IB HL Psychology - Sampling Methods

Flashcards for IB HL Psychology - Paper 3, sampling methods

All Sampling Methods

Snowball sampling
Opportunity sampling
Purposive sampling
Stratified Sampling
Random Sampling
Systematic Sampling

Snowball Sampling Method

The researcher asks participants if they know other potential participants.

Strengths for Snowball Sampling

Get hold of participants easier
Builds trust between the participants and the researchers
Cost efficient

Limitations for Snowball Sampling

Sampling Bias
Confidentiality issues

Opportunity Sampling

Selects a particular group of people who happen to be available and ask if they would like to participate.

Strengths for Opportunity Sampling

Easy to get a large amount of participants

Limitations for Opportunity Sampling

Representative sampling bias

Purposive Sampling

Participants are chosen based on particular characteristics related to the research topic

Strengths for Purposive Sampling

The Sample represents the aim of the study so the sample is often very credible to the population

Limitations for Purposive Sampling

Sampling Bias

Stratified Sampling Method

There is an equal amount of participants in each division from the population (eg each grade from a school)

Strengths for Stratified Sampling

Avoids Representative sampling bias

Limitations for Stratified Sampling

Time-consuming
Less practical

Random Sampling Method

when participants are chosen at random

Strengths for Random Sampling Method

accurate representation

Limitations for Random Sampling Method

Harder to get participants

Systematic Sampling Method

when you choose the xth number of participants.

Strengths for Systematic Sampling Method

Limited sampling bias
Simple

Limitations for Systematic Sampling Method

Risk for data manipulation
May cause over/under representation

Voluntary sampling Method

When participants volunteer to participate