PSYCHOLOGY - Yr 13 research methods

what is thematic analysis

• a form of observation

• analyses communication produced by people eg. speech, email, text, adverts, questionnaire answers

• keeps qualitative data as qualitative

what is content analysis

• a form of observation

• analyses communication produced by people eg. speech, email, text, adverts, questionnaire answers

• turns qualitative data into quantitive

what is coding

categorising data so that they can be counted in a content or described in a thematic

evaluate content analysis

• turns large amounts of data in manageable units

• more objective when counting codes

• can present data on a graph and run statistical analysis on comparisons

• inter-rater reliability can be assessed

• some subjectivity involved -deciding the categories

• lack of internal validity - -do the categories measure what they’re supposed to

• reduces complex info down to a simpler form - so reductionism

evaluate thematic analysis

• data is unmanageable and vague

• subjective

• cannot present data clearly or run statistical analysis

• inter-rater reliability can be assessed, but unlikely to correlate

• maintains the validity, richness and detail of qualitative data

what is a paradigm

A set of beliefs and practices that shape how research is conducted and interpreted, guiding the questions researchers ask and the methods they use.

coined by Thomas Kuhn (1962)

said that social sciences lack a universally accepted paradigm

what is a paradigm shift

when there was too much contradictory research to ignore, so more and more researchers conformed to a universal paradigm.

eg. the shift from Newtonian thinking to Einstein’s theory of relativity in physics

what is theory construction

The process of developing and formulating theories based on systematic observation, experimentation, and induction.

what is hypothesis testing

Theories will present multiple hypotheses, so these are texted using objective and systematic methods to determine their validity..

what is falsifiability

Kuhn and Popper (1934)

Just because an experiment’s conclusions had been successfully repeated does not mean that they are true, just that they haven’t been proved wrong yet.

what is replicability

determining findings’ validity.

It refers to the ability to repeat research and obtain similar results, confirming the reliability of findings.

the more supporting evidence, the more easily it can be generalised

what is objectivity

The concept of observing and measuring phenomena without bias or personal influence. Objectivity is essential in research to ensure accurate and reliable results.

what is the empirical method

A systematic approach to research that relies on observation, experimentation, and evidence to draw conclusions about psychological phenomena.

eg. experimental method, or observational method

what is internal validity

how accurately does the study test what it is aiming to test

what is external validity

how generalisable is the experiment to real-life examples

what is concurrent validity

the validity of how accurately two forms of results correlate with each other to support the same findings

what is temporal validity

how well the results hold true over time - freuds penis envy theory is no longer as valid - refects victorian influences

face validity

the logical sense of the study

predictive validity

construct validity

population validity

mundane realism vs ecological validity

Mundane realism - how and representative the experiment is to real-life situations.

ecological validity - how realistic the environment is

what are the three questions when choosing a statistical test

1. difference or correlation

2. type of data

3. which experimental design

what are the levels of measurements

nominal

ordinal

interval

what is nominal data

data in categories or frequencies

what is ordinal data

scales that are not consistent

what is interval data

scale that is measured in equal intervals

mode

nominal

median - but can use mode or range

ordinal

mean

interval

what is the use of inferential statistics

Inferential statistics are used to make predictions or inferences about a population based on a sample of data

related vs unrelated tests

Related tests are used when measuring the same subjects under different conditions, while unrelated tests compare different subjects.

table of stats test

NOI DIRC CMU SWR PSC

parametric vs non-parametric

Parametric tests assume data follows a specific distribution (usually normal), while non-parametric tests do not make this assumption and can be applied to data with fewer restrictions.

what are the parts of a report 

abstract 

intro 

method 

results 

discussion 

referencing 

what is the abstract

short summary of every other section - allowing people to decide whether the report suits their research

what is the introduction

the section that outlines the background, purpose, and significance of the research, and the aims and hypotheses of the report

what is the method

details of study method - so if replicated these would be repeated

design, sample, materials used, procedure, ethics ect.

what is the results

summary of findings

any raw data collected

descriptive and inferential statistics

what is the discussion

the section that interprets the results, discusses their implications, and relates them back to the research aims and hypotheses.

also suggests future research directions and acknowledge limitations.

what is the referencing 

the process of citing sources used in research, ensuring proper attribution to original authors and works.