Psychology Paper 3

The terms that might occur or you might need for paper 3 HL

Case study

Case study

A study where one participant is used for the research, mostly because it is a special case.

Naturalistic observation

Observing the participants in their natural environment and analyzing their behavior.

Unstructured interview

Asking questions that pop up, every interview can be different

Semi-structured interview

focusses on some prepared questions but still leaves room to deviate from those.

Focus-groups

Groups where the participants discuss certain topics, mostly used to see how participants behave in a group environment.

Experiments

A controlled situation where there is a dependent and independent variable.

Field experiments

Experiments that take place in a real life setting.

• real life setting

• pre-existing group

• some manipulation

• pros: high ecological validity

• cons: low internal validity

Quasi-experiments

designed to find a cause and effect relationship.

• used of pre-existing group

• some manipulation

• pros: high external validity

• cons: no cause and effect relationship

Natural experiments

Observational study that studies the outcomes and effects of policy interventions.

• real life setting

• pre-existing group

• no control

• pros: high ecological validity

• cons: low internal validity

Correlational research

Seeks a correlation between two variables, think about the shark attacks and the ice cream sales.

Surveys

A questionnaire that gives information about the participants, sometimes used for self assessment.

Matched pair design

Randomly assign one of the pairs of participants to a condition. The participants can be paired on certain characteristics such as race, twins are an example of matched pair design.

Independent samples/independent measure design

This is when there are two different groups of participants used for the conditions, one group for the control conditions and one other for the experimental condition.

Repeated measure design

When the (matched pair) participants are used for both of the conditions.

Hypothesis

The expected results.

Dependent variable

Measured, effect

Random sampling

When each member of the target population has the same chance of being selected.

Convenience sampling

participants are collected from an already established group or ‘pool’, it is the easiest group for the researcher to access.

Volunteer sampling

The participants volunteer to be in the study.

Purposive sampling

Participants selected by specific characteristics that the researcher needs for their study.

Snowball sampling

Participants recruit other participants, eg friends asking friends.

Standardization/control

Eliminating or controlling any other variables that could influence the outcome of the study.

Consent

The participant has agreed to be in the study

Anonimity

The participant is not known to the public

Right to withdraw

The participant is aware that they can withdraw themselved from the study

Deceiving

any distortion of or withholding of fact with the purpose of misleading others

Undue stress or harm

The participants were under stress or harm that was not necessary or harming for the results of the study

Debriefing

After the study is over the participants are explained what the study was about and got a chance to ask questions or to withdraw from the study.

Analysing Data

This summarises collected data

Reliability

the consistency of the findings and results of the study

Validity

The study correspond to real life situations and the results can be applied to those.

Credibility

• Triangulation: Researcher, data & methods

• Researcher credibility: is the researcher credible to do this research → eg, previous expierence with the research method, if the researcher is trained in the method they used, the preparations the researcher took.

• Member checking: Data and findings are shared with participants to ask if the researchers drew the right conclusions.

Bias

(Un)concious processes that might influence the results of the study

Researcher bias

when the researcher's beliefs or expectations influence the research design or data collection process

Participant bias

When the participants respond in a specific way to the study to match up with the (expected) desired results of the researcher.

Sampling bias

When the sample of the study is not representable for the target population of the study.

Replication

The study is standardized and can be easily reproduced.

Generalisation

The applicability of the results of the study in a real life setting for quantitative research

Transferability

The applicabilit of the results of the study in a real life setting for qualitative research

Triangulation

• Researcher: Multiple researchers are used

• Method: Multiple research methods are used

• Data: Multiple data sets (samples) are used

Bidirectional problem

When the findings of a correlational studies can influence each other both ways: A influences B, and/or B influences A

Third variable problem

a correlation that seems to exist between two variables, but there might be a third variable that actually causes the seeming causation with the two variables.

Population validity

The sample is representative of the population

Ecological validity

The study can be generalizable to a real life setting

Inductive content analysis

The method to analyze text from the participants to find a pattern. recurring themes.

Social desirability bias

Participant bias: When the participants respond in a specific way to the study to match up with the (expected) desired results of the researcher.

Acquiescence Bias

Being positive no matter the situation (participant bias)

Personal Reflexivity

acknowledge of the prior belief or expectation of research has

Target population

The population that is studied in the research (specific group)

Confounding variable

Variable that has the ability to affect the DV or IV

Double blind designs

Both the people conduct the experiment and participants are decepted

Demand characteristics

how particpants change their behaviour to fit the what they think is demanded or acceptable

External validity

• the extend which the study can be generalized, including population and ecological validity

Construct validity

Concern as to how the research is carried out: participants, setting, etc.

Order effects

how the order in which things are done can effect the outcome of the study.

Overt observation

• observees give consent

• pros: ethics

• cons: social desirability effect, expectancy effect

Covert obervation

• the observees are not informed

• pros: avoid demanding charateristic or participant bias

• cons: ethics (consent)

Reflexivity

research acknowledge or take their bias into account

Epistemological Reflexivity

acknowledge of the strength and limitation of a method

Personal Reflexivity

acknowledge of the prior belief or expectation of research has