chapter 6 RM

Observational research

naturalistic observation and participant observation

naturalistic observation

knowledgable informents

unobstrusive measures

participant observation

advanatges:

disadvanatges:

Observer bias 

Open-end questions 

forced-choise questions

like-scale questions

How to write good questions: general guidelines

Use langauage appropriate for population 

use precise wording 

aviod biased words 

aviod double barrled questions 

aviod unwarrented assumptions 

do not as questions that respondents may not know the anwser for 

do not ask questions for whcih everyone gives the same anwser 

Sampling goal

accurate description of population more for descriptive research and experimental research 

research dilemma

need a meausre of entire group (=population)

cannot measure each individual 

representative sample

sample that affords accurate and unbiased estimates about the population as a whole

biased sample

sample that does not afford accurate and unbiased estimates about the population as a whole 

central limit theorem 

sampling error 

difference between population mean and sample mean 

does not respect other sources of error 

only meaning for probability sampling methods 

simple random assignment sampling 

equal chance of being selected from population 

stratified random sampling

divide the population into non-overlapping groups

do simple random sampling of each group

convenience (availability) sampling

recruit readily available research participants

psychology departments pool, students in class, patients at local hospitals 

not representative of population 

quota sampling

A convenience sample that ensures a certain distribution of demographic variables

Set goals of key demographic variables 

recruit participants until goals are met: same problems as a convenience sample 

snowball sampling

asking participants to recommend others for the study (good for targeting rare populations)

non-representative because social connections are not random