Psychology - Research Methods

Front 1

Psychology

Back 1

The scientific study of the human mind and behaviour.

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Hypothesis

Back 2

This is a prediction based on a theory.

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Operationalisation

Back 3

This is how the researched manipulates or measures the psychological thing they are interested in.

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Lab Experiment

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Specifically designed environment where variables are tightly controlled

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Field Experiement

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Variables are manipulated but the participants are in their own environment (and often unaware, covert)

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Natural Experiment

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The IV is naturally occurring so experiment simply measures the DV without changing anything.

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Independent Variable

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This is what the researcher changes to see the affect on the DV.

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Dependent Variable

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This is what the researcher measures/counts.

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Cause/Effect Relationship

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Scientists use IV's and DV's in order to determine cause and effect relationships.

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APFCC

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Aim
Procedure
Findings
Conclusion
Criticisms

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Strengths of Lab Experiments

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- has a high degree of control, accuracy and objectivity. The IV and DV can be tightly controlled/measured.
- because they are so controlled, they are easy to repeat to check the results.
- the manipulation of IV and DV means we can determine cause and effect relationship.

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Weaknesses of Lab Experiments

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- the experimenters expectations can effect the results and participants may be influenced by these expectations.
- participants know they are in a study so may guess the aim of the study and change their behaviour to fit accordingly. Or they may do the opposite - the 'screw you' effect.
- the experiments are so highly controlled that the situations are unrealistic, artificial and unlike real life.

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Strengths of Field Experiments

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- the manipulation of the IV and DV means we can determine cause and effect relationships.
- due to the 'real world' setting, results are more likely to relate to everyday behaviour.
- the participants usually do not know they are in a study and so their behaviour is natural - they don't change it because they don't know they are being watched.

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Weaknesses of Field Experiments

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- it is difficult to repeat the experiment because the situation/environment will never be exactly the same again.
- it is more difficult to control extraneous variables e.g. who else is there at the time, noise, temperature, etc.
- usually the participants are not aware they are in an experiment and are not asked to take part. Some argue this is unethical (unfair to the participants).

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Strengths of Natural Experiments

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- due to the 'real world' setting results are more likely to relate t everyday behaviour.
- can be used when it is not possible to manipulate the IV - e.g. age, mental disorders etc.
- the participants usually do not know they are in a study and so their behaviour is natural - they don't change it because they don't know they are being watched.

Front 16

Weaknesses of Natural Experiments

Back 16

- it is difficult to repeat the experiment because the situation/environment will never be exactly the same again.
- it is more difficult to control extraneous variables e.g. who else is there at the time, noise, temperature, etc.
- usually the participants are not aware they are in an experiment and are not asked to take part. Some argue this is unethical (unfair to the participants).

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Independent Groups

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- Recruit a group of participants
- Divide them into two.
- IV gets set for each group.
- Measure DV for both groups.
- Compare the results

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Problems for Independent Groups

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- extraneous variables
- the natural variation between the individuals in each group may affect the DV measurements

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Weaknesses of Correlations

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- does not determine cause and effect relationships. This is because we have not manipulated the DV and IV (variables).

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Repeated Measures

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- Recruit a group of participants
- Everyone does condition one AND condition two
- Compare the results from the two conditions.

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Problems for Repeated Measures

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- the participants have a practice on the task
- bored or tired
- may figure out aim of study which may affect DV measurements.

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Solution for the problems with Repeated Measures

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- Counterbalance, half group do one condition while other do second then swap over.

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Matched Pairs

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- Recruit a group of participants
- Find out what sort of people are in this group.
- Recruit another group that match each individual
- Compare the results for the matched pairs.

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Problems for Matched Pairs

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- time consuming
- rarely possible to find an exact match
- if one participant drops out you lose two participants as you have nothing to compare to

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Positive Correlation

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Variables increase together

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Negative Correlation

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One variable increases while the other decreases.

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Correlation Coefficient

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Explains the lines correlation

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Strengths of using Correlation

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- can be used when it is unethical to manipulate the variables to see if one changes the other
- if a relationship was found this could justify further research

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Inter-observer Reliability

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Observers should be consistent so two observers should produce the same record of events. It has to be at least 80% of people who agree to be reliable.

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Opportunity Sample Weaknesses

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Sample influenced by where people are asked.

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Volunteer Sampling Strengths

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More varied sample

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Volunteer Sampling Weaknesses

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Volunteer biased (e.g. more motivated)

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Reliable

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If you do the research more than once and you get the same results your study will be reliable.

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Valid

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The study measures what it intends to measure.

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Ecological Validity

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Refers to how well the results of the study can be generalised to other situations outside of the setting the research took place.

