Sampling

• What is the definition of a sample in research?

  A group of participants used in a study
• What is the target population in research?

  Everyone the research results apply to
• In research on spider phobia, who is the target population?

  Individuals with a fear of spiders
• For a study on infant monkeys, who is the target population?

  Infant monkeys
• In a study of Conservative voters' attitudes, who is the target population?

  Conservative voters
• In a study of prejudice among the over 50s in the UK, who is the target population?

  Individuals over 50 in the UK
• In research on adapted cookers for blind people, who is the target population?

  Blind individuals using adapted cookers
• What are the different sampling techniques in psychology?

  • Random sampling
  • Systematic sampling
  • Stratified sampling
  • Opportunity sampling
  • Volunteer sampling
• What is a random sample?

  Every member has an equal chance of selection
• What is a systematic sample?

  Selecting every nth person from a list
• What is a stratified sample?

  Dividing population into subgroups and sampling
• What is an opportunity sample?

  Participants readily available at the time
• What is a volunteer sample?

  Participants self-select to take part in a study
• What is researcher bias?

  Researcher's expectations influence study outcomes
• What does generalisation mean in research?

  Applying findings to a wider population
• How would a psychologist select a random sample from a workforce?

  Randomly choose employees from the list
• How would a psychologist select a stratified sample from a workforce?

  Sample based on department proportions
• Why are volunteer samples unlikely to be representative?

  They attract a specific type of participant
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of each sampling method?

  Strengths:

  • Random: Reduces bias
  • Stratified: Proportional representation
  • Systematic: Easy to implement
  • Opportunity: Quick and convenient
  • Volunteer: Easy recruitment

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Random: May not represent all subgroups
  • Stratified: Time-consuming to organize
  • Systematic: Can introduce bias if list is ordered
  • Opportunity: Limited to available participants
  • Volunteer: Self-selection bias
• What is the implication of using biased sampling techniques?

  Results may not be generalizable
• Why might it be problematic to struggle to recruit participants?

  It can lead to unrepresentative samples
• What is the goal of the sampling methods in psychology?

  To ensure accurate representation of populations
• What is the relationship between sampling techniques and research outcomes?

  Sampling techniques affect the validity of results
• How does stratified sampling improve research quality?

  By ensuring representation of subgroups
• What is the potential downside of using opportunity sampling?

  It may not represent the entire population
• How can volunteer sampling lead to bias?

  It attracts specific types of participants
• What is the significance of understanding sampling methods in psychology?

  It helps in designing effective research studies
• Why is it important to calculate a stratified sample?

  To ensure accurate representation of subgroups
• What is the role of the psychologist in selecting a sample?

  To choose a method that best represents the population
• How does the choice of sampling method impact research findings?

  It influences the generalizability of results
• What is the goal of the sampling methods in psychology?

  To ensure accurate representation of populations
• What is the relationship between sampling techniques and research outcomes?

  Sampling techniques affect the validity of results
• How does stratified sampling improve research quality?

  By ensuring representation of subgroups
• What is the potential downside of using opportunity sampling?

  It may not represent the entire population
• How can volunteer sampling lead to bias?

  It attracts specific types of participants