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51 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is quantitative data? |
- When the data set is expressed in numbers/qualities - Representing trends from numerical data Eg. how many/how much |
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What is qualititative data? |
- Concerns thoughts and feelings -Often categorised in some way to make it easier to summarise the data Eg. categories of types of play |
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What are 2 ways to measure disperson? |
Range Standard deviation |
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What is standard deviation? |
A measure of the spread of the data around the mean |
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What is an advantage and a disadvantage of standard deviation? |
Advantage: More precise as all values are taken into account Disadvantage: Harder to calculate |
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What is the range? |
The difference between the largest and smallest number in a data set Range = Large - small |
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What is an advantage of the range? |
Easy to calculate |
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What are two disadvantages of the range? |
1. Doesn't take all values into account 2. Is affected by extreme values |
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What are the 3 ways to measure central tendency? |
Mean Median Mode |
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What is an advantage and a disadvantage of the mean? |
Advantage: Takes all values into account Disadvantage: Average is distorted by extreme values |
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What is an advantage and a disadvantage of the median? |
Advantage: Result is not affected by extreme values Disadvantage: Not all values are included |
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What is an advantage and a disadvantage of the mode? |
Advantage: Ideal for data that is categorised Disadvantage: Not useful to describe data when there are several modes |
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Methodology |
Methodology |
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What is an aim? |
A general statement describing what someone intends to investigate. Eg. TO FIND OUT IF severe punishment causes anxiety |
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What is a research hypothesis? |
A hypothesis that predicts a difference in the measured variable or correlation between variables Eg. The number of words recalled by students whilst listening to music will be higher than the number recalled in silence |
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What is a null hypothesis? |
A hypothesis that predicts no difference in a variable or no correlation between variables Eg. There will be no significant different between the number of words recalled by students in silence or students listening to music |
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What is an experimental hypothesis? |
A hypothesis used only in experiments which predicts a different and has an IV and DV |
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What is an indepedent variable? |
Something manipulated or set up in an experiment (Thing that is changed) |
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What is a dependent variable? |
Something that is measured after the independent variable may have had an effect on it |
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5 key points of this topic |
- Research questions arise from observations and research is used to answer them - Research starts with an aim - Research uses an alternative/research/experimental hypothesis which predicts a difference. If H1 is rejected null hypothesis is retained - Experimental hypotheses contain an IV and DV |
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Define target population |
The wider group of people that research findings should apply to |
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Define a biased sample |
A sample that is not representative of the target population |
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What is opportunity sampling? |
Involves selecting the first people you meet who fit the right criteria and are prepared to be in the study |
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What are the 3 strengths of opportunity sampling? |
- Less time consuming (no planning/systems for selection - Most economic - Quick |
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What are two weaknesses of opportunity sampling? |
- Sample can be biased because only certain types of people will volunteer - Researcher can show bias when selecting the participants |
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What is random sampling? |
Select the sample by giving everyone in the target population an equal chance of being picked Eg. Picking names out of a hat |
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What are the 2 strengths of random sampling? |
- Avoids bias as researcher has no control over who is selected - Law of probability says researcher will get a representative sample |
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What are the 3 weaknesses of random sampling? |
- Larger the target group = more difficult to compile lists and randomly sample - Chance of a "freak" sample which would not be representative - Time consuming (identify then draw out) |
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What is systematic sampling? |
Taking every nth person in the sampling frame from the sample Eg. Every 5th person taken from a list of the target population |
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What are the 2 strengths of systematic sampling? |
- Avoids bias as researcher has no control over who is selected - Law of probability says that the researcher will get a representative sample |
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What are the 2 weaknesses of systematic sampling? |
- Chance of "freak" sample which would not be representative - Researcher may decide on how people are listed before selection (bias as selects subjects wanted) |
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What is stratified sampling? |
- Researcher splits sampling frame into groups that researcher wants to be represented in final sample. - A certain number is then taken from each group so they are proportionaetly represented Eg. Target population 40% female 60% males, 4 females and 6 males taken from 10 |
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What are the 2 strengths of stratifed sampling? |
- Avoids "freak" samples by making sure all key characteristics are present - Unbiased as left to chance who is selected from each strata |
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What are the 2 limitations of stratified sampling? |
- Time consuming as have to be selected, categorised then draw a sample - Researcher may not identify all key characteristics = not representative |
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What are the three types of experimental design? |
1. Repeated measures design 2. Independent groups design 3. Matched pairs design |
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What is repeated measures design? |
- The same participants are used in each condition Eg. Participants recall is tested with cues and then without cues |
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What are 2 strengths of repeated measures design? |
- Fewer participants are required - Eliminates participant variables |
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What is a limitated of repeated measures design? |
- Order effects: practice, fatique, demand characteristics |
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What is independent groups design? |
- Different participants are used in each condition. - Normally decided by random allocation eg. Participants allocated to cues or no-cues conditions |
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What are 2 strengths of independent groups design? |
- No order effects as participants only take part in one condition - Allows task variable to be controlled eg. participants can be given the same word list so it does not become a condfounding variable |
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What is a limitation of independent groups design? |
- Individual differences can make the results unreliable because the participants may be of different memory abilities |
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What is matched pairs design? |
- A different group of participants is used for each condition but they are matched up in characteristics eg. gender, age, intelligence, personality |
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What are 2 strengths of matched pairs design? |
- No order effects as participants only take part in one condition - Individual differences between conditions are reduced as participants are matched |
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What is a limitation of matched pairs design? |
- Time consuming and expensive to match participants |
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What are 3 strengths of using experimental methods? |
- High level of control over extraneous variables. This control makes it easier to establish cause and effect - If cause and effect are established, it is possible to predict and control behaviour - Experiments are objective as they are not easily influenced by the experimenter once set up = results are not open to bias |
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What are 3 limitations of using experimental methods? |
- Laboratory based experiments lack ecological validity - Lack construct validity as variables are assessed more narrowly than they would in real life - Participants are aware they are taking part in experiments and may respond to demand characteristics making results unreliable. |
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What methods produce quantitative data? |
- Experiments (DV has to be measured) - Self-report (closed questions) - Structured observations with a coding system - Correlation because must be quantitative data for correlational analysis to take place |
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What methods produce qualitative data? |
- Case studies (in-depth and detailed) - Observations where researchers write what they see - Self report (open questions) |
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What are 3 advantages of quantitative data? |
- Can be easily summarised into grpahs or statistics to identify patterns - More objective as scoring systems are not open to interpretation - Easier to analyse |
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What is a limitation of quantitative data? |
- Oversimplifies reality and human experience - reduces it to numbers and coding |
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What are 2 advantages of qualitative data? |
- Gains access to thoughts and feelings - Provides rich details of how people behave and represents the complexities of human behaviour |
