Research Methods flashcards

Repeated measures design

Ppts experience both IVs

Strength of repeated measures

Less people needed

Weakness of repeated measures

Order effects

Individual group design

2 sets of ppt groups for each IV

Strength of individual groups

Avoids order effects

Weakness of individual groups

More participants needed

Matched pair design

Ppts matched with participant variables (eg. Age or gender)

Strength of matched pairs

Participant variables reduced

Weakness of matched pairs

Time consuming

Natural experimental method

Researcher observes the effect of the natural IV on the DV without manipulation

Strength of natural

High external validity as in the natural setting so behaviour will be more natural

Weakness of natural

Lack of control over Evs which makes it harder to establish a strong cause and effect

Quasi experimental method

IV is naturally occurring and is a difference between people that already exists. Researcher determines the effect of this on the DV. eg. Age

Strength of quasi

High external validity as in natural setting so behaviour will be more natural

Weakness of quasi

Lack of random assignment so less able to establish a causal effect between variables

Lab experimental method

A controlled setting and Iv is controlled

Strength of lab

Evs are controlled

Weakness of lab

Low mundane realism

Field experimental method

Takes place in natural setting and IV is manipulated

Strength of field

High external validity as its in the natural setting so behaviour will be more natural

Weakness of field

Lack of control over Evs which makes it harder to establish a strong cause and effect

Opportunity sampling

Making a sample out of people who are easily assessable (eg. 10 students from a class)

Strength of opportunity

Cost effective and less time taken

Weakness of opportunity

Researcher bias as researcher may not choose certain people to be in sample

Random sampling

Using a number generator to select participants from a list

Strength of random

No researcher bias

Weakness of random

Time consuming

Volunteer sampling

Sample made from people who have volunteered themselves to be in the study

Strength of volunteer

Time efficient and cost effective

Weakness of volunteer

Volunteer bias which causes sample to not be representative

Stratified sampling

Proportions of subgroups in the population reflected in sample

Strength of stratified

Representative

Weakness of stratified

Time consuming

Systematic sampling

Every nth person in a list included in sample

Strength of systematic

Objective method of sampling as there is no human choice or selection

Weakness of systematic

Time consuming

Parts of an experiment approved by BPS

Consent, no deception, confidentiality, debrief, right to withdraw and protection from harm

Consent

Ppts asked before and after is they want to be in study

How can an experiment ask for consent?

Sign a form

Deception

Researcher must not deceive ppts unless very necessary.

When are ppts told if they have been deceived?

Debrief at end of study

Confidentiality

Ppts personal information must be protected and kept from the public

How can researchers keep confidentiality?

Use nicknames/numbers for names and destroy all personal information after 5 years

Debrief

A session at the end of the study where participants are informed about the study and any deception that occurred.

Debrief process

Consent asked again, asked if they want to withdraw and true aim of study revealed

Protection from harm

Given contacts of researchers and counsellors that participants can contact if they feel psychologically damaged

Right to withdraw

Participants can withdraw from the study at any time and their data will not be used

Pilot study

Small scale version of an experiment to check that the equipment, procedures etc. work and allows for modifications to happen

Naturalistic observation

Behaviour watched in a setting which would naturally occur

Strength of naturalistic observation

High ecological validity

Weakness of naturalistic observation

No control of variables

Controlled observation

Observing behaviour within a structured environment where some variables are controlled

Strength of controlled observation

Decreased extraneous variables as controlled

Weakness of controlled observation

Low ecological validity

Covert observation

Participants watched are unaware they are being observed

Strength of covert observation

Low risk of demand characteristics

Weakness of covert observation

Deception- unethical

Overt observation

Participants know behaviour is being observed

Strength of overt observation

Ethical

Weakness of overt observation

Demand characteristics

Participant observation

Researcher is part of the participants being observed

Strength of participant observation

Access hard to reach groups

Weakness of participant observation

Deception

Non-participant observation

Researcher is separate to group observed

Strength of non-participant observation

No deception

Weakness of non-participant observation

Low ecological validity

Unstructured observational design

When the observer writes down everything in detail for observations that are smaller-scale

Strength of unstructured observational design

Rich data

Weakness of unstructured observational design

Not everything can be written down- only the eye catching behaviours (subjective)

Structured observational design

Organise recordings of observations to simplify the process and allows the observer to focus on behaviours

Main systems of structured observations

Behavioural categories and sampling

Features of behavioural categories

Must be operationalised, no overlap, objective and cover everything

Weakness of behavioural categories

Hard to clarify what classes as a behaviour (eg. What is a kick etc.)

Types of sampling in structured observation

Event and time

Event sampling

Recording the number of times an event happens

Strength of event sampling

Quantitative data

Weakness of event sampling

Hard to record everything and may miss details

Time sampling

Record what's happening at specific time intervals

Strength of time sampling

Reduces the amount of observation needed

Weakness of time sampling

Miss events outside of time intervals

Miss events outside of time intervals

N/A

Types of questionnaire

Open and closed

Open questionnaire

Responders are free to answer what they want (no fixed answers)

Strength of open questionnaire

Qualitative data produced (rich)

Weakness of open questionnaire

Hard to analyse

Closed questionnaire

Fixed responses (eg. Yes or no)

Strength of closed questionnaire

Quantitative and qualitative data

Weakness of closed questionnaire

May not be truthful (demand characteristics + social desirability bias)

Types of closed questions

Rating scale, fixed choice, filler questions, sequence of questions

Likert scale

A statement with different options to choose to answer with (strongly agree etc.)

Weakness of rating scale (rate from 1-10)

Not told what each number means

Filler question

Questions designed to distract from the main purpose

Sequence of questions

Start with easy and progress to hard

Increase reliability of a questionnaire

Increase the subjects (participants repeat the questionnaire at a later date)

Decrease validity of a questionnaire

Too long makes people bored

Increase validity of a questionnaire

Online encourages participants to be more honest with their answers

Structured interview

Pre-determined questions that are asked in a specific order

Strength of structured interview

Straightforward to replicate

Weakness of structured interview

Not rich data

Unstructured interview

No set questions but an aim of the interview