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Population Validity

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Refers to how well the results of the study can be generalised to different people of populations (e.g. other cultures, genders, ages, classes)

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Extraneous Variables

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Factors which may have had an effect on the result of the study (the DV in particular) that were not intended, controlled or account for.

Front 38

Hawthorne Effect

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The tendency for participants to alter their behaviour merely as a results of knowing that they are being observed.

Front 39

Demand Characteristics

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When participants are able to guess what they think is the aim of the experiment or how they are expected to behave.

Front 40

Behavioural Categories

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You cannot record everything so categories are used to give observers structure. The must be well defined.

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Content Analysis

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A method of changing qualitative data into quantitative data so that it can be statistically analysed or used descriptively.

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General Population

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Everyone

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Target Population

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People the researcher is interested in.

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Sample

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Those from the target population who take part in the study.

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Sampling Technique

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How the sample was chosen, either random, opportunity or volunteer

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Random Sampling Strength

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Equal chance so unbiased

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Random Sampling Weakness

Back 47

Often not possible to be completely random.

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Opportunity Sample Strength

Back 48

Quick, easy and more practical

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Inter-observer Reliability

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Observers should be consistent so two observers should produce the same record of events. It has to be at least 80% of people who agree to be reliable.

Front 50

Opportunity Sample Weaknesses

Back 50

Sample influenced by where people are asked.

Front 51

Volunteer Sampling Strengths

Back 51

More varied sample

Front 52

Volunteer Sampling Weaknesses

Back 52

Volunteer biased (e.g. more motivated)

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Reliable

Back 53

If you do the research more than once and you get the same results your study will be reliable.

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Valid

Back 54

The study measures what it intends to measure.

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Ecological Validity

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Refers to how well the results of the study can be generalised to other situations outside of the setting the research took place.

Front 56

Population Validity

Back 56

Refers to how well the results of the study can be generalised to different people of populations (e.g. other cultures, genders, ages, classes)

Front 57

Extraneous Variables

Back 57

Factors which may have had an effect on the result of the study (the DV in particular) that were not intended, controlled or account for.

Front 58

Hawthorne Effect

Back 58

The tendency for participants to alter their behaviour merely as a results of knowing that they are being observed.

Front 59

Demand Characteristics

Back 59

When participants are able to guess what they think is the aim of the experiment or how they are expected to behave.

Front 60

Behavioural Categories

Back 60

You cannot record everything so categories are used to give observers structure. The must be well defined.

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Scorer Relability

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The extent to which scorers are consistent

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Improving Inter-Observer Reliability

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Training
Operationalise toon
Ability to view he behaviour

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Test Re-test Method (reliability)

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This is giving out the test again to see if you if you get the same results the second time. If it is reliable, on a graph we will see a positive correlation.

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Split half method (reliability)

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This is splitting the test in half and then correlate the results.

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Internal Validity

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How much do the findings of the dependent variable have to do with the independent variable and not other factors.

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External Validity

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Either our results can be generalised beyond the study

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Face Validity

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When an independent expert looks at the measure being used and assesses whether it will measure what it has set out to measure.

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Concurrent Validity

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Comparing the new procedure with a similar procedure with a similar procedure that has been done before, where the validity has already been established.

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Directional Hypothesis

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Predict the direction of the findings, e.g. who will remember more

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Non-directional Hypothesis

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Predict that there will be a different in scores, but not which way

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Content Analysis

Back 71

A method of changing qualitative data into quantitative data so that it can be statistically analysed or used descriptively.

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Alternative Hypothesis

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When it is not an experiment

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Experiment Hypothesis

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If talking about an experiment

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Null Hypothesis

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This says there won't be any difference.

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Ethics

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Desirable stands of behaviour we use towards others

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BPS

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British Psychologist Society
Set the ethics guidelines

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Retrograde Amnesia

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Forgetting things that happened in the past

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Anterograde Amnesia

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Not being able to form new memories.

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Case study Strengths

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- qualitative data provided in-depth understanding
- can track and describe change over time.

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Case study Weaknesses

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- lack of generalisability
- non-standardised methods may be difficult to replicate
- heavy reliance on retrospective and self report data
- time consuming
- potentially expensive
- people could withdraw and would of them wasted time and money

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General Population

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Everyone

Front 82

Target Population

Back 82

People the researcher is interested in.

Front 83

Sample

Back 83

Those from the target population who take part in the study.

Front 84

Sampling Technique

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How the sample was chosen, either random, opportunity or volunteer

Front 85

Random Sampling Strength

Back 85

Equal chance so unbiased

Front 86

Random Sampling Weakness

Back 86

Often not possible to be completely random.

Front 87

Opportunity Sample Strength

Back 87

Quick, easy and more practical