Research methods

Subdecks (5)

Cards (110)

  • What is an aim?
    A statement of what the researchers intend to find out in a study.
  • what is a hypothesis?
    An explanation or prediction that can be tested through research about the assumed relationship between variables.
  • Operationalising variables is the process of defining the variables in a way that allows them to be measured. eg. number of people in a group. This is done so that the research is replicable, establishing reliability.
  • The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated by the researcher to determine the effect on the dependent variable.
  • The dependent variable is the outcome of the experiment and is the variable that is measured. by the researcher.
  • extraneous variables are variables that are not directly related to the independent variable but may affect the dependent variable.
  • Examples of extraneous variables are age or gender.
  • an alternative hypothesis is a statement that states what you expect to happen in the experiment. states an expectation of an effect or relationship between variables.
  • a null hypothesis is a hypothesis that states that there is no difference or relationship between the variables being studied.
  • a directional hypothesis is a hypothesis that predicts the precise direction of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables using previous research. (uses words like more, less, faster)
  • a non-directional hypothesis is a non-specific statement about the prediction of a relationship between two variables.
  • Internal validity: the degree of which the results of the study are due to the independent variable and not due to other factors.
  • external validity: the extent to which the results of a study can be generalised to other populations.
  • ecological validity is the extent to which the findings of the study can be generalised to the real world.
  • population validity is the extent to which the results of the study can be generalised to the population as a whole.
  • historical validity is the extent to which the research findings are still generalizable to other situations over a period of time.
  • mundane realism refers to how a study reflects real-world situations and how the research environment is similar to experiences that occur in reality.
  • Ethical issues Acronym
    DR PIC
  • what are the ethical issues?
    deception, right of withdrawal, protection of participants, informed consent, confidentiality.
  • Dealing with informed consent
    Sign a form, reminder of ROW
  • Dealing with deception
    Debriefing
  • Dealing with right of withdrawal
    Participants are reminded before the study of this right
  • dealing with protection of participants
    Avoid unnecessary risks not found in real life, or stop study entirely
  • dealing with confidentiality
    Give anonymity of ppts in the study results (fake names)
  • dealing with privacy
    Do not study people without informed consent
  • cost-benefit analysis: a method of decision making that compares the benefits of a decision with its costs
  • Demand characteristics: cues that unconsciously convey the aims of the experiment to the participant or helps them work out how the experimenter wants them to behave.
  • Order effects: an extraneous variable caused as a result of the order in which conditions are presented to participants in a repeated measures design. These include practice effects or fatigue effects.
  • Counterbalancing: a technique used to counter the order effects by ensuring each condition is tested first or second in equal amounts.
  • Investigator effects (experimenter bias): cues from an investigator that influence the way a participant behaves in a study. These can be direct (interaction between ppt and investigator) or indirect (consequence of the design of the study by the investigator).
  • Participant variables: when the characteristics of an individual participant in a study affect the conditions of the study. These include age, gender, IQ, memory span, etc.
  • Situational variables: features of an experimental environment that influence behaviour or conditions of a study. These act as confounding variables and could be the time of day, temperature of a room, lighting, etc.
  • Single blind design: when a participant does not know the true condition of the study, but the researcher does. Prevents ppt seeking cues about the aim.
  • Double blind design: when neither the ppt or the researcher knows the aims/hypotheses of the study. This is done by not using the actual investigator of the research as the study conductor. Reduces experimenter bias and demand characteristics.
  • Experimental realism: when the researcher makes the study task engaging enough that the ppt pays full attention to the task and not on the observer.
  • Interviews: a research method that involves a researcher asking questions to an individual face-to-face to gather information and data.
  • Interviewer bias: unconsciously communicated cues to an interviewee about the interviewer’s expected answers. This can come in the form of leading questions.
  • Questionnaires: A questionnaire is a research method consisting of written questions that is used to gather information from a large number of people.
  • Social desirability bias: when an individual responds untruthfully to questions in order to present themselves in a better light.
  • Structured interview: an interview where the questions are pre-written and the interviewer asks the questions in a set order.