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?
Type of generalization in which the findings can be applied to populations outside the population of the study.
What is representational generalization?
When a sample is selected in such a way that it is not representative of the population from which it was drawn.
What is sampling bias?
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?
Type of generalization in which the findings of the study can be applied to settings outside the setting of the study.
What is inferential generalization?
When the beliefs or opinions of the researcher influence the outcomes or conclusions of the research.
What is researcher bias?
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?
Type of generalization in which the concepts derived of the study can be used to develop further theory.
What is theoretical generalization?
When a researcher searches for or interprets information in a way that confirms a preexisting belief or hypothesis
What is confirmation bias?
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?
When a researcher utilizes different data collection methods with the same sample in order to check the consistency of the findings (ex. uses focus groups, questionnaires, and naturalistic observations).
What is method triangulation?
The tendency of participants to answer questions in a manner that will be viewed favorably by others.
What is social desirability effect?
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?
Using other researchers to help carry out the research and review the data (making sure that one researcher does not interpret the data).
What is researcher triangulation?
When a participant acts a certain way because he wants to do what the researcher asks
What is expectancy effect?