Research Methods
No description yet. This curated deck is ready for daily study.
Card preview (24)
What is operationalising?
Clearly defining variable that your manipulating and measuring
What’s extraneous variable
Variables other than IV that COULD affect dv
What’s standardisation
when the procedure/instructions in investigation are kept the same for all participants To control for extraneous variables, psychologists keep everything the same other than the IV
What’s confounding variable
DOES affect what your measuring
What’s a null hypothesis
Predicts NO difference
What’s a experimental hypothesis
Predicts there WILL be a difference
Directional hypothesis
Predicts the direction results will go in. So increase or decrease
What’s a non directional hypothesis
Predicts no direction for results
What’s informed consent?
Participants should know what they’re getting into before doing it.
Informed consent
Researchers must attempt to get real consent from participant. This is only possible when they understand what they’re agreeing to,consent for children must be obtained from parents
Deception in psychological research
Should be avoided whenever possible. Ps should be informed of purpose of study as soon as possible. Not acceptable if deception cause distress- debriefing
Right to withdrawal in psychological research
Ps should be told they have right to withdraw from a study at any point and also their data.
Protection from harm psychological research
Ps should be protected from physical and psychological harm. They should not be exposed to any risk that they wouldn’t encounter in everyday life
Psychological research privacy
If ps observed in place that isn’t public cam be classed lac of privacy
What’s debriefing
Used after study to deal with any deception or psychological harm. Fully inform nature and aim of study, offer counselling
What are experimental designs
Experimental design refers to how participants are allocated to used in these conditions. Types is matched pairs, independent groups and repeated measures
Repeated measures designs strengths
Fewer participants needed No individual difference, Ps variables are controlled as the same participants are used in each condition . This makes the research higher in validity
Repeated measures limitations
Order effects - Ps may do better on the second test because of a practice effect, or Ps may do worse on the 2nd test because of being bored with doing the same test again Demand characteristics. Participants may guess the true aims of the study if they take part in both conditions, lowering the internal validity of the study
Independent group design strengths
No order effects influencing the results because a different group of participants are taking part in each condition. Demand characteristics . They only take part in one condition do less likely to guess aim of study
Independent group designs limitations
Amount of participants - researchers meed to recruit more as seperate groups needed for each condition Individual differences. Ps who occupy different groups are not the same in terms of p variables. These can act as confounding variables reducing the validity of the findings
Matched pairs design strengths
More balanced groups ps are pre matched on important traits so participant variables are reduced Demand characteristics. Participants only take part in 1 condition so they’re far less likely to guess the aim of the research and change their behaviour
Matched pairs design limitations
Amount of Ps- researchers need to recruit more ps as a seperate group is needed for each condition. Time consuming and difficult to achieve. Participants may never be matched exactly
when should a hypothesis be non directonal?
when previous research is contradictory [or none?}
why might open questions in a questionnaire be better?
open questions might give the researcher detailed insight into reasons for behaviour open questions could lead to ideas for further investigation