Research Methods - Sources of Information + Measurement

What are confounds

What other factors can explain results

eg catharsis on anger levels → or is it just physical exertion

What is probablistic research?

Findings not expected to explain all cases

What is confirmation bias?

Seeking out / believing info that confirms things we already believe

What is operationalisation?

Constructs which cannot be directly measured are redefined in a measurable way

Construct

• Concept being studied → Perseverance

Conceptual Definition

• Theoretical definition of the construct → “ability to push through when confronted with obstacles”

Operational definition

• How construct is measured in study → “How long (in minutes) a psychology student will choose to engage in boring lab experiment”

What is observational measurement?

Observer recording participant behaviours

computers + recording devices can be used to enhance validity

Circumvents response bias but may be susceptible to demand characteristics

Marshmallow test on tiktok observationally measures delayed gratification

What is physiological measurement?

Records biological data

eye movements, brain imaging, heart rate etc

lie detectors !!

Hard to associate emotions to responses

What is Test-Retest reliability

Testing two different times → usually seperate times

If reliable, should get same / similar results both times

What is Interrater reliability

More than one person making the observation

More than one rater

What is Internal reliability

Questions / items should be highly correlated to construct being measured

Cronbach’s Alpha

• Statistical measurement of how well items are correlated

Types of Validity

Face + Construct

• Does it look like a good measure

Criterion

• Does it correlate with key behaviours

• Eg Money made + sales strategy

• Assessed through Known-Groups Paradigm ; previously established correlations

Convergent

• Does the pattern make sense

• Extent to which the tool corresponds with other known tools of the same construct

Discriminant

• Does the pattern make sense

• Absence of correlation where there should be

• Opposite of Convergent