research methods psych

• what are the 4 types of experiments

  lab

  field

  natural

  quasi
• evaluation of lab experiments (causation)

  by controlling all variables, researchers are able to establish cause and effect between manipulation in the IV and the difference in the DV due to standardisation
• define lab experiment

  an experiment that takes place in a controlled environment the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV
• evaluation of lab experiments (lack of ecological validity)


  findings from the lab study can not be applied to a range of real world situations because they fail to represent everyday behaviours

  
  

  pp's may also alter their behaviour to demand characteristics to match the aim of the study
• define field experiment

  an experiment that takes place in a natural setting to avoid artificiality. the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV
• evaluation of field experiments (extraneous variables)


  field experiments lack control over extraneous variables that could influence the DV, therefore the ability to assume the IV had a direct influence on the DV Is reduced
• define natural experiment

  a study that uses a naturally occurring IV and the researcher measures the change in the DV
• evaluation of natural experiments (high external validity)


  natural experiments are an example of real behaviour occurring in the real world, free of demand characteristics
• evaluation of natural experiments (lack of replicability)

  natural experiments are influenced by extraneous variables, and due to a lack of control over them, the study lacks replicability, thus reliability cant be tested
• define quasi experiment

  an experiment where the IV is naturally occurring (innate) and the DV is measured
• evaluation of quasi experiments (high external validity)


  they often involve real-world studies of pre existing characteristics instead of artificial laboratory settings
• evaluation of quasi experiments (confounding variables)


  there may be variables influences both the dependent variable and independent variable making it difficult to establish cause and effect
• define an observation

  researcher watches and record behaviour of pp's
• what are the types of observational techniques

  natural

  controlled

  overt

  covert

  participant

  non-participant
• define a controlled observation

  aspects of the environment are controlled to give all pp's the same experience. often conducted in a lab
• give an example of a controlled observation

  ainsworth's strange situation
• evaluation of a controlled observation (standardisation)

  controlling the environment gives all pp's the same experience and also reduces the chance that extraneous variables are responsible for observed behaviour, increasing reliability
• define naturalistic observation

  observing and recording behaviour in naturally occurring situations without manipulation. eg, school and home
• evaluation of a controlled observation (artificial)


  because controlled observations are done in a lab, they lack mundane realism, due to it not being representative of real life. this may result in DC and unnatural behaviour
• give an example of a naturalistic observation

  Schaffer and Emerson in Glasgow
• evaluation of naturalistic observations (high realism)


  pp's are more likely to behave naturally and not artificially which increases generalisability to other natural environments
• evaluation of naturalistic observations (extraneous variables)


  uncontrolled extraneous baubles means that other variables may be responsible for the behaviour resulting In lower internal validity
• define overt observation

  participants can see the observer and aware they are being researched
• evaluation of of overt observations (ethical issues)

  pp's have given informed consent which follows the BSP guidelines making the research ethically sound
• evaluation of of overt observations (demand characteristics)


  if pp's know they're being observed, they may try to show behaviour they think the researcher wants to see, or social desirability bias to 'look good
• define covert observations

  pp's are not aware that they are being observed
• evaluation of covert observations (lack of demand characteristics)


  because pp's are unaware that they're being observed, they are more likely to show natural increasing the ecological validity of the study
• evaluation of covert observations (ethical issues)


  pp's are unaware they're being observed, an infringement of their privacy. as well as this, they have not given informed consent to be researched
• define participant observation

  the observer becomes a participant in the group being observed
• evaluation of participant observations (rapport)


  the researcher can build rapport with the pp's so trust and confidence may be established leading to the pp's behaving more naturally and disclosing more
• evaluation of participant observations (investigator effects)


  if the pp's are aware they're being observed by a researcher, they may alter their behaviour so they look better or to meet the aims, producing un natural behaviours
• define non participant observations

  researcher is separate from the pp's, recording their behaviours without taking part
• evaluation of non participant observations (lack of investigator effects)


  because the researcher is not visible and pp's are unaware they're being observed, they're more likely to act naturally
• evaluation of non participant observations (lack of proximity)


  due to a lack of proximity the researcher might overlook or miss behaviours of interest
• define observational design

  the choice of behaviours to record and how they are measured
• define operationalised behavioural categories

  behaviours need to be clearly identified and measurable. eg, aggression= punches thrown
• define time sampling

  researcher records relevant behaviours at set points. eg, every 15 seconds
• evaluation of time sampling (flexibility)


  allows the researcher flexibility to record behaviour and has the opportunity to record unexpected behaviours
• evaluation of time sampling (missed behaviours)


  behaviours that may be relevant but are not in the time frame may be missed and produce unrepresentative data
• define event sampling

  a behaviour/event is recorded every time it occurs