research methods

a broad statement on what will be tested

a prediction that is precise and can be tested

predicts the relationship between the two variables

students perform better after they have eaten compared to when they are hungry

has to be written in a measurable and testable form. it can't be ambiguous

Students who take a 20 mins maths test 30 mins after lunch will get more marks out of 20 than students completing the test 30 mins before lunch

the thing the researcher manipulates or changes

this is the thing the researcher measures

a small study carried out to test the feasibility of a larger one

they are not a participant. they are playing a role

check the tasks aren't too easy

alternative, null, directional, non-directional

prediction of what will happen to the DV when the IV changes and any observed differences will be due to chance

states that the IV will have no effect on the DV and any observed differences will be due to chance

predicts that there will be a difference between two conditions or groups of participants without stating which one is better

states which group is better of the predicted differences between the two groups

chosen when there is no previous research or lots of controversy

when previous research implies a pattern of findings

variables which must be eliminated or controlled otherwise they may affect the dependent variable

these are variables to do with the situation and affect the behaviour of participants

time of day, lighting

variables to do with the participants

age, gender, social class, ethnicity

extraneiys variables which have not be cobtrilled abd may affect the results

an aspect of the research situation which leads to the participant to guess the aim and change their behaviour accordingly

deception and the single blind method

anything the researcher does which can affect how the participant behaves and the subsequent data collected

double-blind method

this is when participants are not told which condition they are in

neither the researcher or the participant know about the hypothesis or which condition they are in

it is concerned with what is deemed acceptable

consent, deception, confidentiality, debriefing, withdrawal, protection from harm

can do can't do with participants

gathering primary data by observing relevant people, actions, and situations

permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.

misleading participants about the true purpose of a study or the events that will actually transpire

respecting and protecting the participants privacy and identity

researcher have to speak to all participants at the end of the study and explain the study

all participants must be informed that they can drop out of a study at any time up to a certain date before publicity and how to do this

researchers must not cause distress to patients and they must be protected from both physical and mental harm

presumption consent, prior general consent, retrospective consent

asking a similar pool of people to the actual participants if they would be happy to participate and then assume that the real participants would be happy to

participants give their permission to take part in a number of different studies- including one that will involve deception. by consenting, participants are effectively consenting to be deceived

get permission after the study

biological and behaviourist

numerical data

descriptive data

in experimental based research methods

in case studies, unstructured observations and interviews

mean, median, mode

the statistical average

the middle number

most frequent value

uses all values so most sensitive measure

can be distorted by anomalies

unaffected by extreme values

only takes into account 1 or 2 scores

unaffected by extreme values

not useful in small data sets

measure of the distribution on scores. the larger the standard deviation the larger the distribution of scores

change/original x 100

any variables other than the independent variable that seem likely to influence the DV in a specific study

characteristics such as age, gender, and intelligence that vary from one individual to another

randomly allocating participants to groups so any difference cancel eachother out with a large sample

features in the environment that may interfere with behaviour of participants such as time of day, lighting, temperature

using standardised procedures and instructions so participants have the same experience

extraneous variables that haven't been controlled

an aspect of the research that leads participants to guess the aim and to change their behaviour

the researcher does something which can affect how the participant behaves and the data colected

consistency of measurement

the extent to which a test measures or predicts what it is supposed to

higly controlled environement

high validity, high reliability

low ecological validity, bias from demand characteristics

A type of experiment where the IV is manipulated and the DV is measured that takes place in a more natural setting

higher ecological validity, less bias from demand charcteristics

lees control= more extraneous variables, low reliability

A type of experiment where the IV is a naturally occurring event and cannot be controlled.

A type of experiment where the IV is an existing difference between people

greatest ecological validity/ less bias from demand characteristics

hard to eliminate extraneous variables/ low reliability

an experimental design where participants are split into two groups and each group takes part in one condition.

an experimental design where all participants complete both conditions. Counterbalancing may be used to eliminate order effects.

an experimental design where each participant is matched up with another participant who matches them on particular characteristics. Results are compared.

allows participants to respond in their own words

participants chose their response from a limited number of fixed responses

easy to analyse as quantitative data

provides rich detailed data as qualitative data

hard to statistically analyse

losses the richness of people questions