Research Methods

• Complete the table on Inferential tests:

  A) Unrelated

  B) Related

  C) correlation

  D) Nominal

  E) Ordinal

  F) Interval

  G) Chi-Squared

  H) Sign Test

  I) Chi-Squared

  J) Mann-Whitney

  K) Wilcoxon

  L) Spearman's rho

  M) Unrelated

  N) t-test

  O) Related

  P) t-test

  Q) Pearson's r

  
• What is an 'Aim'?


  General statements which describe the purpose of the investigation.
• What is an 'Independent Variable'? 


  Researcher changes this.
• What are 'Extraneous Variables'?


  Any variable that you’re not investigating that can potentially affect the dependent variable of your research study.
• What is a 'Dependent Variable'?


  Recorded change or outcome.
• What are 'Confounding Variables'?

  A type of extraneous variable that not only affects the dependent variable, but is also related to the independent variable.
• What is a 'Hypothesis'?


  A statement which is written at the beginning of a study which clearly states the relationships between the DV and IV.
• What is a 'Non-Directional Hypothesis'


  • Two-tailed
  • Says a difference but doesn’t state what.
• 1. What is a 'Directional Hypothesis'?


  • Predicts the direction of the relationship between variables.
  • One tailed-Hypothesis: A Directional Hypothesis, only used when research about the topic already exists.
• What is a 'Null Hypothesis'?


  Says there will be no difference between the groups.
• What is 'Operationalisation'? 


  Defining and being more specific about things.
• What is a 'Control Group'?


  A second group to compare the first condition to, usually the target population group.
• What are 'Demand Characteristics'? 


  Participant changes behaviour as they believe they know what the aims of the study are and therefore what the results should look like. This affects validity and distorts results.
• What are 'Investigator Effects'?

  The investigator may also have an impact on the investigation (i.e leading questions).
• What is 'Randomisation'?


  Make things random (e.g groups, order of events) to remove confounding and extraneous variables.
• What is 'Standardisation'?


  All participants should have exactly the same experience.
• What are 'Independent Groups'?


  Two separate groups of participants experience two different conditions of the experiments. These are then compared.
• Evaluate 'Independent Groups'?


  • -Participants are not the same
  • -Less economical
  • +Repeated Measures
• What are 'Repeated Measures'?


  All participants experience both conditions.
• Evaluate 'Repeated Measures'?


  • -The order the participants experience the conditions can have an effect. This is controlled by counterbalance.
  • -Demand Characteristics
  • +Same participants can be used twice.
• What are 'Matched Pairs'?


  Participants are paired together on a variable. Tries to eliminate demand characteristics and confounding variables.
• Evaluate 'Matched Pairs'?


  • +Less order effects and demand characteristics.
  • -May never be matched exactly.
  • -Expensive and time consuming.
• What is a 'Lab Experiment'?


  Highly controlled environments, not always a lab, it can be anywhere with well controlled conditions.
• Evaluate 'Lab Experiments'?


  • +High control over extraneous variables
  • +Certainty over the IV causing the DV
  • +Easy to replicate
  • -Demand characteristics
  • -Lacks generalisability as its different from everyday life.
• What is a 'Field Experiment'?


  Conducted in an everyday setting. IV is controlled and manipulated. The setting remains natural.
• Evaluate 'Field Experiments'?


  • +High levels of mundane realism
  • +Behaviour can be more valid and authentic
  • -Cannot control extraneous variables
  • -Replication not possible
  • -Ethical issues- participants are unaware they are being studied.
• What are 'Natural Experiments'?


  When the IV is naturally in place in a naturally occurring event.
• Evaluate 'Natural Experiments'?


  • +High external validity
  • +If IV is not naturally occurring then research can take place without causing ethical issues
  • -Naturally occurring IV happens already
  • -Can never be sure that the IV is causing the DV
• What are 'Quasi Experiments'?


  The IV is pre-existing. When organising groups, the IV sorts them out (e.g gender).
• Evaluate 'Quasi Experiments'?


  • +Often carried out under controlled lab conditions and therefore share the same strengths
  • -Participants can not be randomly allocated which cause confounding variables.
• What is the level of 'significance' in psychological research?


  • 0.05
  • 5%
• What does the level of 'significance' mean?


  That there must be a 5% probability the results occurred by chance.
• What is the 'Target Population'?


  The group that the researcher is interested in studying from which a smaller sample is selected.
• What is a 'Sample'?


  A subset of the target population which aims to represent the target population.
• What is 'Random Sampling'?


  A way of Sampling: it uses random methods such as a random number generator. It gives every member of the target group an equal chance of being selected from the sample.
• Evaluate 'Random Sampling'?


  • +Equal chance of being representatively selected
  • +Small groups are quicker to deal with
  • -Small minority groups may distort results
  • -Impractical to use a random technique
• What is 'Opportunity Sampling'?


  A way of Sampling: Involves selecting anyone who is available from the target population and willing to take part.
• Evaluate 'Opportunity Sampling'?


  • +Easy and inexpensive
  • -May not be representative of TP. Bias to only those available?
  • -May have some researcher bias
• What is 'Systematic Sampling'?


  A way of Sampling: Systematic method (nth term) is used for selecting from a target population.
• Evaluate 'Systematic Sampling'?


  • +If randomised, gives an unbiased sample
  • -If list assembled in a specific way, bias may be present