RM

• What is an experiment?

  study of cause and effect where a variable is manipulated to see its effect on another variable
• How are laboratory experiments conducted?

  in an artificial environment where the independent variable is manipulated and there is careful control over extraneous variables
• What are 3 strengths of a lab experiment?


  control over extraneous variables

  replicable/reliable

  cause and effect- valid
• What are 2 weaknesses of a lab experiment?

  low EV

  prone to demand characteristics
• What is a field experiment?


  controlled experiment in a natural environment
• What are 2 strengths of field experiments?

  high EV

  demand characteristics minimised
• What are 3 weaknesses of field experiments?

  low control over variables

  difficult to replicate

  difficult to record data
• What is a quasi experiment?


  where the independent variable is naturally occurring so doesn't need to be manipulated
• What are 3 strengths of quasi experiments?

  naturally occurring IV- can study things that cannot be manipulated

  high control

  cause and effect
• What are 3 weaknesses of quasi experiments?

  low in EV

  not replicable sometimes

  demand characteristics
• What are the types of observation?

  participant

  non-participant

  structure

  unstructured

  controlled

  overt

  covert
• What are strengths of observation?

  shows real behaviour

  can capture spontaneous and real behaviour

  high in EV often

  pre-determined coding systems makes data easy to collect
• What are weaknesses of observation?

  observer bias

  if behavioural checklists aren't designed well can cause low inter-rater reliability

  ethical concerns if covert

  demand characteristics if overt

  cannot provide information on what people think or feel
• What are 2 methods of self-report?

  interview

  questionnaire
• What are the different types of interview?

  structured

  semi-structured

  unstructured
• What are the strengths of self-report?

  large amount of data can be collected quickly- more generalisable

  questionnaires/structured interviews replicable

  unstructured can gather in depth data
• What are the weaknesses of self-report?

  questionnaires/structured interviews lack flexibility

  unstructured impossible to replicate

  demand characteristics influence responses
• What is correlation?


  show whether there is an association between two variables- no manipulation
• What are the three types of correlation?

  positive

  negative

  zero
• What are the strengths of correlation?

  quantifiable measures used

  information about the relationship of variables

  can be the basis for further experimental research
• What are the weaknesses of correlation?

  cause and effect not established

  findings may be misleading
• What is the difference between a one-tailed and two-tailed hypothesis?

  one-tailed is directional so predicts the effect of the IV on the DV but two-tailed is non-directional so doesn't stay the direction the results will go in
• What is random sampling?

  each member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected
• What is snowball sampling?


  initial participants recruiting other participants
• What is opportunity sampling?

  selecting people who are available at the time
• What is self-selected sampling?


  asking people to volunteer to take part
• What is repeated measures design?


  each participant is tested in each condition
• What is a strength of repeated measures?

  fewer participants needed

  individual differences controlled
• What is a weakness of repeated measures?

  order effects (e.g. boredom or practice effects) change behaviour
• What is independent measures design?


  different participants used for each condition of the IV
• What is a strength of independent measures?

  no order effects influencing behaviour
• What is a weakness of independent measures?

  more participants needed

  individual differences
• What is matched participants design?

  participants matched based on similar characteristics and each one does a different condition
• What is a strength of matched participants?


  matched on features important to the study so individual differences won't have an influence
• What is a weakness of matched participants?

  matching process is difficult
• What are the IV and DV?


  Independent Variable- what is manipulated

  Dependent Variable- what is measured
• What are behavioural categories?

  method of breaking down continuous behaviour into recordable event
• What are coding frames?

  lists of behavioural categories to break down continuous behaviour
• What is the difference between time and event sampling?

  time sampling- recording behaviours at regular intervals

  event sampling- recording behaviours as each one occurs
• What is the difference between open and closed questions?

  open questions- participants can give fully detailed answers in their own words- qualitative

  closed questions- where participants must choose from set answers- quantitative data