Observations
Interviews
Case Studies
Qualitative Methods
Paper 3
100

In this type of observation, participants know they are being observed.


Overt observation

100

In this type of interview, all participants are asked the same predetermined questions in the same order.


Structured interview

100
What is the definition of a case study?
An in-depth investigation of an individual, small group or organization over a long period of time.
100
What's the key difference between quantitative and qualitative data?
One is numbers, the other is descriptions.
100

Which question in Paper 3 will be about a qualitative study?

3
200
What type of observation involves the participants being unaware they are being observed by a member of their own group in a naturalistic environment?
Cover, participant, naturalistic observation.
200

A group interview.

Focus group interview

200
Case studies are only ever carried out on people with brain abnormalities. True or false?
False.
200

What are two factors that can improve the credibility of qualitative studies?

Triangulation and reflexivity.

200

True or False: You have to use qualitative evidence for question 4 to synthesise all the available data.

False

300

A researcher joins a group of teenagers playing online games to understand their social interactions.What method is this?

Participant observation

300

This type of interview uses prepared questions but allows the researcher to ask additional follow-up questions.

Semi-structured interview

300

Name a famous case study in Psychology.

HM

Phineas Gage 

Genie 

300
True or false: ethical considerations in qualitative studies are very different from ethics in quantitative studies.
False; they're much the same, with the exception of retrospective consent.
300

Question 3 in Paper is about qualitative methods. What are the three topics you might be asked about?

Bias

Credibility

Transferability

400

Students behave differently during lunch because they know a psychologist is watching them. What is the name of this observer effect?

The Hawthorne Effect

400

What method is used to analyze data from interview transcripts?

Thematic analysis.

400

Case studies often combine interviews, observations and documents. What type of triangulation is this? 

Methodological

400
What is the qualitative equivalent of external validity?
Transferability.
400

What one strategy can improve credibility, help avoid bias and influence the transferability of findings?

Triangulation

500

A researcher records only incidents of aggression using a predefined checklist, rather than writing open-ended field notes. What would we call this kind of observation?

Structured observation

500

During a focus group, several participants agree with the most outspoken student, even though they privately disagree. What is this an example of?

Conformity (aka conformity effects or group pressure)

500

A psychologist spends two years studying one family. We would say this study has limited...

Transferability (or generalizability)

500
What are two non-probability sampling methods common to qualitative studies?
Snowball and purposive.
500

True or false - qualitative methods are just as important as quantitative methods in Paper 3

False - in Mr Dixon's opinion, being able to analyse the statistics is far more important. They are the basis of Questions 1, 2 and 4, whereas qualitative analysis is the basis of Question 3 and maybe Q4. 

M
e
n
u