research methods

• A general statement on what the researcher intends to investigate


  What is an Aim?
• A clear, precise, testable statement that states the Relationship between the Variables to be investigated


  What is a Hypothesis?
• A hypothesis that states the direction of the outcome of the experiment


  What is a Directional Hypothesis?
• A hypothesis that doesn't state the direction of the outcome of the experiment


  What is a Non-Directional Hypothesis?
• Making variables measurable


  What is Operationalisation?
• The variable which the researcher controls


  What is the Independent Variable?
• The variable that will be affected by the Independent Variable. It is not controlled and is measured by the Researcher.


  What is the Dependent Variable?
• A variable which varies systematically with the Independent Variable meaning we don't know what caused the change in the Dependent Variable


  What is a Confounding Variable?
• A nuisance variable which does not vary systematically with the Dependent Variable


  What is an Extraneous Variable?
• When participants are influenced by cues indicating the purpose of the experiment and change their behaviour


  What are Demand Characteristics?
• When a participant over-performs in an effort to please the experimenter

  What is the Please-U Effect?
• When a participant under-performs in an effort to sabotage the study

  What is the Screw-U Effect?
• Where participants want to portray themselves in a positive light

  What is Social Desirability Bias?
• When the expectations of outcome by the researchers influence the participants' behaviour or participant selection

  What are Investigator Effects?
• the order of the conditions having an effect on the participants' behavior

  e.g: The Practice Effect, The Fatigue Effect


  What are Order Effects?
• The differing individual characteristics of participants in an experiment. They can be considered extraneous variables because they are variables that can influence the results of an experiment but that the experimenter is not studying. These can challenge the validity of a study by influencing the results.

  E.g: age, gender, mood, socioeconomic background


  What are Participant Variables?
• The use of chance when designing materials and deciding the order of conditions. It involves randomising stimuli so the researcher is not in control of the order of stimuli or conditions


  What is Randomisation?
• Order Effects and Investigator Effects


  What does Randomisation control for?
• Putting participants subject to the same as possible environment, information and experience


  What is Standardisation?
• Investigator Effects and Demand Characteristics


  What does Standardisation control for?
• The use of random selection in an Independent Groups design ensuring that each participant has the same chance of being in one condition than any other.

  Usually using a random number generator, assigning each participant a number and then using the generator to put them in a group.

  What is Random Allocation?
• Investigator Effects and Participant Variables


  What does Random Allocation control for?
• Ensuring that half the participants complete Condition A followed by Condition B, whereas the other half complete B followed by A. It doesn't remove order effects, it only balances them out between conditions.


  What is Counterbalancing?
• Order Effects


  What does Counterbalancing control for?
• Participants are divided into 2 groups. One group does one condition and the other group does the other condition.


  What is an Independent Groups design?
• - Not affected by Order Effects

  
  

  - Not affected by Demand Characteristics


  What are the Strengths of an Independent Groups design?
• - Differences between the participants could act as an extraneous variable

  
  

  - Need twice as many participants

  What are the Weaknesses of an Independent Groups design?
• All participants complete the first condition and then the same participants complete the second condition


  What is a Repeated Measures design?
• - Need fewer participants

  
  

  - No participant variables


  What are the Strengths of a Repeated Measures design?
• - Affected by Order Effects

  
  

  - More likely to be affected by Demand Characteristics


  What are the Weaknesses of a Repeated Measures design?
• Participants are divided into 2 groups, one group does one condition and the second group does the other condition.

  However, each individual in group 1 is matched to a similar individual in group 2


  What is a Matched Pairs design?
• - Not affected by Order Effects

  
  

  - Less likely to be affected by Demand Characteristics

  
  

  - Reduces Participant Variables


  What are the Strengths of a Matched Pairs design?
• - Need twice as many participants

  
  

  - Time Consuming and Expensive to organise

  What are the Weaknesses of a Matched Pairs design?
• Every person the researcher wants to be able to make statements about


  What is a Population?
• A smaller number of people drawn from the population using a particular technique and in representative of that population


  What is a Sample?
• Every member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected


  What is Random Sampling?
• 1) Compile a list of all members of the target population

  2) Assign each one a number

  3) Use a random number generator to select participants and assign them conditions


  How is Random Sampling conducted?
• - No Researcher Bias as they have no influence over selection of participants, therefore they can't choose people who may support their hypothesis

  
  

  - Usually fairly Representative as long as a big enough sample are selected


  What are the Strengths of Random Sampling?
• - It is Difficult and Time Consuming as a complete list of the target population is often difficult to obtain

  
  

  - Just because someone is selected, doesn't mean they are obliged to take part, therefore it usually ends up being a volunteer sample


  What are the Weaknesses of Random Sampling?
• Every nth member of the target population is chosen


  What is Systemic Sampling