Research methods

• What is an independent variable

  The variable directly manipulated by the researcher
• What is the dependent variable

  The variable being measured in a study
• What is operationalisation

  Making the variables in an investigation detailed and specific
• What happens when we operationalise variables

  We make them testable and measurable. They become specific so other researchers can know what was changed and measured
• What are extraneous variables

  A variable that is not controlled, which could affect the results of a study
• What is a confounding variable

  An extraneous variable that affects the results of the study so that the effect of the IV is not truly being seen
• What are the 2 types of extraneous variables

  1. Situational
  2. Participant
• What are situational variables

  An extraneous variable present in the environment of the study
• What are examples of situational variables

  • Noise
  • Light
  • Temperature
• What are order effects

  When participants improve or worsen in the second condition because they have practised or become fatigued
• What are demand characteristics

  When the participant alters their behaviour in response to the perceived aims of the investigation
• What are investigator effects

  When a researcher unintentionally gives clues to participants, altering their behaviour
• Investigator effects can encourage demand characteristics
• The way experiments are set up can lead to situational variables like order effects
• What are participant variables

  Extraneous variables specific to the participants of an investigation. Eg. their mood, ability, personality
• What is a standardised procedure

  Where the procedure of a study is the same across all conditions
• How does standardised procedure help control situational variables

  • The situation and procedure are kept the same across al conditions of the study
  • This reduced situational variables that could affect results
• What is counterbalancing

  Where half of the participants group experience condition A, then condition B, while the other half experience condition B, then condition A
• What extraneous variable does counterbalancing help control

  Order effects
• What is randomisation

  When participants are randomly assigned to condition A or B as their first or second test condition
• What is randomisation different to counterbalancing

  Randomisation relies on chance to determine which condition is experienced first. Counterbalancing is when half of the participants are automatically decided which condition will be experienced first
• What is single-blind technique


  When information about the study is withheld from participants
• What double-blind technique


  When the aims of the study are withheld from both participants and researchers
• What extraneous variable can single-blind technique reduce


  Demand characteristics
• What extraneous variable can double-blind technique reduce


  Investigator effects
• How to control participant variables in a study

  • Use the same participants across all conditions
  • Match participants to important characteristics
  • Random allocation
• What is random allocation

  When participants are randomly assigned to a condition of a study
• How does random allocation reduce participant variables

  There is random distribution of participants across the conditions so a certain type of participant won't be in one condition together
• What two types of hypotheses must an research srudy have

  • Null hypothesis
  • Alternative hypothesis
• What is a null hypothesis

  A prediction that the results will fail to show any difference or relationship that is consistent or systematic
• What is alternative hypothesis

  A prediction of the outcome of a study based on what is expected to happen
• How are hypotheses different from aims of a study

  Aims show area of interest or investigation whereas hypotheses are statements or predicted outcomes based on the theory being tested
• How do the ways hypotheses are written differ

  The way hypotheses differ depends on whether the investigation is looking for a difference in conditions or relationship between variables which is a correlation
• How to write a null hypothesis

  A null hypothesis when you were looking for a difference will be "there will be no difference in the (DV) whether participants do (IV) and any difference will be due to chance"

  A null hypothesis when we're looking for a relationship or correlation will start with "There will be no relationship between (IV) and (DV), any relationship found will be due to chance"
• What is a directional hypothesis

  A hypothesis that predicts the direction of results will go in
• How to write a directional hypothesis

  When looking for a difference, we can say compare 2 conditions like "Adults will recall more numbers than children"

  When look for a relationship, we write that there is a positive or negative correlation like "There will be a negative correlation between self-esteem and depression"
• What is a non-directional hypothesis

  A hypothesis that predicts a relationship or difference will be found, but does not specify what the difference or relationship will be
• How to write a non-directional hypothesis

  When looking at a difference, we write "There will be difference between condition A and condition B"

  When look at a relationship, we write "There will be a relationship between X and Y"
• What is an experimental hypothesis

  The name given to a hypothesis when used in field and laboratory experiments
• What is a target population

  The group of people being investigated in the study (eg. if a study is looking at child literacy, the target pop. will be children)