Research Methods
Used to determine a cause-and-effect relationship between two variables (IV & DV). Can be easily replicated & has high internal validity, but lacks ecological validity as it's in a controlled environment.
What is an experiment?
Also known as volunteer sampling. People who sign up are usually motivated, however it could lead to having sample not representative of your target population.
What is self-selected sampling?
Making sure no suffering is done to participants; do not humiliate or force them to reveal private information; make sure nothing lead to permanent physical or psychological damage
What is undue stress or harm?
Regarding generalizability, this is the degree to which results obtained from research or experimentation are representative of conditions in the wider world.
What is ecological validity?
This is when neither the particpants, nor the researchers who are analyzing the data know which participants are in the experimental or control group.
What is a double blind study?
Used to look at one person or specific group over a period of time. Uses data and method triangulation, however cannot be replicated.
What is a case study?
Also known as convenience sampling. This is when you have a pre-existing sample as they are readily available. However, they might not be representative of your target population.
What is opportunity sampling?
Participants are told about the nature of the experiment and agree to participate; must be told what their rights are; they must understand what the research is about and potential issues that might arise.
What is informed consent?
Regarding generalizability, this is when a sample is selected in such a way that it is not representative of the population from which it was drawn. When a sample is biased, population validity is decreased.
What is sampling bias?
This ensures all particpiants receive the same instructions in the same way to reduce the variability in how the study is administered.
What is standardized instructions?
A type of observation when the participant does not know they are being observed; this lead to low demand characteristics, but use of deception.
What is a covert observation?
What is random sampling?
Misinformation or not telling the participant the complete goal of the study so they do not change their behavior; should generally not be used; researcher need to justify why this is necessary before an ethics board.
What is deception?
Regarding generalizability, this means that the findings can be applied to other populations; also called transferability.
What is inferential generalization?
This is a problem with interviews, but it can also be a problem when instructions are given in an experiment when the instructions seem to imply how a participants should behave.
What are leading questions?
A type of interview where six to ten people are interviewed at the same time. This could trigger ideas from participants that would otherwise not happen in one-on-one interviews, however could be hard to guarantee confidentiality.
What is a focus group?
Also known as network sampling. This is when participants who are already in the study help the researcher recruit more participants. This could be used to find people who might not normally be interviewed.
What is snowball sampling?
When a participate no longer wishes to take part in the study and can leave at any time; participants should not feel pressured or coerced to continue a study; all their data should not be used
What is right to withdrawal?
Regarding credibility, this involves using other researcher to help carry out the research and review the data.
What is researcher triangulation?
This is when a researecher thinks about how their own personal values, beliefs and experiences may have influenced their ability to be objective when carrying out and interpreting the data in their study.
What is personal reflexivity?
Used to determine the relationships between two or more variables by simply observing and measuring the variables as they naturally occur. This lead to high ecological validity, however cause-effect relationship cannot be determined.
What is a correlational study?
This technique attempts to make a sample that reflect the subgroups of the target population. Participants are randomly selected from each "stratum" or subgroup. Researcher must be careful how they label groups within a community (ex. "other" group).
What is stratified sampling?
At the end of the study, participants should be made aware of the true aim of the study; any deception used should be discussed and justified; all participants should leave the study in the same condition in which they arrived.
What is debriefing?
Regarding credibility, this is a technique in which the data, interpretations, and conclusions are shared with the participants.
What is member checking?
This is the evaluation of a reseaercher's work by others working in the same field.
What is peer review?