Psychology Research Methods

• What are the ways observations can differ?

  • setting
  • role of researcher
  • awareness of participants
  • structure
  • obvservation schedules
  • inter-observer reliability and pilot studies
• What are the two options for the setting?

  • naturalistic
  • controlled
• What are the two options for the role of the researcher?

  • participant observation
  • non-participant observation
• What are the two options for the structure?

  • Unstructured
  • Structured
• What is observed in a structured observation?

  Behavioural categories and often coding frames which is a system for differentiating behaviours by adding detail.
• What is inter-observer reliability?

  When more than one person observing the same thing agrees on what constitutes certain behaviour.
• What are pilot studies used for in correlations?

  Ensuring inter-rater reliability and coding frames
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of controlled observations?

  S- High levels of reliability due to high levels of control, meaning it can be replicated

  T- Lower ecological validity as they are more artificial due to their controlled nature, so the results are less generalisable to real life.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of naturalistic observations?

  S- High in ecological validity due to real-life setting and natural behaviour so more generalisable to real-life behaviour.

  T- More potential for extraneous variables due to a lack of controls and reduces validity.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of participant observations?

  S- Gather more detailed accounts due to flexibility as an observer is involved in events and so more likely to get valid data

  T- Observer bias as its harder to remain objective as the observer is involved
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of non-participant observations?

  S- Reduces the effect of the observer on participants as the researcher remains objective so participants produce more realistic behaviour

  T- Observer may miss vital details as cannot see all behaviours, reducing the validity
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of covert observations?

  S- Reduces possibility for demand characteristics as participants unaware of observation

  T- Difficult to remain hidden which may provoke demand characteristics and potentially unethical
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of overt observations?

  S- Removes ethical issues as participants are aware they are being observed

  T- Demand characteristics which reduce validity as they wont act naturally
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of structured observations?

  S- Easy to analyse data collected as likely to be quantitive data and good for inter-rater reliability

  T- Could miss behaviour and lack validity and insight
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of unstructured observations?

  S- Qualitative data which gives good insight as writing down all behaviours

  T- Harder to analyse qualitative data and would be difficult for inter-rater reliability.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Time sampling?

  S- Indication of the order in which events happen, replicable enabling possible external reliability.

  T- Miss behaviour occurring outside of time when observation takes place, difficult to ensure timings are precise
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Event sampling?

  S- Observer can make notes whenever the behaviour occurs, all behaviours recorded

  T- No indication of order events took place in, observer may miss some behaviours if lots of things occur simultaneously
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Time Event sampling?

  S- Indication of the order in which events happen, replicable enabling reliability to be tested.

  T- Miss behaviours as observation period is not continuous, miss some behaviours if lots of things occur simultaneously.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of observations?

  S- Can be used when other methods would be impractical or unethical, allows data to be collected from P's who would be unable to contribute to self-report or experiments

  T- Only record overt actions, not emotional states, attitudes or beliefs and are unaware of the reasons for actions, harder to control extraneous variables - cannot find a cause and effect.