Aqa A-Level Psychology: Research Methods 1 - Experiments, Variables, And Hypotheses

Front 1

What is the definition of "science"?

Back 1

The word "science" comes from the latin word for "knowledge". It is essentially a systematic and controlled approach to creating knowledge. The fact it is systematic and controlled means we can rely on it in order to predict and control the world.

Front 2

What is methodology?

Back 2

It refers to the way that scientists conduct their research e.g. experiments or interviews.

Front 3

What are the different methods of research?

Back 3

Observations, Questionnaires, Interviews, Case Studies, and Experiments

Front 4

What are emperical facts?

Back 4

Information which is gained through direct observation or experiment rather than from unfounded beliefs or reasoned argument. This is important because people can make claims about anything, but the only way we know such things to be true is through direct testing.

Front 5

What are the three types of variable?

Back 5

- Control variable

- Independent variable

- Dependent variable

Front 6

What is control variable?

Back 6

It is a controlled condition, it is a comparison condition in which it is alike to the ordinary scenario and is unchanged.

Front 7

What is independent variable?

Back 7

Where it doesn't change. It is monitoring the impact (influence) of a single influencing factor called an independent variable.

Front 8

What is dependent variable?

Back 8

Where it changes. It is the impact of the independent variable.

Front 9

What is the definition of scientific method?

Back 9

It refers to the use of investigative methods that are objective, systematic, and replicable.

Front 10

What is the definition of objective?

Back 10

Avoiding preconceived ideas and biases.

Front 11

What does systematic mean?

Back 11

Using orderly experimental methods.

Front 12

What does replicable mean?

Back 12

Repeatable by other researchers.

Front 13

How is a scientfic method objective?

Back 13

Because researchers do not let preconceived ideas or biases influence the collection of their data, and systematic in that observations or experiments are carried out in an orderly way (measurement and recording of emperical data are carried out accurately and with due consideration for the possible influence of other factors on the results obtained).

Front 14

How is scientific method replicable?

Back 14

Because observations can be repeated by other researchers to determine whether the same results are obtained. If results are not replicable, then they are not reliable and cannot be accepted as being universally true.

Front 15

What are extraneous variables?

Back 15

Nuisance variables. They may affect the dependent variable but not in a systematic way. They are "extra" and will impact on our participants in variable ways.

Front 16

What are the four examples of extraneous variables?

Back 16

- Demand characteristics

- Investigator Effects

- Participant variables

- Problems with standardized procedure

Front 17

Describe demand characteristics?

Back 17

- Participants look for cues of what they think is being studied and alter their behaviour accordingly.

- The terms "please you" effect and "screw you" effect have been used to describe a participants reaction to experimental situations.

- Some people will be really helpful and others will be really difficuot when they think they know what is expected of them.

Front 18

What is the solution to demand characteristics?

Back 18

- Misleading participants as to the true aims of the study.

- The area of behaviour the psychologist is interested in will be unaffected by the "please you" or "screw you" effect or other un-natural behaviour.

- A procedure which misleads participants is called "single blind".

- Can avoid by using independent measures or doing it in pairs (alike pairs do one or another of the experiment).

Front 19

What are investigator effects?

Back 19

- Cues from an investigator that encourage certain behaviour in the participant and which might lead to fulfilment of the investigator's expectations e.g. tone of voice, facial expression.

- How well individual participants relate to the researcher is also an investigator effect.

Front 20

What is the solution of investigator effects?

Back 20

- Using a double blind design. This is when both the participant and the person conducting the experiment don't know the aims of the experiment, therefore the investigator cannot affect the participants' performance.

Front 21

What are participant variables?

Back 21

- Any characteristic of individual participants. Participant variables include age, intelligence, motivation, experience, gender etc.

- You risk similar personalities - not testing on a wide range of people.

Front 22

What is the solution to participant variables?

Back 22

With an independent groups design, by randomly allocating participants to groups, it will ensure an even spread of important characteristics. Another way to control participant variables is to use matched pairs design or repeated measures design. Repeated measures experiments avoid this problem.

Front 23

What does "problems with standardised procedure" mean?

Back 23

Resesrches must also ensure every participant has had the same standardised instuctions. These should be planned, logical, pre-written, tested and read out in an identical way to each participant. Standardised instructions help eliminate the possibility that variations in participant performance result from what they were told. The two conditions should be identical apart from the independent variable.

