Research Methods

Quantative data

Numerical data

Easy to analyse, lacks irl depth

Qualitative data

Descriptive data

Hard to analyse, less subjective, more detailed

Primary data

Firsthand data

More tailored to study, takes time

Secondary data

Secondhand data

May not suit study, easy to use

Range

Highest - lowest

Easy to calculate, can be distorted

Mean

Add all scores/number of scores

Most sensitive, can be distorted

Median

Middle value

Not affected by extremes, less representative

Mode

Most common value

Easy, unrepresentative

Scatter diagrams

Displays correlation

Frequency tables

Number of times smth occurs

Frequency graphs

Histogram, bar charts or normal distribution

Laboratory experiments

Takes place in a lab

EV can be controlled, standard procedures

Behaviour in a lab is not natural, Pps may change behaviour

Field experiments

Takes place in a natural setting

More realistic, some standard procedures

No control of EVs, Ethical issues

Natural experiment

Natural event that occurs

High validity due to real world situation

Rare opportunities, may be EVs

Independent groups

Different Pps for each IV condition

Order effects not a problem

Lots of Pps, Pp variables

Repeated measures

All Pps do every IV condition

No order effects

Pp variables

Matched pairs

Pps are matched based on variables, and one from each pair does each condition of the EV

No order effects of Pp varibles

Takes time to match Pps, doesn't control all varibles

Allocation to conditions

Using chance or systemic methods to avoid Pp varibles

Counterbalancing

One group of Pps do IV conditions in one order and the other group do it in reverse

Participant variables

How factors like mood, skill, personality or age can skew results

Case studies

An in depth investigation of a person, event or group

No specific aims for extra research

Studies rare condition

Not generalisable

Questionnaires

Uses open/closed questions

Easy to get lots of info, open qualitative, closed quantitative

Social desirability bias, leading questions

Interveiws

Produce lots of qualitative info

Difficult to analyse or uncomfortable

Structured interveiws

List of prepared questions

Can have follow ups

Unstructured interveiws

Some prepared questions

New questions based on what is said

Semi-structured interveiws

Some questions decided before

Follow ups can be made up

Random sampling

Equal chance of selection

No bais, takes time

Opportunity sampling

Selecting people avalible

Quick and cheap, not representative

Systemic sampling

Selecting every nth person

No researcher bias, may be unrepresentative

Stratified sampling

Finding the proportion in the target population

Most representative, very time consuming

Ethical issues

Privacy, deception, protection from harm, informed consent

Privacy

Pps can control info about themselves

Confidentiality

Data must be protected and respected

Deception

Pps must not be lied to about aims

Informed consent

Pps should be told the purpose of the research

Natural and controlled observation

Record behaviour where it would normally occur

Researcher manipulates environment

Covert and overt observation

Secretive recording

Told in advance about recording

Participant and non-participant observation

Researcher is part of the group

Researcher remains seperate

Intraobserver reliability

Two researchers should produce the same record of data