RESEARCH METHODS

• What do all experiments do?

  Measure the effect that the IV has on the DV
• What are the two main differences between the various types of experiments?

  - Where they are conducted

  - Whether or not the IV is manipulated by the researcher or occurs naturally
• What are laboratory experiments?

  They are conducted under controlled conditions, in which the researcher manipulated the IV to measure the effect on the DV
• What are field experiments?

  They are carried out in natural conditions, in which the researcher manipulates the IV to measure the effect on the DV
• What are natural experiments?

  They are carried out in natural conditions; however the researcher is unable to manipulate the IV and therefore examines the effect of naturally occurring IV on the DV
• What are quasi-experiments?

  They contain a naturally occurring IV. However, in a quasi-experiment the naturally occurring IV is a difference between people that already exists. The researcher examines the effect of this IV on the DV
• What are observational studies?

  They involve watching actual behaviours, which are subsequently recorded by various methods
• What are questionnaires?

  A type of self-report technique where participants fill in the answers for themselves providing information on their thoughts, feelings and behaviours ( qualitative data)
• What are interviews?


  A type of self-report technique that involves and interviewer asking questions and recording responses
• What can interviews be?

  Structured, semi-structured or unstructured
• What are case studies?

  They mainly use interviews and observations and are investigations of an individual or small group
• What can researchers using case studies do?

  Conduct an in-depth analysis of the individual/group under examination
• What are correlational studies?

  Non-experimental method used to measure the relationship between two or more variables
• What is a positive correlation?

  As one variable increases/decreases, so the other variable increases/decreases
• What is a negative correlation?

  As one variable increases, so the other variable decreases
• What is zero correlation?

  There is no relationship between the co-variables in a correlation study
• What is a correlation co-efficent?

  The statistic used by psychologists to measure the strength of a correlation
• What is the IV?

  The variable that the researcher manipulates
• What is the DV?

  The variable that the IV affects and that effect is measured
• What is a hypothesis?

  A testable prediction about the variables in a study
• What can a hypothesis be?

  Directional (one-tailed) or non-directional (two-tailed)
• What is operationalisation?

  The exact IV that is being manipulated and the exact DV that is being measured need to be stated
• What is random sampling?

  When every member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected. This involves a selection method like pulling names from a hat
• What is systematic sampling?

  Using a predetermined system to select the participants
• What is stratified sampling?

  When the researcher 'stratifies' the target group into sections, each representing a key group
• What is opportunity sampling?

  The researcher selecting anyone who is available and willing to take part in the study
• What is volunteer sampling?

  When participants self-select to become part of a study because they volunteer, or respond to an advert
• What is repeated measures design?

  An experimental design where the same participants take part in each condition of the experiment
• What is independent groups design?

  An experimental design where different participants are used in each condition of the experiment
• Why should random allocation be used in independent groups design?

  It should be used to decide to which condition each participant should be allocated as this ensures that each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to one group or another
• What is matched pairs design?

  An experimental deign where pairs of participants are matched in terms of key variables. One meter of each pair is then placed into the experimental group and the other member into the control group
• What are demand characteristics?

  When participants try to make sense of the research and act to support the aim of the research/deliberately disrupt the results - the 'screw-you' effect
• Why are demand characteristics an issue?

  If participants act in a way to support/debunk the hypothesis, the results become less valid
• What are investigator effects?

  When a researcher acts in a way to support their prediction
• Why are investigator effects a problem?

  This can be a problem when observing events that can be interpreted in more than one way - the investigator may tend to deliberate the event in a way which supports the hypothesis
• What is the BPS Code of Ethics?

  A document produced by the British Psychological Society which details the general principles that apply to the use of human participants in all research contexts
• What are the four major principles that the BPS Code of Ethics focuses on?

  - Respect

  - Competence

  - Responsibility

  - Integrity
• What are the guiding principles to ensure that research is ethical?

  - Participants should be fully informed of their rights and of what the research entails, and sign an informed consent form

  - Participants should be caused no physical or psychological harm

  - They should be allowed to withdraw themselves or their data at any time before, during or after the research

  - They should be fully debriefed and invited to view and comment on their data and correct anything they think is inaccurate

  - Their data should be kept confidential and participants should enjoy full anonymity
• What is peer review?

  The process of subjecting a piece of research to independent scrutiny by other psychologists working ion a similar field who consider the research in terms of its validity, significance and originality
• What are the 5 key points of peer review?

  - Provide recommendations about whether the research should be published or not, or whether it needs revision

  - A way to check validity of research

  - Assess the appropriateness of the procedure and methodology

  - Judge the impact/significance of the research to a wider context (human behaviour)

  - Assess the work's originality and ensure that other relevant research is cited