Research methods
What is the primary aim of conducting an interview?
(To explore an experience from the perspective of the participant)
In which sampling method do participants put themselves forward to take part in the study?
Volunteer
What is the ethical guideline that ensures participants’ names and personal details are not shared?
confidentiality
Which research method involves the manipulation of an independent variable to observe its effect on a dependent variable?
True experiment
Which sampling technique involves selecting participants who are easily accessible?
Opportunity/ convenience
Name all the ethical features covered: PPCWCDD
Participant protection
Consent
Right to withdraw
Confidentiality
Debrief
Deception
Why might a researcher choose a semi-structured interview over a structured one?
(It allows for flexibility and deeper probing while maintaining some consistency.)
What type of sampling is often used in research with hard-to-reach or hidden populations like drug users?
Snowball sampling
Who makes ethical guidelines?
Psychological governing bodies such as the APA, BPS or PAP
What is non-participant observation, and how does it differ from participant observation?
(The researcher observes without becoming involved in the situation.)
What is a key strength of purposive sampling?
It allows researchers to select participants with specific characteristics relevant to the research question.
Name 3 things that happen during a debrief
Participants check in with participants to ensure sound mental state.
It helps restore participants’ understanding of the true nature of the research and ensures no lasting harm if there was deception/lack of consent.
give people the chance to withdraw or ask question
Name and define 2 types of case study
Intrinsic - an in-depth study into a unique and interesting person or situation. e.g. HM
Instrumental - uses a specific case (e.g., person, group, organization) to gain insights into a broader issue, theory, or phenomenon, rather than focusing on understanding the case itself
Explain what is required to generate a random sample
you need:
- access to all the individuals within a given population
- use a random picker/ generator to select people
- have a way to contact the selected individuals to ask them to be part of your research
What are 3 features of consent?
- informed of the aims and procedure of the study
- willingly agree to take part
- have the capacity to make that decision (e.g. no mental or developmental restrictions that would make this questionable)