Research methods (Mock)

Question 1

What are strengths of Laboratory experiements?

Answer 1

Usually high in internal validty because extraneous variables can be controlled.

Question 2

What is a laboratory experiment?

Answer 2

An experiment conducted in a special enviroment where variable can be carefully controlled.

Question 3

What are limitations of Laboratory experiements?

Answer 3

• Participants usually are aware that their behaviour is being studied. Leading to particpants searching for cues about the aims of the experiments and affect behaviour reducing realness.
• Low ecological validty as P’s may feel uncomfortable in an unknown and artifical enviroment. Causes change in usual behaviour.

Question 4

What is a field experiment?

Answer 4

An experiment conducted in a more natural enviroment i.e. in ‘the field’.

Question 5

What are strengths of Field experiments?

Answer 5

• Participants are not likely to be aware that their behvaiour is being studied
• A field experiment takes places in a more natural setting (e.g a classroom), particpants are more relaxed.

Question 6

What are limitations of Field experiments?

Answer 6

• It is more difficult to control extraneous variables.

- There is a major ethical issue

Question 7

What is a Natural Experiment?

Answer 7

An experiment conducted when it is not possible, for ethical or practical reasons, to deliberately manipulate an IV.

Question 8

What are the strengths of Natural experiments?

Answer 8

• Allows research where IV can’t be manipulated for ethical or practical reasons.
• Enables researchers to study ‘real’ problems such as the effect of a disaster on health (increased mundane realism and ecological validty).

Question 9

What are limitations of Natural experiments?

Answer 9

• Cannot demomstrate casual relationships because IV not directly manipulated.
• Can only be used where conditions vary naturally.
• Participants may be aware of being studied, creating demand characteristics and reducing internal validity.

Question 10

What is strength of Quasi-experiments?

Answer 10

Allows comparisons between types of people.

Question 11

What are limitations of Quasi-experiments?

Answer 11

• Participants may be aware of being studied, creating demand characteristics and reducing internal validty.
• The DV may be a fairly artificial task, reducing mundane realism.

Question 12

Hypothesis

Answer 12

A precise and testable statement which is based on an assumption of a relationship between variables.

Question 13

What are the strengths of Mean?

Answer 13

Most sensitive measure of central tendency as it includes all the raw data most suitable for interval or ratio data.

Question 14

What are the limitations of Mean?

Answer 14

Can be biased by skewed (outlying) scores. (eg. 2.4).

Can not be representative of the data at all times eg average family size 2.4 children!

Question 15

Correlation

Answer 15

Determing the relationship between two variables. May both increase together (postive) or one co-variable increase while the other decreases (negative)

Question 16

What is a correlation used for?

Answer 16

Analyse the association between two variables, in this case co-variables

Question 17

Directional hypothesis (one/tail)

Answer 17

States the direction of the predicted different (or relationship in the correlational study) between two condition or two groups of participants.

Question 18

Meta analysis

Answer 18

A research looks at findings from a number of different studies and produced a statistic to represent the overall effect.

Question 19

Strengths of meta analysis

Answer 19

• Increase validity of the conclusions drawn as they are based on a wider sample of participants.
• Allows us to reach an overall conclusion by having statistic to represent the findings of different studies

Question 20

Limitations of Meta analysis

Answer 20

The studies are not truly comparable. - Conclusion may not all be valid

Question 21

Standard deviation

Answer 21

The amount of variation in a data set. It assesses the spread of data around the mean

Question 22

Strengths of SD

Answer 22

• Takes into account all scores
• More precise measure of SD
• Not difficult to calculate if you have a calculator

Question 23

Limitations of SD

Answer 23

• May hide some characteristics of the date set eg extreme values

Question 24

Correlation coefficient

Answer 24

A measure of extent of correlation that exists between the co-variables. it is a numerical value between +1 and -1

Question 25

Perfect postive correlation

Answer 25

1

Question 26

High positive correlation

Answer 26

0.8

Question 27

Low positive correlation

Answer 27

0.3

Question 28

No correlation

Answer 28

0

Question 29

Low negative correlation

Answer 29

-0.3

Question 30

High negative correlation

Answer 30

-0.8

Question 31

Perfect negative correlation

Answer 31

-1