Variables
_______________ variable that is directly manipulated
independent
________________ a prediction that the results will fail to show any difference or relationship that is consistent or systematic
Null Hypothesis
__________ the consistency of an outcome or result of an investigation.
reliability
_______________ researcher follow codes or rules of conduct when carrying out research to protect participants from harm.
Ethical Issues
______________________ an experiment staged in an artificial environment.
laboratory experiment
________________ variable that may interfere with the IV and DV and will affect the findings of the study
Extraneous
______________________ a group of people being investigated in a study.
target population
________________ refers to the extent to which a study measures what it intends to measure.
validity
_______________ psychologists are duty-bound to conduct well-designed research and not claim any misleading findings.
Scientific Integrity
__________________ a self-report technique designed to ask lots of people questions about the topic investigated.
questionnaire / survey
State the two types of extraneous variables
participant and situational
State three types of sampling techniques.
Random, Stratified, Volunteer, Opportunity
Describe the two types of validity
internal validity refers to whether the measures used in a test genuinely test what they were designed to test. Example testing the characteristic of aggression among preschoolers.
external validity refers to whether the findings are generalisable to the target population . Example: The sample of the preschoolers correctly represented the intended target population, considering the size, the age, the ethnicity.
Describe informed consent and confidentiality as an ethical issues(guidelines) in psychological research.
informed consent is important as it is an agreement of the participants to take part in the study once they are fully aware of the aims, nature and intended outcome of the study.
Confidentiality is not disclosing the identity of participants, keeping them anonymous (anonymity)
State three types of experiment
laboratory, field, natural
Describe one way to control demand characteristics.
Single-blind technique when information about the study is withheld from participants.
Double-blind technique when information about the study is withheld from both participants and researchers. Often the independent researcher is employed to conduct the research.
Describe one strength and one weakness of volunteer sampling technique.
S - minimal effort from the researcher , time -saving , cheap , most ethical
W - less representative , biased sample, findings maybe unreliable
Describe two methods of sampling
Random : used to gather a random sample of participants from target population.
Stratified : ensures subgroups of the target population are proportionately represented in a sample.
Volunteer: asks for participants by placing an advertisement to recruit samples.
Opportunity: makes use of people who happen to be around at the time of the research. This can be done by asking people to agree to take part or simply studying them without agreement ( Covert research)
Describe the protection from harm, including the difference between psychological harm and physical harm.
Protection from harm is safeguarding the participants against physical and psychological harm. Ensure that no physical abuse, induced fatigue or tiredness. Ang protecting participants emotions and psychological well being by not inducing fear, aggression or stress.
Describe two types of interview
Structured interview a set of pre-set questions asked to a respondent (participant)
Semi-structured a mix of pre-set questions and unprepared (follow-up) questions asked to a respondent (participant).
Unstructured interview a free flowing conversation around a particular topic with a respondent (participant)
describe one way to control situational variables
standardized procedures where the steps or procedures of a study is the same across all condition; for the experimental or test group and the controlled group. It involves keeping the situation exactly the same.
State the difference between directional or non-directional hypothesis
Directional hypothesis predicts the direction the results will go in.
Non-directional hypothesis predicts that a difference or relationship will be found, but does not specify what the difference or relationship will it be -- it is not leading the result to any direction
Describe Sampling Methods
A technique used to gather a representative group of people as a sample from the target population. It can be random, stratified, volunteer or opportunity sampling techniques.
Explain why deception is done in some research studies.
Deception involves misleading or lying to the participants about the nature of the investigation. This violates the participants ability to give informed consent. However, it can be seen necessary to maintain integrity of the study and avoid demand characteristics responses from participants. As long as the participants are protected from harm and deception is disclosed during the debriefing.
Describe one strength and one weakness of one research method
see book pages 143-150 (GCSE Edexel Psychology )