Subdecks (1)

    Cards (11)

    • Experiments
      Laboratory:
      • Controlled
      • No extraneous variables, high internal valid
      • Participants aware; DC
      • Replicable
      • Lack eco valid due to artificial setting + low mundane realism
      Field:
      • Natural
      • Participants unaware
      • High eco valid
      • Representative
      • Low extraneous variable control (difficult to stop confounding variables)
      Natural:
      • IV + DV occur naturally
      • No manipulation required
      Double-blind:
      • Participants + researcher unaware
      • Controls for DC + experimenter effects
      • Enables objective, bias-free interpretation
      Single-blind:
      • Participants unaware
      • Reduces DC
    • Observations
      • Watch and record behaviour in categories
      • Natural IV
      • Quantitative and qualitative (written descriptions)
      • Many research methods use it
      • Event (count occurrence over period) or time sampling (at regular intervals)
      • Overt:
      • Aware
      • Ethic (consent)
      • Demand characteristics
      • Social desirability
      • Covert:
      • Unaware
      • Genuine
      • Unethical
      • Participant:
      • In group
      • Detail
      • Non-participant:
      • Not in group
      • Accurate
      • Structured:
      • Control
      • Standardised
      • Test-retest reliable
      • Low eco valid (artificial)
      • Naturalistic:
      • Natural
      • Eco valid
      • Unreliable
      • Low internal valid
    • Studies
      Longitudinal
      • Large cohorts, high representative
      • No individual differences
      • Several test points over period, get same data
      • Recruit cohort + take immediate data; baseline
      • Often last weeks or months, some last years or decades
      • Investigate CoT
      • Collects data from same cohort repeatedly over extended period
      • High drop-off rate, intrusive; due to amount of data collection
      • Early data outdated/irrelevant
      Cross-Sectional
      • Cross-section of participants studied at once
      • Assumption younger group turn into older group
      • Cheaper + time-efficient
      • Valid, up to date
      • Cannot establish cause
      • Time-locked + ungeneralisable to other groups
      Cross-Cultural
      • Data from different cultures
      • Clinical Psychology:
      • Diagnosis
      • Treatment effectiveness
      • Attitude
      • Uni prevalence: Nature, diff: Nurture
      • Stop ethnocentrism, raise generalisability
      • Same procedure not all, invalid (culture stigma)
      • Subjective due to researcher norms
    • Meta-analysis
      • Secondary data
      • Different cultures/times
      • Large data amounts
      • Used when firm conclusions cannot be drawn w/out comparison or if there is conflicting/inconsistent data
      • Overall analysis usually reported in terms of effect sizes
      Strengths:
      • Cost/time-effective
      • No ethical issues
      • Analyse data that already exists
      Weaknesses:
      • Researcher has no involvement
      • Uncertain on reliability or validity
      • Publication bias
    • Content Analysis
      • Analyses artefacts rather than participants
      • When info is too costly, impractical or impossible
      • Useful in conjunction w/ other methods
      • Manifest Content: “On surface” e.g. frequency words used
      • Latent content: In-depth “beneath surface” e.g. used positively or negatively
      • Quantitative Data: Start with qualitative, content analysis
      • Researcher identifies “categories” or “coding units” (inductive or deductive), e.g. theme
      Strengths:
      • Turns qualitative to quantitative, so inferential tests can be used to determine statistical significance
      • Easily applicable; inexpensive, non-invasive
      Weaknesses:
      • Category selection + recognition is subjective
      • Transforming qualitative to quantitative data, you lose detail; reductionist
    • Brain Scanning
      • CAT
      • Giant X-ray
      • Interpreted by computer
      • May use dye for highlighting
      • PET
      • Inject glucose w/ radioactive trace; decay + emit gamma rays
      • More active/glucose; red/orange = high, blue/green = low
      • Most invasive
      • fMRI
      • Measure O_2
      • Detects haemoglobin magnetism
      • Oxygenated (diamagnetic)
      • Deoxygenated (paramagnetic)
      • Bigger change = more intense colour; activation map
      Strengths
      • Painless
      • Well-controlled + Objective
      • fMRI allows detailed images with no radiation, unlike CAT + PET
      Weaknesses
      • Limits participant activity; must lie still, small movement can distort imaging
      • PET/CAT use radioactivity, exposure has to be limited
      • fMRI expensive + not useful for all (metal in bodies)