ATAR PSYCH - SCIENCE INQUIRY

does not include ethics

research question

expresses the exact question you are trying to answer with your research, including the population of interest.

aim

A statement that describes the purpose or reasons for why we are conducting an experiment.

independent variable

the factor that is being changed or manipulated by the researcher. 

dependent variable

the variable that is being measured (as a result)

control variable

that are kept the same across the experiment

extraneous variable

unwanted factors that may impact the dependent variable. 

• Participant (emotions and personality) 

• Environmental (temperature, humidity) 

• Researchers' effects (researchers influences the experiment and participants behaviour) 

confounding variables

• effects both independent and dependent variables. if the extraneous variable is not controlled.

Quant Hypothesis - directional

states which way you think the results are going to go. Compares two groups or conditions. 

Quant Hypothesis - non-directional

states that there will be a difference between the two groups but does not say which will have the predicted direction. 

Qualti - Inq Questions

generally reserved for qualitative data collection and analysis. 

research designs - experimental

Where the independent variable can be manipulated, cause and effect relationship can be found. Participants can be randomly allocated. 

• Control group: exposed to all conditions except the independent variable 

• Experimental group: exposed to the independent. Variable 

research design - experimental strengths & weaknesses

Strength: researchers can have control over variables. 

Limitations: having a controlled environment reduces realism, impacting participant behaviour. 

research design - non-experimental

Independent variable cannot be manipulated, a cause-and-effect relationship cannot be found. Cannot be randomly allocated. 

• case studies, observational research, and correlational studies

research design - non-experimental strengths and limits

Strengths: observing what naturally occurring means a controlled setting does not have to be created. 

Limitations: reliable casual conclusions are not able to be made because ther is no evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship. 

non-experi - observational

type of technique used to study behaviour 

Method: researchers monitor participants and record notes 

Strengths: controlled observations can be replicated by other researchers. 

Limitation: participants may change their behaviour if they are aware of being observed. 

non-experi - case study

An in-depth investigation of an individual person, group of people or a single event. For unusual events that cannot be replicated in a laboratory. 

Method: a large amount of data is collected, providing information on one person, a group of people or an event. 

Strengths: information is gathered from a range of perspectives 

Limitations: results are unable to be generalised to the population the sample was taken from. 

non-experi - correlational

measures the linear relationship between two variables. 

Method: the relationship between two variables is measured 

Strengths: potential hypothesis based on correlation can be tested using an experimental design. 

Limitations: correlations do not show how variables are related because there are no cause and effect between two variables. 

longitudinal

data is collected more than once, using the same participants. 

Strengths: developmental trends can be studied over a lifetime. 

Limitations: it takes a longer time to get results than with cross-sectional studies. 

cross sectional

data from participant is collected at one point in time. Could be from one sample or from a number of samples. 

Strengths: it costs less to conduct than longitudinal studies 

Limitations: the sample size may not be large enough to generalise results to the population that the sample was taken from. 

population and sample

Population: the entire group of people belonging to a particular category that is of research interest. 

Sample: a group of participants selected from, and representatives of, a population of interest. 

convenience sampling

participants who are easily accessible are selected. 

Strengths: the time and effort required to collect the sample is low compared to random and stratified sampling. 

Limitations: the sample is unlikely to be representatives of the population it was taken from. 

snowballing sampling

1. Initial participants are chosen.

2. Each participant encourages other people to contact the researcher and join the sample. 

Strengths: it allows researchers to find a sample that may otherwise be difficult to recruit due to the nature of the study, for example research looking at drug or sex workers. 

Limitations: the sample may be biased as only those who are in direct with the original participant can be recruited. 

random sampling

1. Names of all members in a population are collated

2. Names are randomly selected by drawing them out of a hat ushering a computer-generates 

Strengths: researcher bias is minimised. 

