Experiments

• This key term glossary provides brief definitions for the core terms and concepts covered in Research Methods for A Level Psychology.
• Aim


  The researcher's area of interest – what they are looking at (e.g. to investigate helping behaviour)
• Bar chart


  A graph that shows the data in the form of categories (e.g. behaviours observed) that the researcher wishes to compare
• Behavioural categories


  Key behaviours or, collections of behaviour, that the researcher conducting the observation will pay attention to and record
• Case study


  In-depth investigation of a single person, group or event, where data are gathered from a variety of sources and by using several different methods (e.g. observations & interviews)
• Closed questions


  Questions where there are fixed choices of responses e.g. yes/no. They generate quantitative data
• Co-variables


  The variables investigated in a correlation
• Concurrent validity


  Comparing a new test with another test of the same thing to see if they produce similar results. If they do then the new test has concurrent validity
• Confidentiality


  Unless agreed beforehand, participants have the right to expect that all data collected during a research study will remain confidential and anonymous
• Confounding variable


  An extraneous variable that varies systematically with the IV so we cannot be sure of the true source of the change to the DV
• Content analysis


  Technique used to analyse qualitative data which involves coding the written data into categories – converting qualitative data into quantitative data
• Control group


  A group that is treated normally and gives us a measure of how people behave when they are not exposed to the experimental treatment (e.g. allowed to sleep normally)
• Controlled observation


  An observation study where the researchers control some variables - often takes place in laboratory setting
• Correlational analysis


  A mathematical technique where the researcher looks to see whether scores for two covariables are related
• Counterbalancing


  A way of trying to control for order effects in a repeated measures design, e.g. half the participants do condition A followed by B and the other half do B followed by A
• Covert observation


  Also known as an undisclosed observation as the participants do not know their behaviour is being observed
• Critical value


  The value that a test statistic must reach in order for the hypothesis to be accepted
• Debriefing


  After completing the research, the true aim is revealed to the participant. Aim of debriefing = to return the person to the state s/he was in before they took part
• Deception


  Involves misleading participants about the purpose of s study
• Demand characteristics


  Occur when participants try to make sense of the research situation they are in and try to guess the purpose of the research or try to present themselves in a good way
• Dependent variable


  The variable that is measured to tell you the outcome
• Descriptive statistics


  Analysis of data that helps describe, show or summarize data in a meaningful way
• Directional hypothesis


  A one-tailed hypothesis that states the direction of the difference or relationship (e.g. boys are more helpful than girls)
• Dispersion measure


  A dispersion measure shows how a set of data is spread out, examples are the range and the standard deviation
• Double blind control


  Participants are not told the true purpose of the research and the experimenter is also blind to at least some aspects of the research design
• Ecological validity


  The extent to which the findings of a research study are able to be generalized to real-life settings
• Ethical guidelines


  These are provided by the BPS - they are the 'rules' by which all psychologists should operate, including those carrying out research
• Ethical issues


  There are 3 main ethical issues that occur in psychological research – deception, lack of informed consent and lack of protection of participants
• Evaluation apprehension


  Participants' behaviour is distorted as they fear being judged by observers
• Event sampling


  A target behaviour is identified and the observer records it every time it occurs
• Experimental group


  The group that received the experimental treatment (e.g. sleep deprivation)
• External validity


  Whether it is possible to generalise the results beyond the experimental setting
• Extraneous variable


  Variables that if not controlled may affect the DV and provide a false impression than an IV has produced changes when it hasn't
• Face validity


  Simple way of assessing whether a test measures what it claims to measure which is concerned with face value – e.g. does an IQ test look like it tests intelligence
• Field experiment


  An experiment that takes place in a natural setting where the experimenter manipulates the IV and measures the DV
• Histogram


  A graph that is used for continuous data (e.g. test scores). There should be no space between the bars, because the data is continuous
• Hypothesis


  This is a formal statement or prediction of what the researcher expects to find. It needs to be testable
• Independent groups design


  An experimental design where each participants only takes part in one condition of the IV
• Independent variable


  The variable that the experimenter manipulates (changes)
• Inferential statistics


  Inferential statistics are ways of analyzing data using statistical tests that allow the researcher to make conclusions about whether a hypothesis was supported by the results