General research methods

• What is an extraneous variable?

  A variable that affects the DV that is not the IV through lack of control
• What is a confounding variable?

  An extraneous variable that actually affected the result
• What are the two types of extraneous variable?

  Individual differences

  Situational
• What are the 4 types of hypotheses?

  1. Null - no difference
  2. Alternate - difference
  3. One-tailed - directional
  4. Two-tailed - non directional
• What type of hypothesis is this - There will be no difference in the number of goals scored between Forest or County?

  Null two-tailed
• What type of hypothesis is this - There will be a difference in the number of goals scored between Forest or County?

  Alternate two-tailed
• What type of hypothesis is this - Forest will score more goals than county?

  Alternate one-tailed
• What is a strength and a weakness of opportunity sampling?

  Strength - easiest method because you can use the first participants you find which makes it less time consuming

  Weakness - likely to produce a biased sample as only certain types of people will be selected from a limited geographical area, therefore it is not representative
• What are the strengths and weakness of random sampling?

  Strength - least biased method as all members of the target population have an equal chance of being selected

  Weakness - very difficult and time consuming with large target populations and also doesn’t guarantee a representative sample
• What is snowball sampling?

  The researcher selects one person for the study and they ask that person if they know anyone who is willing to take part within the target population and this process then continues
• What is a strength and a weakness of snowball sampling?

  • Strength - Possible to include members of groups where no lists or identifiable clusters even exist (e.g. criminals) and who may not be easy to access

  • Weakness - Inevitably biased because the sample is drawn from a small part of the target population
• What is a strength and a weakness of self-selecting sampling?

  • Strength - Gives a wide range of access to potential participants and is also convenient and ethical as it leads to informed consent

  • Weakness - Often unrepresentative as people don’t tend to respond to adverts unless they have motivation to take part which can lead to demand characteristics
• How would you define the experimental method?

  Sets out to test a hypothesis by manipulating variables to test cause and effect
• What are the strengths and a weakness of the experimental method?

  • Strength - more objective as it is not open to interpretation e.g. data or measure is more objective

  Strength - more scientific e.g. objective data

  Weakness - risk of demand characteristics where ppts find out the aim
• What is the definition of a lab experiment?

  Directly manipulating an IV to see the effect on the DV in a highly controlled, artificial environment
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of a lab experiment?

  Strength - High levels of control of extraneous variables

  Strength - DV is precisely measured

  Weakness - lacks ecological validity

  Weakness - lacks construct validity - narrow measure of behaviour
• What is the definition of a field experiment?

  An IV is directly manipulated in a natural environment where some situational variables are controlled
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of a field experiment?

  Strength - High in ecological validity

  Strength - IV can be manipulated

  Weakness - Less control of confounding variables which makes it less reliable

  Weakness - Less scientific
• What is the definition of a Quasi experiment?

  A lab or field experiment where the experimenter does not manipulate the IV as it is naturally occurring
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of a Quasi experiment?

  Strength - more ethical as ppts are not manipulated

  Strength - more ecological validity as it takes place in a natural environment

  Weakness - likely to get environmental confounding variables

  Weakness - have to wait for IV to naturally occur
• What is a structured observation?

  Using predefined behaviour coding categories for behaviour
• What is an unstructured observation?

  Recording everything observed during the observation
• What are strengths and weaknesses of a structured interview?

  Strength - easier to record

  Strength - easy to establish inter-rater reliability

  Weakness - reductionist

  Weakness - can reduce validity

  Weakness - open to observer bias
• What are strengths and weaknesses of an unstructured observation?

  Strength- increases validity

  Strength - applicable to wide range of context

  Weakness - harder to record

  Weakness - harder to establish reliability

  Weakness - observer bias
• What is a naturalistic observation?

  Observing participants in their natural environment
• What is a controlled observation?

  Situation is contrived by researcher, usually conducted in lab setting
• What is a covert observation?

  Participants are unaware they are being watched
• What is an overt observation?

  Participants are aware they are being watched
• What is a strength and a weakness of a covert observation?

  Strength- reduces demand characteristics and social desirability

  Weakness - ethical issues
• What is a strength and a weakness of an overt observation?

  Strength- reduces ethical issues

  Weakness - demand characteristics and social desirability
• What is a participant observation?

  Researcher is involved with the participants they are observing by taking part in the same activities with the participants
• What is a non participant observation?

  Researcher is not involved with the participants they are observing and watches from the side
• What are strengths and weaknesses of a participant observation?

  Strength- only way to observe behaviour in groups such as cults and gangs

  Strength - greater accuracy

  Weakness - hard to remain objective

  Weakness - can influence behaviour
• What are strengths and weaknesses of a non participant observation?

  Strength- easy to remain objective

  Strength - no influence in behaviour

  Weakness - can’t observe certain behaviour

  Weakness - less detail and accuracy
• What is event sampling (observation)?

  Every occurance of behaviour as specified on a predetermined checklist is observed and recorded in a specific period of time
• What is a strength and weakness of event sampling?

  Strength - easier to record

  Weakness - open to observer bias
• What is time sampling (observation )?

  Behaviour as specified by a predetermined checklist is observed and recorded at specific time intervals e.g. every 10 minutes for a 15 second period
• What is a strength and weakness of time sampling?

  Strength - increases reliability

  Weakness - behaviour could be missed
• What is an experimental design?

  Assigning participants to conditions
• What is an independent measures design?

  Where each participant takes part in one condition, this is also known as between groups