Psychology research methods

• Types of research


  • Primary research
  • Secondary research
• Primary research


  Data gathered directly by first-hand experience (questionnaires, interviews, experiments)
• Secondary research


  The summary, collection and use of existing research. Gathering and analysing data from research that has been conducted by another researcher. May include literature reviews or content analysis
• Qualitative data


  Data that isn't normally statistically analysed—information in words that cannot be counted or quantified
• Quantitative data


  A large amount of data that is easily compared and statistically analysed. Refers to how much, how long, how many etc
• Independent variable


  The variable that the experimenter manipulates—assumed to affect the DV
• Dependent variable


  The variable you think will be affected by the IV (DV dependent on IV)= the variable that is measured
• Extraneous variables


  Variables that MAY affect the outcome, must affect ALL participants
• Confounding variables


  Variables that DO affect the outcome, may affect SOME participants
• If an experiment has two conditions, the 'normal' condition is called the control condition and the other is called the experimental condition—if we are testing if caffeine increases concentration, the control condition would be the condition without caffeine
• Experimental hypotheses


  A clear guess. A precise, testable statement. "Participants who...will..."
• Null hypotheses


  Simply states that the IV will not affect the DV. Must believe this is true until you have finished your research and you analyse your findings. "There will be no difference between..."
• Directional hypotheses


  Predicts effect of IV on DV
• Non-directional hypotheses


  State there will be an affect but won't state the direction
• Location of research


  • Lab
  • Field
  • Online
• Lab


  Controlled, can control extraneous and confounding variables, most scientific research, equipped for research
• Field


  Outside a lab in a more natural/ sometimes familiar setting e.g. shop/hospital-- if pps go to research it's a lab but if researcher has gone to pps it's a field
• Online


  More recent method, can be collected from individuals or an app, often questionnaires
• All researchers must adhere to the BPS code of ethics
• Ethical considerations


  Behaving in an ethical manner, responsibilities towards participants (human or non-human), no right or wrong (conflicting point of view about what is acceptable), ethical guidelines (BPS)
• Cost-benefit analysis


  We may justify some unethical procedures if the ultimate outcome
• Key ethical guidelines


  • Valid/informed consent
  • Presumptive consent
  • Prior general consent
  • Debrief
  • Do not deceive
  • Protection of pps from harm
• Valid/informed consent


  Revealing true aims of the study so that pps can make an informed decision about whether they wish to participate—not possible when deception is necessary in field experiments—children are limited in their understanding
• Presumptive consent


  Gaining views about what is acceptable from the general public
• Debrief


  Gain consent after the experiment by debriefing about aims of study and allowing pps to withhold their data so they wish
• Quasi experiments: The independent variable is not deliberately manipulated
• Types of quasi experiments

  • Natural experiments
  • Different studies
• Natural experiments


  An experiment that is conducted when it is unethical or not practical to manipulate the IV
• Natural experiments


  • Allows research where the IV can't be manipulated for practical or ethical reasons= allows researchers to investigate 'real' problems such as effects of a disaster on health which can help a greater amount of people in more situations
  • Cannot demonstrate causal relationships because IV isn't manipulated directly so we cannot be sure it effects the DV—threat to internal validity due to there being less control of extraneous variables so that could be the reason for the DV rather than the IV
• Experimental designs


  • Independent group design
  • Matched pairs design
  • Repeated measures design
• Independent group design


  • Different pps in each group (randomly assigned)
  • No order effects as pps only complete one condition, no loss of pps as they only complete one condition
  • Pp variables may lower the validity of research
• Matched pairs design


  • Different pps in each condition but they are matched according to age/sex etc—to try and make the test fair
  • High levels of control over pp variables raises internal validity, no loss of pps
  • Almost impossible to find a perfect match for all pp variables that may affect the outcome
• Repeated measures design


  • The same pps do all conditions
  • Controls all individual differences and requires fewer pps
  • Order effects may reduce validity of research
• To help improve repeated measures and overcome order effects, counterbalancing should be employed AB/BA- half pps do condition A then condition B= any order effects should cancel each other out
• Other research methods


  • Questionnaires
  • Interviews
  • Observations
• Questionnaires


  • Open-qualitative data, closed-quantitative
  • Good for large amounts of data, quick insight into people's views
  • Complexity and ambiguity, social desirability, leading q's
• Structured interviews


  • Standardised questions, pre-prepared
  • Same questions are used every time which results easy to analyse and easy to repeat
  • Can be restrictive as no chance of asking further questions, doesn't allow for spontaneous questions=researcher less responsive to participant
• Semi-structured interviews


  • Start with pre-prepared questions—but further questions are developed in response to answers
  • More qualitative information can be gathered=high validity as pps have opportunity to express true feelings/views
  • Same qs not used every time= difficult to analyse results and to identify patterns
• Participant observations


  • Researchers take part (as a pp)
  • Less chance of DC's and can research people who would be difficult to observe (may find info didn't know existed)
  • May be more biased, may miss important events, difficult to take notes (data relies on memory)= unrelaible findings
• Non-participant observation


  • Researcher watches and records pps without interfering, pps not aware, pre-prepared categories
  • Less chance of observer bias, can see how pps behave rather than relying on self-reports which may produce more valid findings
  • Observer bias, may misinterpret behaviour, unethical as pps not aware