Psychology research methods and experiments

• What is a primary moral obligation in psychological research?

  Moral obligations towards participants
• What organization issues guidelines for ethical psychological research?

  The British Psychological Society (BPS)
• What is a useful memory tool for ethical guidelines in psychology?

  • Can Do, Can't Do with Participants in Psychology
• What does confidentiality in psychological research entail?


  Participants' results and personal information should be kept safely
• What is an example of deception in psychological research?


  Not deliberately lying to participants about the aim of the study
• What should participants be ensured of if they are deceived in a study?


  They should ensure no harm comes to them
• What is the purpose of debriefing in psychological research?


  To provide a full explanation of the study's aims and potential consequences
• What does the right to withdraw mean in psychological research?


  Participants should be made aware that they can leave at any time or remove their data
• What is meant by protection from psychological and physical harm?


  Participants should not be harmed mentally or physically and should leave in the same state
• What is informed consent in psychological research?


  Having sufficient knowledge about the study to make an informed decision to participate
• What does privacy mean in the context of psychological research?

  Participants do not have to answer anything that makes them uncomfortable
• What are the types of sampling bias in psychological research?

  • Androcentric: Large proportion of males
  • Gynaecocentric: Large proportion of females
  • Cultural bias: Focused on one culture, not representative of all
• What is population validity?


  Being able to generalize results from the sample to the target population
• What is opportunity sampling?


  Sampling anyone who is available at the time of research
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of opportunity sampling?


  Strengths:

  • Quick and easy to carry out
  • More efficient for generalization

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • May not be representative
  • Chance of researcher bias
• What is a survey in psychological research?


  A method where participants choose themselves to take part in the study
• What is systematic sampling?


  Selecting participants from a target group at regular intervals
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of systematic sampling?


  Strengths:

  • Unbiased selection

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Could unintentionally introduce bias if the list is flawed
• What is random sampling?


  Every member of the population has an equal chance of taking part
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of random sampling?

  Strengths:

  • Equal chance for everyone
  • Unbiased sample

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Time-consuming
  • Can still be biased
• What is stratified sampling?


  Dividing a population into subgroups and randomly selecting participants from each subgroup
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of stratified sampling?


  Strengths:

  • More generalizable
  • Unbiased

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Requires well-known and accessible subgroups
  • More time and resources needed
• What is an independent measures design?


  Using different participants for each condition of an experiment
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of independent measures design?


  Strengths:

  • No order effects
  • Increased external validity

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Participant variables can affect results
  • Difficult and expensive to recruit different participants
• What is a repeated measures design?


  Where the same participants take part in each condition of the experiment
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of repeated measures design?


  Strengths:

  • Controlled
  • Economic advantage

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Participants may guess the aim
  • Boredom from repeating tasks
• What is a matched pairs design?


  Using different participants in each condition while matching them on shared characteristics
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of matched pairs design?


  Strengths:

  • Different participants used in each condition
  • Less likely to guess the aims

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Time-consuming to match participants
  • Limited similarity between matched participants
• What are the four types of experiments?


  Laboratory, Field, Quasi, and Natural experiments
• What are the characteristics of laboratory experiments?


  • Unnatural setting
  • Controlled environment
  • Highly standardized
  • High reliability
• What is an example of a laboratory experiment?


  Giving participants different amounts of coffee in a controlled lab setting
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of laboratory experiments?


  Strengths:

  • High control of external variables
  • Confidence that IV affected DV

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Unnatural environment may lead to disingenuous behavior
  • Demand characteristics may affect results
• What are field experiments?


  Experiments conducted in a normal setting
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of field experiments?


  Strengths:

  • Behavior more likely to be valid
  • Less affected by demand characteristics

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Less control over the environment
  • Researcher may be unsure of the effects
• What are quasi experiments?


  Experiments where the researcher does not manipulate the IV as it is naturally occurring
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of quasi experiments?


  Strengths:

  • Reflective of real life
  • Allows investigation of unethical variables

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Difficult to control extraneous variables
  • Less certainty about the effects of the IV
• What are natural experiments?


  Experiments conducted in everyday life environments where the researcher has no control over the IV
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of natural experiments?


  Strengths:

  • Reflects real life
  • Less chance of demand characteristics

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • No control over the environment
  • Difficult to replicate
• What is internal reliability?


  Whether a measure is consistent within itself
• What is external reliability?


  The consistency of the same measuring device being compared to another similar measure