaviours themselves
34
how does psychological research gather self report data
-questionnaires -interviews
35
describe how a questionnaire is designed
-set of written questions used to assess a persons thoughts and/or experiences -make questions clear -use simple language -avoid fixed responses -open questions = qualitative -closed questions = quantitative
36
describe how an interview is designed
-a 'live' encounter where one person (interviewer) asks a set of questions to assess an interviewee's thoughts and/or experiences -pre-set/structured questions or unstructured questions where they develop
37
evaluate how a questionnaire is designed
-ethical when a debrief is given -time efficient -not flexible
38
evaluate how an interview is designed
-flexible -better qualitative data -investigator effects
39
AO3 - name the strengths of questionnaires
-cost effective -the data is straightforward to analyse
40
AO3 - describe how questionnaires are cost effective
-can gather large amounts of data quickly as they can be easily distributed -so can be completed without the researcher involved, reducing the effort/cost
41
AO3 - describe how questionnaires have straightforward data to analyse
-if the questionnaire comprises of mainly fixed choice, closed question, they provide quantitative data -so statistical analysis can be used so we are able to compare groups of people using graphs and charts
42
AO3 - name the weaknesses of questionnaires
-social desirability -response bias
43
AO3 - describe how questionnaires are affected by social desirability
-the response may not always be truthful -participants want to present themselves positively which may influence answers -so results may be invalid due to social desirability bias, a form of demand characteristic
44
AO3 - describe how questionnaires are affected by response bias
-participants answer in a similar way eg answering at same end of the rating scale -could be because completed too quickly, failed to read questions properly, or acquiesence bias -so results may not be valid
45
describe an open question
-does not have a fixed range of answers -respondents are free to answer in their own way -produces qualitative data
46
AO3 - evaluation of open questions
-more detailed, informative responses -data is more difficult to analyse
47
describe a closed question
-produces a fixed number of responses -produces quantitative data
48
AO3 - evaluation of closed questions
-easy to analyse -responses lack depth and detail
49
name the 3 types of interview
-structured -unstructured -semi-structured
50
define a structured interview
-pre set questions (interview schedule) which are not deviated from and are the same for all participants
51
define an unstructured interview
-involves a discussion point or topic but the interviewer can deviate and ask further questions -this may differ for each participant
52
define a semi-structured interview
-includes fixed, set questions but there are opportunities to ask follow up questions if needed
53
AO3 - evaluation of structured interviews
-less risk of investigator effects -easier to replicate -no flexibility so lack of depth in answers
54
AO3 - evaluation of unstructured interviews
-more depth from answers -requires training/experience from interviewer -more risk of investigator effects
55
AO3 - evaluation of semi-structured interviews
-flexibility so more depth -easier to replicate than unstructured -risk of investigator effects -requires training/experience from interviewer
56
name the types of questionnaires
-likert scales -rating scales -fixed choice option
57
describe likert scales
-respondents indicate their agreement or disagreement with a statement using a scale of usually 5 points (strongly disagree to strongly agree)
58
describe rating scales
-respondents identify a value that represents their strength of feeling about a particular topic (eg 1-10 of excitement)
59
describe fixed choice options
-list of possible options and respondents indicate those that apply to them
60
name the common errors in question design
-overuse of jargon -emotive language and leading questions -double barrelled questions and double negatives
61
describe how overuse of jargon affects a question
-technical terms only familiar to specialists -makes questions hard to understand and complex -answers may not be valid
62
describe how emotive language and leading questions affects a question
-it guides the respondent towards a particular answer -so may answer based on social desirability bias due to investigator effects
63
describe how double barrelled questions and double negatives affect a question
-double barrelled contain two questions in one which the respondents may only agree with one and not the other -double negatives make questions difficult to decipher
64
name the types of observations
-naturalistic / controlled -overt / covert -participant/ non participant
65
define naturalistic observations
-observations that take place in a natural environment rather than a lab -can be structured in advance to ensure no behaviours are missed
66
define controlled observations
-conditions are set up by the experimenter (often in a laboratory) -so the researcher can control the conditions
67
define overt observations
-observations where the researcher's presence is obvious to the participants
68
define covert observations
-observations where the researcher's presence is unknown to the participants
69
define participant observations
-when the researcher participates in the activity under study
70
define non participant observations
-when the researcher observes the activity without getting involved in it
71
evaluation of naturalistic observations
-high ecological validity -hard to replicate
72
evaluation of controlled observations
-highly controlled = less extraneous variables and easy to replicate -low ecological validity
73
evaluation of overt observations
-ethical as participants are aware of the research -demand characteristics
74
evaluation of covert observations
-natural behaviour -more unethical
75
evaluation of participant observations
-researcher develops relationship with group so greater understanding -loses objectivity -demand characteristics
76
evaluation of non participant observations
-researcher can remain objective -researcher cannot fully understand group dynamics
77
describe unstructured observations
-researcher writes down everything they se -produces rich accounts of data
78
describe structured observations
-target behaviours simplified to quantify observations using a pre-determined list of behaviours and sampling methods
79
describe behavioural categories
-target behavious to be studied are precisely defined and made observable and measurable -includes/considers all the ways the target behaviour may occur in each category
80
describe event sampling
-counting the number of times a particular behaviour occurs in a target individual/group
81
describe time sampling
-recording behaviour within a pre-established timeframe -what behaviour is shown every --- secs/mins
82
define inter-observer reliability
-comparing the data from two or more observers to ensure the data is the same/reliable
83
explain how inter-observer reliability is established
-familiarise with behavioural categories -observe same behaviours at same time in a pilot study -compare this data + discuss differences -analyse data from study by calculating correlation between each researcher
84
decisions to make when designing an observation
1. aims and hypothesis -non directional/directional? 2. design -covert/overt -controlled/naturalistic -participant/non participant -sampling 3. DV recording -structured/unstructurd -operationalise DV into behavioural categories -behaviour checklist to record frequency of observations 4. consider ethical issues -justify when needed 5. analysis of data -how will results be presented
85
strengths of using case studies
-supports existing theories -contrasts existing theories to generate further research
86
limitations of using case studies
-hard to replicate so less reliable -unique cases so hard to generalise -ethical issues - informed consent, confidentiality
A Level Psychology
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