A level aqa psychology topic 7 research methods

• What is the aim of a study?

  To find out what the study investigates
• What is a research question?

  A question that guides the study's aim
• What is a general aim of a study?

  To see if physiological states affect cognition
• What is a specific aim of a study?

  To see if hunger affects memory
• What is a hypothesis?

  A prediction about study variables
• What is the alternative hypothesis?

  A prediction stating a causal link
• What must a hypothesis include?

  Independent variable and dependent variable
• What does the manipulation of the IV imply?

  It causes changes in the DV
• What is an example of a hypothesis?

  Hunger leads to better memory of food words
• What does IV stand for?

  Independent variable
• What does DV stand for?

  Dependent variable
• What is a one-tailed test?

  A directional hypothesis with a clear direction
• What is an example of a one-tailed hypothesis?

  Hunger leads to better memory recall
• What is a two-tailed test?

  A non-directional hypothesis without a clear direction
• What does a two-tailed hypothesis imply?

  Hunger affects memory but direction is unknown
• When is a one-tailed test used?

  When there are clear previous research findings
• When is a two-tailed test used?

  When there are no clear research findings
• What are experimental conditions?

  Conditions testing the effect of the IV
• What is a control condition?

  A comparison condition to test the IV's effect
• In a hunger/memory study, what might the experimental condition involve?

  Starving participants for a few hours
• What does operationalization mean?

  How variables will be specifically measured
• How might memory be operationalized?

  Percentage of food-related words recalled
• What does the null hypothesis suggest?

  Any difference occurs by chance
• How is the null hypothesis written?

  Similar to the alternative hypothesis
• What are the operationalized variables in the examples provided?

  1. IV = when they do it; DV = how much work they do
  2. IV = stress levels; DV = health
  3. IV = children's age; DV = rough and tumble
  4. IV = weather; DV = mood
  5. IV = age; DV = memory
• What are extraneous variables?

  Factors that may interfere with the experiment
• Why should extraneous variables be controlled?

  To ensure the IV affects the DV
• What are examples of extraneous variables?

  Participant age, lighting, background noise
• What are participant variables?

  Differences between participants affecting results
• What are situational variables?

  Features of the experimental environment
• What are confounding variables?

  Variables that interfere with the IV's effect
• What are demand characteristics?

  Participants change behavior based on experiment's purpose
• What is the "please you" effect?

  Participants comply with the experimenter
• What is the "screw you" effect?

  Participants do not comply with the experimenter
• What are investigator effects?

  Unwanted influences of the investigator on outcomes
• How can randomization reduce investigator effects?

  By making conditions as random as possible
• What is standardization in experiments?

  Giving all participants the same experience
• What is counterbalancing?

  Half participants take A then B, others B then A
• What is the purpose of counterbalancing?

  To control for order effects in experiments
• What is a repeated measures design?

  Participants repeat tasks in both conditions