Methodological Issues

• What is qualitative data?

  Qualitative data is data that is detailed and in depth in the form of description - often in a written form
• What is quantitative data?


  Quantitative data is data that is numerical or can be turned into numerical and statistical form
• What is a sample? 


  the participants/group of people who are selected to represent the target population in research
• What is ecological validity?


  Ecological validity relates to whether the task and/or setting (of apiece of research) are representative of real life
• What is data?


  Information we collect about participants/how we measure a participants' behaviour
• Features of longitudinal studies

  • studies the same people/group over a period of time
  • tracks development of behaviour overtime
  • collects multiple sets of data
• Features of snapshot studies

  • conducted at one point in time
  • doesn't track the development of behaviour
  • collects one set of data
• What makes a study have high ecological validity?


  the study is carried out in realistic conditions and if the task is something people would do in real life
• What makes a study have low ecological validity?


  the study is carried in a highly controlled and artificial setting and the task wouldn't happen in day to day in real life
• What are the 4 common research methods?

  • experiments
  • observations
  • self reports
  • correlations
• Research Method: Experiments

  a piece of research that measures the effects of an independent variable and how it causes change in a dependent variable. 3 diff types -> lab, field and Quasi. researcher sets up a situation (who, when, where, what and how) and then studies behaviour
• Research Method: Observations

  watching people with or w/o their knowledge and looking for certain categories of behaviour
• Research Method: Self Reports


  asking people what they do or what they feel or think by questionnaires or interviews
• Research Method: Correlations

  looking at how 2 co-variables are related to each other then plotting the data on a scatter graph
• What are methodological issues?


  refers to factors that need to be considered in planning, conducting and gathering data for research