Component 2

• Advantages of qualitative data?

  Provide detailed information which can provide unexpected insights into thoughts & behaviour as answers aren't restricted.
• Disadvantages of qualitative data?


  Complexity makes it more difficult to analyse data & draw conclusions.
• Advantages of primary data?

  Researcher has control over data- can be designed to fit aims & hypothesis of study.
• Disadvantages of primary data?

  Expensive & lengthy process.
• Advantages of secondary data?

  Cheaper, quicker & easier.
• Disadvantages of secondary data?

  Data may not fit exact needs of study.
• What is an interview?

  Research method/technique that involves a face-to-face interaction with another individual & results in the collection of data.
• What are closed questions?


  Questions that have a pre-determined range of answers from which respondents select one. Produces quantitative data.
• What is content analysis?


  Observational study in which behaviour is observed indirectly in written or verbal material such as interviews, conversations, books, diaries or TV programmes.
• Single blind design:


  A type of research design in which the participant is not aware of the research aims &/or of which condition of the experiment they are receiving.
• What is a questionnaire?

  Data collected through use of written questions.
• Alternative hypothesis:


  Any hypothesis except the null hypothesis. (Alternative to null hypothesis).
• What is the aim?

  A statement of what the researcher intends to find out in a research study.
• Double blind design:

  Neither the participant nor the experimenter is aware of the research aims & other important details, & thus have no expectations.
• External validity:


  The degree to which a research finding can be generalised to other situations & people.
• Internal validity:

  The degree a study or test is measuring what was intended to be measured.
• What is a case study?

  Research investigation that involves a detailed study of a single individual, institution or event. Provide rich record of human experience but hard to generalise from.
• Longitudinal studies:


  Study conducted over long period of time. Often a form of repeated measures design. Can also be a case study.
• Self-report techniques:


  Data collection techniques where a participant describes their behaviour, e.g, questionnaires, interviews or diary studies.
• What are structured observations?

  Observer uses various 'systems' to organise observations, such as behavioural categories & sampling procedures.
• Structured interview:


  Interview in which the questions are decided in advance.
• Non-participant observation:


  Observer is separate from people being observed.
• Hypothesis:


  A precise & testable statement about the assumed relationship between variables. Operationalisation is a key part of making the statement testable.
• Cross-sectional study:


  1 group of participants representing 1 section of society are compared with participants from another group.
• Participant observation:


  Observations made by someone who is also participating in the activity being observed, which may affect their objectivity.
• Covert observation:


  Participant unaware of being observed. Observer may watch through a one-way mirror or be hidden in some other way.
• Semi-structured interview:

  Interview starts out with some general aims & questions, & lets respondent's answers guide subsequent questions.
• What is an experiment?

  Research method where causal conclusions can be drawn as an IV has been deliberately manipulated to observe the causal effect on DV.
• Unstructured observations:

  Researcher records all relevant behaviour but has no system.
• Event sampling:

  Observational technique in which a count is kept of the number of times a certain behaviour (event) occurs.
• Time sampling:

  Observational technique in which observer records behaviours in a given time frame. E.g, noting what target individual is doing every 15 seconds. Observer may select 1 or more behavioural categories to tick at this time interval.
• Open questions:


  Questions that invite respondents to provide their own answers rather than select one of those provided. Tend to produce qualitative data.
• Zero correlation:


  In a correlation, co-variables that are not to be linked at all.
• Correlation coefficient:

  Number between -1 & +1 that tells us how closely the co-variables in a correlation analysis are associated.
• Negative correlation:

  Correlation where as one co-variable increases, the other decreases.
• Positive correlation:


  In a correlation, co-variables both increase together.
• What are behavioural categories?

  Dividing a target behaviour into a subset of specific & operationalised behaviours.
• Standardised procedures:

  Set of procedures that are same for all participants in order to be able to repeat study. Includes standardised instructions given to participants.
• Define operationalise:

  Ensuring variables are in a form that can be easily tested.
• Confounding variable:


  Any variable which varies systematically with IV that might potentially affect DV & thereby confound results.