Ao1 definitions

• IV


  Variable psychologist manipulates and controls to see how it affects the behaviour
• DV


  Variable which is measured (usually the participants‘ behaviour) by psychologist
• Co-variables 


  Indicate 2 or more quantities being measured in a correlation by researcher that may/may not vary with each other
• Operationalisation of variables


  giving precise definition of behaviour being manipulated/observed/measured (IV/DV)

  Allows for repetition and raises reliability as it is an agreed value that has been attributed to the measurement
• Confounding variables 


  Variables in a study not being measured or manipulated by researcher, that affect SOME participants behaviours but not others - negative consequence for validity
• Aim of research 


  Broad statement of purpose of research
• Alternative hypothesis 


  Testable statement that a piece of research attempts to support or reject
• Directional hypothesis 


  Hypothesis suggests there will be a difference/relationships between variables, where IV will affect DV in one specific direction/outcome e.g alcohol slows reaction time
• Non-directional hypothesis


  Hypothesis suggests there will be a difference/relationship between variables, but does not state specific direction/outcome for results e.g. alcohol effects reaction time
• Null hypothesis 


  Hypothesis suggests there will be no difference/relationship between variables, any that occurs does by chance e.g alcohol will have no effect on reaction time
• Experiment 


  Research method where cause and effect is measured, through control and manipulation of key variables, where participants randomly allocated to experimental/control groups
• Quasi Experiment


  Research where experimenter has not deliberately manipulated the IV and participants are NOT randomly allocated

  Methods within this category include natural experiments and difference studies
• Natural experiment 


  Research method where IV arises naturally, although DV can still be measured in a lab or any other location of researchers choice

  This method would be used when it is unethical to directly manipulate the IV
• Participant observations


  Research method where researcher takes on the role of a participant whilst observing participants’ behaviour around them
• Non-participant observations


  Research method where researcher watches and records participants’ behaviour without interfering in any way (from a distance)
• Content analysis

  Research method involves exploration of behaviour to see what categories, codes or themes emerge, and tallying each time material fits a theme

  It converts qualitative data into quantitative data so it can be easily compared
• Structured interviews 


  Research method includes standardised questions (like in a questionnaire) which are known as an interview schedule, and usually are asked face-to-face
• Questionnaires


  Research method includes a list of written questions, which generate closed and/or open answers

  These can be used in person, online, or through other methods e.g. postal
• Semi-structured interviews 


  Research method which involves asking participants questions, usually face-to-face

  Can be in the form of an interview schedule but could also include follow-up questions to expand on answers of the questions asked
• Correlational studies 


  Research method involves comparing two continuous variables (co-variables) to see if there is an association/relationship between them
• Case studies 


  Method which involves an in-depth investigation of a phenomenon which uses a descriptive analysis of a person, group or event

  Holistic study through one or more methodologies that is usually longitudinal
• Self-reports 


  Method involves a participant reporting on their own thoughts and feelings through methods such as interviews or questionnaires
• Quantitative data


  Type of data measured numerically by psychologist, so statistical analysis can be completed e.g. scores on an IQ test
• Qualitative data 


  Type of data that can be observed but not measured numerically

  Usually takes the form of words, thoughts and feelings, and is difficult to analyse E.g. a participants feelings about school
• Primary sources


  Information sources/data that is directly collected by the researcher first-hand e.g. collect data through a questionnaire, experiment, interviews, etc. For their research
• Secondary sources 


  Information sources/data that have been directly collected/created by researcher e.g. Use of methods such as content analysis of existing data, or literature reviews
• Cross-sectional studies


  Method which involves comparing one group of participants, representing a cross-section of society, against another at the same point in time
• Brain scans 


  Research method which involves taking images of the living brain to investigate brain function E.g. PET, fMRI and CAT scans
• Longitudinal studies/research


  Method involving conducting research over a long period of time in order to observe long-term effects of X on a specific behaviour

  May utilise a range of other methodologies such as case studies, interviews etc
• Conducting research in a laboratory environment


  Location of research where scientific research and measurement can be taken using specialist/large equipment

  Conditions and variables are controlled, and procedures are standardised
• Conducting research online


  Location of research where participants are accessed via the internet/social networks/mobile apps etc

  often involves questionnaires but can also be experimental, correlational etc
• Target populations


  Group of individuals that a researcher is interested in studying e.g. people in the UK
• Sampling frames


  Group/population that is identified when it is unrealistic to study the whole target population e.g. People in london
• Random sampling


  Sampling technique where participants are selected from sampling frame, where everyone has an equal chance of being selected e.g. names pulled out of a hat, or computer used to randomly select participants
• Opportunity sampling


  Sampling technique where participants are selected from the sampling frame where everyone has an equal chance of being selected e.g. picking people who were there at the time, in your specific location
• Systematic sampling


  A sampling technique where every nth person on a list is selected by the researcher e.g. every 3rd house on the street, or 5th person on a register
• Stratified sampling


  Sampling technique where target population is split into subgroups e.g. by sex, then participants randomly selected from each subgroup
• Quota sampling


  Sampling technique where target population is divided into subgroups e.g. by sex, and the participants are chosen from each subgroup at convenience of the researcher
• Self-selected sampling 


  Sampling technique where participants volunteer (select themselves) for research e.g. they come forward/respond to psychologist after reading an advertisement in a newspaper or on a notice board
• Snowball sampling 


  Sampling technique where participants are initially recruited by psychologist and then those participants recruit further participants from people they know, therefore group appears to ’snowball’