RESEARCH METHODS

__ sampling-identifiable finite list, equal chance

random

__ sampling-directly approaching, available (time), willing, approachable

opportunistic

__ sampling-indirectly recruiting, with information

self-selected

__ sampling-participants instructed to bring more

snowball

Strength of random sampling:

least biased

Weakness of random sampling:

Difficult and time consuming

Strength of opportunistic sampling:

wide range of access to participants

Weakness or opportunistic sampling:

often unrepresentative, biased

Strength of self-selected sampling:

Easiest, quickest, most economical way

Weakness of self-selected sampling:

likely biased

Strength of snowball sampling:

recruit people who are hard to access

Weakness of snowball sampling:

likely recruit participants similar to self

Quantitative data-numerical, countable, concerned with __

measurement

Qualitative data-Non-numerical, descriptive, concerned with __

meaning

Strength of quantitative data:(2)

Objective statistical tests, easy to gather

Weakness of quantitative data:(2)

restricted answers, lacks depth and detail

Strength of qualitative data:(2)

open descriptive answers, depth and detail

Weakness of qualitative data:(2)

subjective, open to bias and harder to gather

Nominal data-QUAN data, __ be ordered, __ data

Cannot, categorical

Ordinal data-QUAN data, __ be ordered, unequal __ intervals

Can, subjective

Interval data-Quan data, __ be ordered, equal __ intervals

Can, objective

Primary data:

Data conducted by the original researcher

Secondary data:

Data not gathered by researcher

Internal validity- measuring __ _ __

What is intended

IV=__ validity-Amateurs related to psychology deciding that study measures what it claims to

Face

IV=__ validty-Professionals, experts in the field, deciding if measures what it claims to

Content

IV=__ validity-Measuring all aspects of what is being measured improved using quantitative data, categories in self report

Construct

IV=__ validity-Measuring what is intended because results match an outcome

Criterion

Two types of criterion validity:

Concurrent, predictive

__ validity-What about the environment doesn’t generalise to the real world

Ecological

__ validity-Specifically what characteristics are missing if overrepresented in the sample

Population

__ validty-How has society or people changed since the study was published

Temporal

Internal Reliability-__ of data gathered __ _ __, participants treated the same

Consistency, within a study

IR=__ __ reliability-Extent observers/interviewers gather consistent results when describing same participants

Inter rager

IR=__ __ reliability-Extent first half or self report has similar answers to second half, when asking about same thought/behaviour

External Reliability-consistency of data when __ __, measuring similar participants

Replicating research

ER=__ __ reliability-Extent results would be consistent if similar participants were studied

Test retest

__ variable- the aspect they are measuring

Dependent variable

__ variable-The aspect that is manipulated or compared

Independent

__ variable-Unwanted factors in a study, could negatively affect the data

Extraneous

Participant extraneous variable- __ __ between participants

Minimising differences

Researcher extraneous variable-Factors such as __ __ affect participant responses. Should be made consistent

Researcher behaviour

__ extraneous variables-Control of setting where experiment takes place

Situational

Lab experiment- __ environment, compare and manipulate

Artificial

Strength of lab experiments:(2)

Control and standardise easier, sophisticated machinery

Weakness of lab experiments:(2)

More demand characterises

Field experiment-__ environment, compare and manipulate

Natural

Strength of field experiments:(2)

Less demand characteristics, more generalisable to real world

Weakness of field experiments:(2)

Less control and standardised, can’t use sophisticated machinery

Quasi experiments-No manipulations compare __ __ __

Naturally occurring variables

Strength of quasi experiments:(1)

Study impractical and unethical

Weakness of quasi experiments:(2)

Can’t control extraneous variables, can’t randomly allocate

Hypothesis-__, testable, prediction of how one variable affects another

Operational

Alternate (non-directional) hypothesis-predicting there __ _ _ __, but not specifying which group will score higher

Will be a difference

Alternate (directional) hypothesis-Predicting there will be a __ __ and which group will score higher

Specific difference

__ measures-different participant, randomly allocated, different conditions

Independent

__ measures-all participants complete all conditions

Repeated

__ __-Similar participants are allocated to different conditions

Matched pairs

Null hypothesis-prediction, __ __ will not affect __ __, no difference between groups

Independent measures, dependent measures

Strength of repeated measures:(2)

Need less participants, no individual differences

Weakness of repeated measures:(2)

Order effects, greater chance of demand characteristics

Strength of independent measures:(2)

No order effects, less chance of demand characteristics

Weakness of independent measures:(2)

Need more participants, individual differences

Strength of matched pairs:(2)

Fewer Individual differences, no order effects

Weakness of matched pairs:(2)

Impractical and time consuming, can never truly matched

__ __-A test that calculates how strong the relationship is, positive or negative, significant or not

Correlation coefficient

Strength of correlations:

Can research variables that are unable to be manipulated

Weakness of correlations:

Does not show cause and effect

Nat/Con=Naturalistic-Observing participants in their __ __

Natural environment

Nat/Con=Naturalistic strength:

less demand characteristics and observer effect

Nat/Con=Naturalistic weakness:

Harder to control

Nat/Con=Controlled-Observing participants in an __ __

Artificial environment

Nat/Con=Controlled strength:

Easier to control

Nat/Con=Controlled weakness:

More demand characteristics and observer effect

Co/Ov=Covert-Participants __ know they are being recorded

Do not

Co/Ov=Covert weakness:

Less demand characteristics and observer effect

Co/Ov=Overt-Participants __ know they are being recorded

Do

Co/Ov=Overt strength:

Reduces ethical issues

Co/Ov=Overt weakness:

More demand characteristics and observer effect

Pa/Npa=Participant-Researcher is __ __ the people they are observing

Involved with

Pa/Npa=Participant strength:

Greater insight into behaviour

Pa/Npa=Participant weakness:

More observer effect

Pa/Npa=Non-Participant-The researcher __ __ from the people they are observing

Remains separate

Pa/Npa=Non-Participant strength:

Less observer bias

Pa/Npa=Non-Participant weakness:

Less insight into behaviour

S/U=Structured-Using predefined __ __ for behaviour

Coding categories

S/U=Structured strength:

Objective analysis

S/U=Structured weakness:

Less flexible and detailed observation

S/U=Unstructured-Recording and __ __ observed during the observation

Describing everything

S/U=Unstructured strength:

More flexible and detailed observation

S/U=Unstructured weakness:

Subjective analysis

__ sampling-record every instance of a behaviour

Event

Strength of event sampling:

Less likely to miss predefined events

Weakness of event sampling:

Can’t see change over time

__ sampling-Recording behaviour at specified intervals

Time

Strength of time sampling:

Can see change over time

Weakness of time sampling:

Can miss important events