Limitations:  the time and effort required to conduct this type of sampling is high. 

stratified sampling

1. The population is broken into subgroups based on characteristics relevant to the study.

2. Participants from reach subgroup are randomly selected in the same proportion they appear in the population. 

Strengths: the sample is likely to be representative of the population it was taken from. 

Limitations: the time and effort required to conduct this type of sampling is high. 

random allocation

random distribution of participants into experimental and control groups to reduce researcher bias and increase generalisability of results. 

Method: 1. Names of participant in the sample are collated. 2. Names are randomly selected by drawing them out of a hat or using a computer-generated program and assigned to groups. 

Strengths: it allows for good generalisability of results because equivalent groups of participants are created 

Limitations: it is not possible to use this form of allocation when the independent variable is not able to be manipulated by the researchers. 

sources of error - experimenter effect

researcher consciously or unconsciously sharing their aim or expected outcome or inaccurately carrying out the procedure or recording data.

sources of error - demand characteristics

when the participants discover, or believe they have discovered, the aim of the study and change their behaviour. 

minimising extr and conf - random allocation

the main purpose of random allocation is to ensure each participant in the sample has an equal chance of being chosen to be in either the control or experimental groups. Helps reduce researcher extraneous variables. 

minimising extr and conf - single-blind procedure

the researcher is aware of who is in each group, however the participants are unaware of which groups they have been allocated, reducing the possibility of participant extraneous variable.

minimising extr and conf - standardisation of procedures and instructions

to reduce researcher extraneous variables and environmental, need to ensure all instructions given to participants are scripted with produces needing to follow the same producers. Testing conditions need to be standardised. 

data collection - quant and qual

Quantitative data: information in the form of numbers i.e. numerical information 

Qualitative: descriptive information in the forms of words. 

data collection - subjective data

based on opinions and cannot be measured. I.e. opinion (Checklists, rating scaled, Likert scales). Limitation, difficult for comparison of other data. 

data collection - objective data

measured according to an identifiable external criterion, will correctly obtain the same result (heat rate, ECG, breathing rate, galvanic skin response). I.e facts Limitation, does not always provide reasoning behind the secure because external factors are not taken into account.

mixed method

Mixed Method = Qualitative + Quantitative 

methods of d collect qual - individual interviews

• a directed conversation on which a researcher, intends to elicit specific information from an individual for purposes of research. 

Strengths: can delve into sensitive issues that subjects may feel uncomfortable sharing in a group 

Limitations: reliability can be a concern; interviewers can skew the results with their personal judgements and biases. 

methods of d collect qual - focus groups

• refers to interaction between participants is encouraged. The interviewer plays the role of a facilitator encouraging the discussion, then just asking the question. 

Strengths: use of open questions allows respondents to talk in depth 

Limitations: maintaining confidentiality and privacy can be challenging in a group setting. 

methods of d collect qual - standardised interviews

• questions are standardised which means the same question are asked to each interviewee in the same order.

• Will not deviate from the interview schedule it probes beyond the answers perceived. Both open and closed-ended questions. 

Strengths: easy to replicate questioning due to fixed questions. 

Limitations: due to the interview schedule no impromptu question can be added. 

methods of d collect qual - semi-structured interviews

which there are predetermined, but the order of asking them and the wording nay vary depending on the researcher. 

•  Can use the same questions but omit some questions and vary the order based on flow of conversation. Some probing question can be added. 

Strengths: flexible structure can gain more detail than a structured. 

Limitations: can be more challenging to compare responses from participants. 

methods of d collect qual - open-ended questionaire

• responds to open-ended questions in written for, express responses in their own words in as much detail as they like.  

• Often used complex questions that cannot be answered simply but with more detail and discussion. 

Strengths: researchers can find out the ‘why’ behind a response. 

Limitations: can be challenging for less educated participants to elaborate in a meaningful way. 

validity

an investigation is valid if it tests what it is supposed to test. 

reliability

a reliable experiment has results can be obtained consistently.