Research methods

• What are the two areas of methods, what are these?

  Experimental Methods and Non-Experimental Methods
• What are methods

  Methods are what psychologists use to conduct their research.
• Outline what experimental methods consist of

  Lab, natural, field and quasi experiments
• Outline what non-experimental methods consist of

  Correlational analysis, observations, case studies and self report (interviews and questionnaires)
• Outline a lab experiment

  A experiment Conducted within a lab which has high control over the environment.
• Give a positive evaluation of lab experiments

  :) - High level of control over variables meaning that extraneous variables are likely to be controlled and thus a cause and effect relationship can be established between IV and DV :) - High reliability of results due to the tight control over variables meaning that it can be repeated and findings can be checked for consistency
• Give a negative evaluation of lab experiments

  ( - It lacks ecological validity as it takes place in a very fake setting, with possibly a fake task, therefore making it hard to generalise the results to other environments or settings :( - It can encourage demand characteristics as participants know they are being watched/recorded and thus they change their behaviour based on clues on what the aim is, to suit what the researcher wants to see, this affects the accuracy of the results
• Outline a field experiment  

  Takes place in a real environment such as a school, and there is then an IV that is manipulated to effect the DV.
• Give a positive evaluatevaluation of field experiments

  :) - Less prone to demand characteristics as people may not know they are taking part is an experiment and thus will display natural behaviour :) - High ecological validity as the setting is real life meaning the findings can then be generalised to other settings beyond the study
• Give a negative evaluatevaluation of field experiments


  :( - It lacks reliability in the findings as it is done in a setting where there is little control over confounding variables meaning it is difficult to replicate it and get consistency in results :( - Ethical issues can arise when conducting a field experiment as people are not aware they are taking part and thus there is no informed consent that they are giving to be able to study them, therefore there is risk that the participants will not want their results used and thus must be removed
• Outline a natural experiment

    In a real setting with a naturally occurring IV, for example looking at the effect of stress after an earthquake hits a city.
• Give a positive evaluation of natural experiments

  :) - Participants show no demand characteristics at all as at the time of the IV occurring they did not know about the study as this will show natural behaviour :) - Very high ecological validity as it is set in a real environment and nothing is controlled, so therefore you are able to generalise the findings beyond the setting of the study
• Give a negative evaluation of natural experiments

  :( - It lacks reliability as there is zero control over variables meaning that it is difficult to replicate the experiment and get consistent results :( - Due to the lack of control over extraneous variables it is very difficult to establish a cause and effect relationship and thus this reduces the internal validity
• Outline a quasi experiment

  Quasi experiments have an IV that is based on an existing difference between people such as age, no one has manipulated this variable and it exists on its own, for example comparing achievement level of first-born children with that of later-born children.
• Give a positive evaluation of a quasi experiment

  :) - They are often carried out in controlled conditions and therefore they share similar strengths to that of a lab experiment
• Give a negative evaluation of a quasi experiment

  :( - Like natural experiments participants cant be randomly allocated to experimental conditions so there may be confounding variables such as individual differences
• Outline the 6 types of observations

  Naturalistic-watching a natural behaviour in a natural environment, with no intervention  

  Controlled -when the conditions are manipulated by the researcher 

  Covert -This is where the participants are not aware they are being observed (one way mirror/CCTV)

  Overt -Participants are aware they are being observed

  Participant observations-The observer becomes involved in the activities .This can be disclosed or undisclosed to the participants

  Non-Participant observation - The observer watches from a distance and does not become actively involved in the activity
• Evaluate Controlled observation

  :) - High level of control over variables meaning that extraneous variables are likely to be controlled and thus a cause and effect relationship can be established between IV and DV :( - It can encourage demand characteristics as participants know they are being watched/recorded and thus they change their behaviour based on clues on what the aim is, to suit what the researcher wants to see, this affects the accuracy of the results
• Evaluate naturalistic observations

  :) - No room for demand characteristics as people do not know they are being watched and thus wont change their behaviour :( - They are almost impossible to replicate and this makes it lack reliability as ow level of control over extraneous variables therefore it is hard to check for consistency
• Evaluate covert observations

  :) - No room for demand characteristics as people do not know they are being watched and thus wont change their behaviour :( - Ethical issues can arise as people are not aware they are taking part and thus there is no informed consent that they are giving to be able to study them, therefore there is risk that the participants will not want their results used and thus must be removed
• Evaluate overt evaluations 

  :) - This avoids ethical issues arising :( - It can encourage demand characteristics as participants know they are being watched/recorded and thus they change their behaviour based on clues on what the aim is, to suit what the researcher wants to see, this affects the accuracy of the results
• Evaluate participant observations

  :) - Allows the researchers to gain more qualitative in depth data into the behaviour :( - The researchers are at risk of researcher bias and thus objectivity within the results gained, this lowers the validity of the results
• Evaluate nonparticipant observations

  :) - Less risk of researcher bias :( - Less in depth information gained into the behaviour and thus less understanding into the psychological behaviour of humans
• What are controlled observations


  Controlled observation: A type of observation where participants are observed in a lab,

  increasing control and reliability but decreasing ecological validity.
• What is a correlation

  Correlation: The extent to which two variables are associated.
• What is a experiment

  Experiment: A type of investigation wherein a hypothesis is tested by manipulation of an independent variable, in order to view its effect on the dependent variable.
• What is a field experiment

  Field experiment: A type of experiment that is conducted in a real life setting, which reduces the amount of control over extraneous variables, however the ecological validity is improved
• What is a lab experiment



  Laboratory experiment: A type of experiment that is conducted in a highly controlled environment, allowing control over extraneous variables at the expense of ecological validity.
• What is a natural experiment

  Natural experiment: A type of experiment in which an independent variable that already exists is tested in its natural environment, greatly reducing the control of extraneous variables. This type of experiment allows for investigation of variables that cannot ethically be created.
• What is Naturalistic observation

  Naturalistic observation: A type of observation where participants are observed in their naturalenvironment, increasing ecological validity but decreasing the amount of control over
• What is a covert observations

  Covert observation: A type of observation where the observer is hidden and therefore participants do not know they are being observed. While this does reduce demand characteristics, it can raise ethical issues around consent.
• What are non participant observations

  Non-participant observation: A type of observation where the observer does not join the group under observation. This allows for higher objectivity but reduces the insight that could be achieved with a participant observation.
• What is a observation 

  Observation: A type of data collection wherein participants’ behaviour is observed.
• What is a overt observations

  Overt observation: A type of observation where the participants know they are under observation. This preserves informed consent but may increase demand characteristics
• What are participant observations

  Participant observation: A type of observation where the observer joins the group under observation. This form of observation yields highly valuable qualitative information with insight, but can reduce the objectivity of the researcher.
• What is a questionnaire


  Questionnaires: A self-report technique wherein participants answer pre-decided questions, in the form of paper or electronically. This form of self-report allows for anonymity.
• What are confounding variables

  Confounding variable: A type of extraneous variable that is related to the independent variable in the experiment. For example, if you were testing the effects of anxiety on memory recall, the relative levels of sensitivity to anxiety-inducing stimuli would be a confounding variable.
• What are control variables

  Control variable: Any variables that are kept constant through the experiment to prevent their effects on the dependent variable.
• What is counterbalancing  

  Counterbalancing: To make half of the participant sample experience the different conditions of the experiment in one order, and the other half of the participants complete it in the opposite order.
• What are demand characteristics

  Demand characteristics: Changes in the participants’ behaviour to comply with the hypothesis of the researcher.