Research Methods Summary

What does overt mean?

Acknowledged

What does covert mean?

Not acknowledged

What is a lab experiment?

Controlled

What are 2 advantages of a lab experiment?

• Generates quantitative data

• Reliable

What are 2 disadvantages of lab experiments?

• Artificial

• Unethical - deception

What is an example of a lab experiment?

Harvey and Slatin - seeing if teachers had stereotyped by social class by showing them photos of different children - found that they rated working class children as smart

What is a field experiment?

Natural setting - likely covert

What are 2 advantages of field experiments?

• More realistic

• Less Hawthorne effect

What are 2 disadvantages of field experiments?

• Difficult to control

• Unethical

What is an example of a field experiment?

Rosenthal and Jackson IQ test/bloomers

What is a questionnaire?

Self completed questions

What are 2 advantages of questionnaires?

• Anonymity

• Large scale

What are 2 disadvantages of questionnaires?

• Bad responses/low response rate

• Lack of insight

What is an example of a questionnaire in a study?

• Bowles and Gintis - correspondence principle (237 high school students)

• Chubb and Moe - parent’s survey (found that low income households less likely to succeed)

What is a structured interview?

Interview with set questions

What are 2 advantages of a structured interview?

• Easy to train interviewers

• Comparable data

What are 2 disadvantages of structured interviews?

• No insight

• Interviewer bias

What is an example of a structured interview in a study?

• CSEW

• Young and Willmott - symmetrical family

What is an unstructured interwiew?

No set questions

What are 2 advantages of an unstructured interview?

• Rapport

• Clarification

What are 2 disadvantages of an unstructured interview?

• Not representative

• Unreliable

What are examples of unstructured interviews in studies?

• Dobash and Dobash

• Lacey

What is a group interview?

Interview done with multiple at the same time

What are 2 advantages of group interviews?

• Observe group dynamics

• Restores power imbalance between interviewee and interviewer

What are 2 disadvantages if group interviews?

• Group may be dominated by a few

• Social desirability bias

What is an example of a group interview being used in a study?

Willis

What is participant obervation?

Researcher participates

What are 2 advantages of participant observation?

• Rapport

• Real world data

What are 2 disadvantages of participant observation?

• Ethical issues

• Requires highly skilled researcher, they could experience stress

What are examples of participant observation?

• James Patrick - Glasgow gang, concluded that boys were afraid to fight other guys but were more afraid not to fight them

• Humpherys

• Cicourel

What is non-participant observation?

Researcher doesn’t involve themselves

What are 2 advantages of non-participant observation?

• Blend into surroundings

• Reliable

What are 2 disadvantages of non-participant observation?

• Ethical issues

• Not valid - Hawthorne effect

What are examples of non-participant observation in research?

• Cicourel

• OFSTED