A-Level OCR Psychology (Research Methods)

Generalisability

to the extent which findings from one sample or situation can be applied to another sample to situation

Reliability

The consistency of measure

Internal Reliability

the consistency of results of a test across item within the test

External Reliability

the extent to which a test produces the same results in the same situation with the same people or the extent to which a test score varies from one time to another

Validity

how accurate a piece of research or test is at measuring what it aims to measure

Demand Characteristics

cues or features of an experiment or situation that indicate to participants the aim of the study and so influence their behaviour

Social Desirability

the tendency of participants to respond or behave in ways they think reflect what is acceptable in society rather than how they actually want to respond or behave

Researcher Bias

the tendency for a researcher to act in ways that influence the results due to such things as their own beliefs, culture and gender

Observer Bias

the tendency for an observer to "see what they want to see" and so record behaviours they believe should or will occur rather than recording behaviour that actually occur.

Researcher Effects

negative influences researchers can have on a study by things like their presence, beliefs, culture and gender

Observer Effects

Influences that observers can have on a study by things like their presence, beliefs, culture and gender.

Informed Consent

participants should have sufficient knowledge about a study to decide whether or not they want to agree to take part

Right To Withdraw

participants should be aware that they can remove themselves and their data from the study at any time

Confidentiality

participants results and personal information should be kept safe and not released to anyone outside the study

Protection of the Participant

Participants should not be put at any greater physical or psychological risk than they would expect in their everyday lives

Debrief

a full explanation of the aims and potential consequences of a study should be given to participants after they have taken part to ensure they leave in the same condition they arrived in

Deception

participants should not deliberately be misinformed about the aim or the procedure of the study

Lab Experiment

manipulates the independant variable
strict control over extraneous variables
standardised procedures in a controlled environment

Advantages of lab experiments

increased control and accurate measurements.
due to standardised procedures, results are easy to repeat and replicate

Disadvantages of lab experiments

can produce unnatural behaviour and demand characteristics
low ecological validity

Quasi Experiment

independent variable is changed by natural occurence

Advantages of Quasi experiments

high ecological validity, natural change is being investigated
less risk of experimenter bias

Disadvantages of Quasi Experiments

harder to replicate
harder to infer - little control over extraneous variables

Field Experiment

deliberately manipulates independent variables in natural environments

Advantages of field experiments

less risk of demand characteristics
high ecological validity

Disadvantages of field experiments

lack of control over variables - more bias from extraneous
difficult to replicate

Research question

a question based on an event or a previous study

Research aim

what is the research trying to discover specifically

Null hypothesis

a testable statement saying that any difference or relationship is due to chance. nothing will happen

Alternative hypothesis

a testable statement saying there will be a difference or relationship.

Opportunity sampling

selecting people who are available at the time of the study

advantages of opportunity sampling

easiest method, takes less time

disadvantages of opportunity sampling

biased because the sample is drawn from a small part of the target population

Random sampling

participants selected randomly

advantages of random sampling

unbiased, all members of a target population have an equal chance of getting selected

disadvantages of random sampling

takes more time

self selected sampling

asking for volunteers

advantages of self selected sampling

convenient, participants less likely to drop out

disadvantages of self selected sampling

biased, volunteers likely to be much more motivated

Snowball sampling

referrals from initial participants

advantages of snowball sampling

enables researchers to locate groups of people who are difficult to access

disadvantages of snowball sampling

sample is not likely to be a good cross section from the population

Sampling bias

testing people from one culture

ethnocentrism

assuming ones own culture is superior and that behaviour from one culture can be generalised to other cultures

Repeated measures

same subjects in each condition

+ repeated measures

subject variables are kept consistent
fewer subjects needed

- repeated measures

order effects can produce errors
demand characteristics

independent measures

different subjects in each condition

+ independent measures

order effects do no influence second condition
demand characteristics are not an issue
same test can be used

- independent measures

subject variables differ
more subjects requiresd

Matched pairs

different but similar subjects in each condition

+ matched pairs

subject variables kept constant
order effects do not occur
same test can be used

- matched pairs

subject variables can never be perfectly matched
time consuming
more subjects required