research methods

• what is an aim?

  clearly phrased general statement
• what is a hypothesis?

  precise testable statement including DV and IV
• null hypothesis?

  states no change in dependant as a result of manipulation of independant
• alternative hypothesis?

  there is an change in dependant as a result of independent manipulation
• how to test hypothesis?

  collect data and perform statistical tests on it
• non-directional hypothesis?


  there is a change in dependant however doesn't state the direction the results will go in
• directional hypothesis?

  there is change in DV and a direction for results given
• what is a target population?


  every member of the group that the investigator plans to study
• what is generalisation?

  small sample of target population tested then applied to entire target population
• random sampling?

  each member has an equal chance of being in the sample
• pros + cons of random sampling?

  pros = no researcher bias

  cons = can be unrepresentative
• systematic sampling?


  every Nth participant from a list is choosen
• pros + cons of systematic sampling?

  pros = quick , no researcher bias

  cons = if there is a large list can be difficult , unrepresentative
• opportunity sampling?


  asking members of target population to take part
• pros + cons of opportunity sampling?

  pros = fastest way , cheap

  cons = researcher bias , unrepresentative
• volunteer sampling?

  self-selecting , people offer to take part
• pros + cons to volunteer sampling?

  pros = easy to collect sample , large number of people

  cons = ungeneralisable
• stratified sampling?


  characteristics within a sample are the same proportion as within the target population
• pros + cons of stratified sampling?

  pros = representative , no bias , generalisable

  cons = difficult , time-consuming
• what is a laboratory experiment?

  A controlled scientific procedure conducted in a controlled environment to test a hypothesis.
• what is a field experiment?

  An experiment conducted in a real-world setting, outside of a laboratory , controlled IV
• what is an natural experiment?

  study done in natural setting with little control
• what is an quasi experiment?


  independent variable is a particular feature about the participents
• what is a covert observation?


  Secretly watching and recording behaviour
• what is overt observation?

  Directly observing and recording behavior without attempting to conceal or hide the fact that one is observing.
• what is participant observation?


  when the researcher becomes a member of the group they observe
• what is non-participant observation?

  Observing a situation without actively participating or interfering.
• what are extraneous variables ?

  Variables that are not of interest in a study but can affect the results
• what are confounding variables?


  something that DID affect the study
• what is internal validity ?

  the extent to which the method you used is really measuring what you intended
• what is external validity?

  the extent to which your findings can be generalised to the real world
• what are demand characteristics?

  actions/behaviours that the participant changed to fit with what they think the investigator wants
• what is mundane realism?

  internal , extent to which method is similar to real-word events
• what is ecological validity?


  The extent to which research findings can be generalized to real-world settings.
• what is face validity?


  whether your method measure what it sets out to
• what is concurrent validity?


  The extent to which a measure is related to other measures of the same construct administered at the same time.
• what is temporal validity?

  extent to which finding remain relevant over time
• what is the definition of measures of central tendency?

  a single value that summaries a set of data
• what are measures of dispersion?


  single value that shows the spread of a set of data
• what shape is a standard distribution?

  Bell curve