Research methods

• Aim: A short statement to identify the purpose of the study or investigation.
• Age Bias: The study and its results are more inclined towards a certain age group.
• Alternative Hypothesis: A hypothesis that states that there is a significant relationship between the independent and dependent variable.
• Case Study: Detailed research carried out over a period of time with the same cohort (group) or individuals.
• Closed Question: A question asked in a questionnaire that can only be answered with simple, predetermined options e.g yes/no.
• Confederate: An actor who participates in an experiment along with other actual participants, unknown to them.
• Controlled Observation: An observation carried out in a controlled environment, where the researcher can directly manipulate the IV.
• Correlation: A correlational study researches the relationship between two variables.
• Order Effects occur when the order in which participants experience each condition in a study affects the results.
• Snapshot Study is when different groups of people are tested at the same point in time with the same measures to compare performances.
• Participant Observation is an observation where the observer takes part in the experiment and interacts with the other participants, with their status unknown to the others.
• Overt Observation is an observation in which the participants are aware of the fact they are being observed for a psychological study.
• Questionnaire is a way of collecting data in a fast and efficient way, providing participants with a set of questions and choice of answers for statistical study.
• Rating Scale is when participants answer questions by selecting a numerical value to reflect their belief or perception of the topic.
• Variable is a factor or element within the study that is likely to change.
• Type 1 Error is when incorrect rejecting the null hypothesis which is true (FALSE POSITIVE).
• Temporal Validity is the extent to which the results from an experiment remain valid in different time periods.
• Social Desirability describes the tendency of participants to respond in a way that they think is viewed favourably by others/socially acceptable, as opposed to their genuine beliefs.
• Sampling technique used during an observation, in which pre-determined behaviours are recorded by stating whether the behaviour occurred or didn’t across certain time periods.
• Unstructured Interview is an interview in which the general direction of conversation and topics are pre-determined, however the flow of the conversation can change with each individual.
• Qualitative data is data that describes the attributes of the entity being researched.
• Population Validity is the extent to which the sample is representative of the target population.
• Type 2 Error is when incorrect accepting a false null hypothesis (FALSE NEGATIVE).
• Open Questions are questions in a questionnaire or interview in which the participant may answer with as much detail as they wish.
• Quasi Experiment is an experiment in which the independent variable is naturally established and cannot/ is unethical to manipulate.
• Quantitative data is data that can be measured and is usually numerical, with units associated.
• Reliability is the consistency of a measure gained through standardisation.
• Random Sampling is when each member of the target population has equal chances of getting chosen to be a participant in the study.
• Secondary Data is data collected by someone else that is useful for the topic being investigated.
• Psychometric Testing is a method of collecting data on an individual’s mental characteristics in a way that quantifies such attributes e.g. intelligence.
• Validity is the accuracy of a test’s ability to measure what is is supposed to measure.
• Stratified Sample is a sample in which the ratio of people with certain characteristics (such as gender or age) represents the ratio of the target population.
• Primary Data is data collected first-hand by research that intended to collect data on the subject.
• Structured Interview is an interview in which questions are pre-organised and the layout is strictly stuck to.
• Repeated Measures Design is when each participant is assigned to all the conditions in the study to check for internal consistency.
• Opportunity Sampling is when participants are selected based on who is willing and available at the time of the study to participate, who is part of the target population.
• Two-tailed Hypothesis is a hypothesis that does not specify the exact direction of the relationship, but predicts that there will be one.
• Counterbalancing is a technique used to deal with order effects - the sample is divided into two, and each group will take part in the conditions in varying orders to ensure this is not an extraneous variable.
• Experiment is a procedure that can test hypotheses in a scientific manner in order to gain results or demonstrate knowledge.
• Extraneous Variable is a variable that is not controlled for in a study and may affect the results (if it does, it is called a Confounding Variable).