IB Psychology: How to answer Paper 3 questions

Question 1a: Identify the method used and outline two characteristics of the method

- State the correct research method, 2x characteristics of that method and how the stimulus shows that it is this research method.

quantitative research methods

experiments

- lab/true experiment

- field experiment

- quasi experiment

- natural experiment

correlation

interview (structured)

survey/questionnaire (closed questions)

qualitative research methods

case study

interviews (semi-structured/unstructured)

focus group

observations

- overt/covert

- participant/non-participant

- controlled/naturalistic

- survey/questionnaire

Question 1b: describe the sampling method used in the study

a sample of participants is taken from the population (the people you want to study). state the correct sampling method used, link to stimulus (how it was used) and why they used it (strengths)

- self-selected/volunteer sampling

- opportunity sampling

- random sampling

- purposive sampling

- snowball sampling

- stratified sampling

question 1c: suggest an alternative or additional research method, giving one reason for your choice

choose a different, relevant research method - make sure you state if it's alternative or additional

explain how you would use this method and why you would use it (justify your choice)

question 2 version 1: describe the ethical considerations that were applied in the study and explain if further ethical implications could be applied

split into 2 parts:

3 marks for what has been applied (and how the stimulus shows this)

3 marks for what could be applied (how does the stimulus show they haven't been applied and how they could be applied)

ethical considerations include:

- protection from harm (psychological/physical)

- confidentiality

- privacy

- anonymity

- informed consent

- debrief

- deception

- right to withdraw

question 2 version 2: describe the ethical considerations in reporting the results and explain ethical considerations that could be taken into account when applying the findings of the study

3 marks - reporting the results - this is what the researcher needs to take into account when publishing the findings

some ideas:

- confidentiality: results should be kept safe

- anonymity - participants should not be identifiable - especially if the topic is sensitive

- informed consent/debrief - participants need to be informed how the findings will be used

- provide resources to help participants

- look out for researcher biases so the participants are not misrepresented, especially if vulnerable

- any personal connection or funding the activity could lead to biased results and harmful misrepresentation due to bias (towards what they 'want' to find)

3 marks - applying the findings - this is what the research needs to take into account when the results are being used to inform and/or justify some kind of action (e.g. new policy or law)

some ideas:

- ensure we don't generalise - could be harmful. think about the sample and the topic. inappropriate agenda. assumptions about all groups/people should not be made. avoid stereotyping

- beneficience: doing the right thing that benefits others - ensure the findings are actually beneficial when applied, weighing up the pros and cons. if the sample is small, does this really reflect whether it is beneficial for everyone?

- debriefing and/or informed consent: ensure the participants know about the purpose of the study so they can make an informed decision whether to participate. this could link to deception - if the participants have been deceived, they haven't been truly informed

- the right to withdraw: participants should have the right to withdraw from a study/withdraw their data if they learn how the findings might be applied.

- results should be verified by conducting more than one study or with more than one researcher. for example, one study with a small sample should be checked to ensure it can be applied to inform. check the validity and reliability

- ensure to point out misrepresentation or anomalies in the findings which could influence how their findings are applied

- the researcher should clarify that this is not the only support/policy/theory that is available - the findings only give one suggestion

- ensure there is no stigma attached to the sample (

question 3 version 1: discuss the possibility of generalizing/transferring the findings of the study?

when discussing generalisability, remember that there is a difference between quantitative and qualitative research methods/stimulus

quantitative

generalisability has a lot to do with the representative nature of the sample, the size of the sample, and the ecological validity of the experiment. can we apply the findings to other people, places, and times?

think about the following when talking about the findings:

- population validity (the sample used)

- ecological validity (research method used)

- temporal validity (when the study was conducted)

- is there any biases which mean the findings might not be able to be generalised?

- is the research reliable? can it be repeated so we can find the same things with other people/places/times?

qualitative

in qualitative research, the focus is more on transferability. qualitative research doesn't want to generalise fully - it's looking at whether the findings can be transferred - e.g. if the population was students and the study was conducted on 30 students from one school - can we transfer the findings to ALL students?

- to what extent could the findings be transferred to the population from which the sample was drawn? representational transferability - what variables are important to consider when transferring the findings to another population?

- can the findings be generalised (transferred) to other places outside of the place used in the study? (inferential transferability)

- theoretical transferability - how could this research be generalised to generate a theory?

question 3 version 2: discuss how a researcher could ensure that the results of the study are credible?

this is a qualitative question (for a qualitative stimulus). credibility is when we are able to determine the validity of our interpretations of participants' behaviour.

ensuring the results are credible:

- triangulation (method, researcher, data)

- asking the participants to give feedback on the interpretations

- engaging in reflexivity - using a journal

- reducing researcher bias

- peer reviews/independent scrutinizers

you could say how a researcher has reduced credibility but then ensure you explain how then you could then increase it/make sure the study is credible

question 3 version 3: discuss how the researcher in the study could avoid bias

explain what bias is and how it could happen in research

explain different types of bias:

- researcher/experimenter/observer bias

-> confirmation bias

- participant bias

-> social desirability bias

-> friendliness bias

- sampling bias

- response bias

then explain how to specifically avoid these biases, for example:

- peer reviews/independent scrutinizers - crediblity check

- reflexivity

- using deception

- double/single blind design

- placebo

- counterbalancing

- pilot study

- triangulation

- standardisation/operationalisation

- sampling method

- random assignment

- criteria to screen participants