Front 24

What is the solution to "problems with standardised procedure"?

Back 24

- Using standardised procedure to ensure that all participants are tested under the same conditions because if different procedures are used the different outcomes may be due to procudure and not the independent variable.

- Identical environment for both conditions is an important aspect. Using scripts to ensure participants are told the same things and computers to ensure timings are constant for stimulus materials.

Front 25

What is an experimental hypothesis?

Back 25

A testable prediction that if formulated at the beginning of the research process. It is made up of the operationalised independent variable and dependent variable and refers to both levels of the independent variable (both conditions).

Front 26

What does the aims of a piece of research state?

Back 26

The intention of the study a particular area.

- This may be stated as a research question.

- They are less precise than a hypothesis.

Front 27

What is a directional hypothesis?

Back 27

It states the expected direction of the results e.g. it will go one way or another.

Front 28

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

Back 28

Researchers sometimes write non-directional hypotheses which state there will be an effect but don't state which way it will go (no direction).

Front 29

How do you know whether to write a directional or non-directional hypothesis?

Back 29

- If there are existing studies which predict a particular outcome, we can use a directional hypothesis.

- If we have no real evidence to suggest whether this would be a positive or negative effect we have to use a non-directional hypothesis (or the evidence is contradictory).

Front 30

What is operationalisation?

Back 30

Clearly defining concepts.

Front 31

What are independent measures?

Back 31

One set of participants are put in one condition experiment and the other set of participants are put in another.

Front 32

What are the strengths of independent measures?

Back 32

- This design order effects as participants only see one condition.

- Experiments can be conducted quicker using this design as compared to repeated measures.

Front 33

What are the weaknesses of independent measures?

Back 33

- Researchers can't control the effects of participant variables.

- Independent groups design needs more participants than repeated in order to end up with the same amount of data.

Front 34

What is repeated measures design?

Back 34

All participants receive all levels of the independent variables (do both conditions).

Front 35

What are the strengths of repeated measures design?

Back 35

- Fewer participants needed than independent measures and matched pairs.

Front 36

What are the weaknesses of repeated measures design?

Back 36

- Takes longer than independent measures as conditions cannot be performed at the same time.

Front 37

What are matched pairs?

Back 37

This involves having different participants in each condition but matching them with someone in the other condition and comparing the scores between the two partners.

Front 38

What are the strengths of matched pairs?

Back 38

- Demand characteristics and order effects are avoided.

- Role of individual differences are lessened.

Front 39

What are the weaknesses of matched pairs?

Back 39

- Time consuming & difficult to match pairs (probably have to find a large group in order to find alike characteristics).

- Impossible to control all participant variables (can only match on those known to be relevant).

Front 40

What are the solutions to the weaknesses of matched pairs?

Back 40

- Restrict no variables to match on.

- Conduct pilot study to consider key variables to match on.

Front 41

What are the problems of order effects?

Back 41

- The order of the conditions may affect performance (e.g. performing better on second test due to less anxiety).

- When participants do a second test they may guess the purpose of the experiment, which may affect their behaviour.

- Main solution to order effects are dealt with is using counterbalancing.

- In order to avoid participants guessing the aims of a study, a cover story can be presented about the purpose of the test.

Front 42

What is the solution to order effects?

Back 42

Counterbalancing.

Front 43

What does counterbalancing ensure?

Back 43

That each condition in a repeated measures design is tested first or second in equal amounts.

Front 44

What are some other benefits/ problems of repeated measures?

Back 44

- Fewer participants needed than independent measures and matched pairs.

- The experiment takes longer than independent measures as conditions cannot be performed at the same time.

Front 45

Describe the method of independent measures design?

Back 45

- Participants are randomly allocated in seperate (independent) groups. Each group does only one level of the independent variable (performs only one condition), for example:

• Group A does the task with one level of the independent variable

• Group B does the task with another level of the independent variable

• We compare the performance (dependent variable) of the two groups.

Front 46

What are some problems of the method with independent measures design?

Back 46

- The researcher cannot control the effects of participant variables (e.g. the different abilities or characteristics of each participant).

- Independent groups design needs more participants than repeated measures design in order to end up with the same amount of data.

Front 47

What is the solution to the problem of participant variables?

Back 47

To randomly allocate participants to conditions which (theoretically) distribute participant variables evenly. Random allocation can be done by putting the participant names in a hat and drawing out names so that every other person goes in group A.