Reliability

• Reliability refers to the ability to repeat a study in similar conditions to gain consistent results
• Lab - High reliability, controlled environment, high control over extraneous variables
• Field - Low reliability, real life environment, low control over extraneous variables
• Natural - Low reliability, naturally occurring IV, low control over extraneous variables
• Quasi - Depends on the environment
• Test re-test can be used to assess the reliability of any piece of research
• How to conduct test re-test:

  1. Participants are given a task or measure to complete (AO2)
  2. The same participants are then given the same task (AO2) after a time delay, e.g. two weeks
  3. Correlate and compare the results from each test (AO2) using an appropriate stats test
  4. A strong positive correlation of +0.8 shows high reliability
• Operationalising can be used to improve reliability of experiments
• Operationalising: To be specific and clear when defining the independent and dependent variable in an experiment, so they can be easily measured
• Operationalising is important because if variables are specific and clear, another researcher could repeat the study (AO2) in the same conditions to check for consistent results - replicability. If the results are consistent then the research is reliable.

  • In psychology, it is important that research is replicable and reliable as if the same outcomes are found multiple times, this increases the confidence in the theory