psychology research methods

A comprehensive vocabulary review of core research methods concepts, definitions, and experimental designs.

Aim

The researcher's area of interest – what they are looking at (e.g. to investigate helping behaviour).

Behavioural categories

Key behaviours or, collections of behaviour, that the researcher conducting the observation will pay attention to and record.

Case study

In-depth investigation of a single person, group or event, where data are gathered from a variety of sources and by using several different methods (e.g. observations & interviews).

Content analysis

Technique used to analyse qualitative data which involves coding the written data into categories – converting qualitative data into quantitative data.

Control group

A group that is treated normally and gives us a measure of how people behave when they are not exposed to the experimental treatment (e.g. allowed to sleep normally).

Covert observation

Also known as an undisclosed observation as the participants do not know their behaviour is being observed.

External validity

Whether it is possible to generalise the results beyond the experimental setting.

Internal validity

In relation to experiments, whether the results were due to the manipulation of the IV rather than other factors such as extraneous variables or demand characteristics.

Inter-observer reliability

The extent to which two or more observers are observing and recording behaviour in the same way.

Hypothesis

This is a formal statement or prediction of what the researcher expects to find. It needs to be testable.

Operationalising variables

This means clearly describing the variables (IV and DV) in terms of how they will be manipulated (IV) or measured (DV).

Order effects

Order effects can occur in a repeated measures design and refers to how the positioning of tasks influences the outcome e.g. practice effect or boredom effect on second task.

Pilot study

A small scale study conducted to ensure the method will work according to plan. If it doesn't then amendments can be made.

Quantitative data

Information that can be measured and written down with numbers.

Quasi experiment

An experiment often conducted in controlled conditions where the IV simply exists so there can be no random allocation to the conditions.

Reliability

Whether something is consistent. In the case of a study, whether it is replicable.

Repeated measures design

An experimental design where each participants takes part in both/all conditions of the IV.

Structured interview

Interview where the questions are fixed and the interviewer reads them out and records the responses.

Unstructured observation

Observation where there is no checklist so every behaviour seen is written down in an much detail as possible.

Validity

Whether something is true – measures what it sets out to measure.