Research methods

• What is an independent variable?


  A variable manipulated by the investigator
• What is a dependant variable?


  The variable that is being measured or observed in an experiment.
• What is an extraneous variable?


  An extraneous variable is a variable that is not the focus of the study but can influence the outcome.
• How do you operationalise a variable?


  Define and measure.

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• What is a confounding variable?

  it is a variable that affects the dependant variable but is not the independent variable
• what is external validity?


  how well the results can be generalised
• What is internal validity?


  The degree to which an observed affect was due to the experimental manipulation rather than other factors such as confounding variables
• define the term ‘mundane realism’


  How well the experiment mirrors real life
• What is ecological validity?


  Findings that can be generalised from the research settings to other settings
• What is population validity ?


  Findings can be generalised from the research settings to other settings
• What’s historical validity?


  Findings apply across different time periods
• What is a confederate?

  An individual in a study who is not a real participant and has been instructed on how to behave by the investigator
• What is the difference between a directional hypothesis and a non directional hypothesis?

  A directional hypothesis states the direction of the difference b between the two conditions and a non directional doesnt
• What is a pilot study?


  A small scale trial run of a study to test any aspects of the design to make improvements
• Describe what is meant by counterbalancing


  a design used to overcome order effects when using a repeated measures design
• Describe an independent groups design


  Participants are allocated to two or more groups representing different levels of IV, usually allocated using random techniques
• Describe a matched pair design


  Pairs of participants of matched based on variables such as age or IQ, one member from each pair is allocated to each condition
• Describe a repeated measures design


  each participant takes part in every condition under test
• What is a field experiment


  An environment not controlled by the experimenter
• What is a laboratory experiment?


  An experiment in a controlled environment
• What is the difference between a lab and field experiment?


  In a lab experiment the participant knows they are taking part and in a field they don’t always know
• What is a demand characteristic?


  If participants know they are being studied they may change their behaviour to impress the experimenter, effecting the dependant variable
• What is an ethical issue?


  If participants don’t understand what an experiment is for they may not be able to give full consent to take part
• What’s a natural experiment?


  When the experimental research is carried out in a real world event
• What is a quasi experiment?


  When the IV occurs naturally and the DV may be experimented in a lab
• What is a strength of natural and quasi experiments?


  they allow research where the IV cant be manipulated which allows psychologists to research real problems
• What are limitations of natural and quasi experiments?


  Due to the lack of control over the IV psychologists can’t be sure that the changes in the IV are caused by the DV
• What are investigator effects?

  Anything the investigator unintentionally that has an effect on the data collected in a study
• What is an opportunity sample?

  A sample of participants produced by selecting people who are readily available at the time of the study
• what is stratified sampling?


  a sample of participants produced by identifying subgroups according to their frequency in the population
• What is systematic sampling?


  a sample obtained by selecting every nth person where n is a random number
• What is a volunteer sample? 


  A sample of participants that relies solely on volenteers to make up the sample
• What must all experiments be ethically approved by?

  British psychology society
• what is informed consent?

  participants must be given comprehensive information on the nature of the study and their role in it so the participants can make an informed decision of whether they want to be apart of it
• what is meant by deception?

  when accepts of the research aim are concealed from participants meaning they can’t give informed consent
• what does it mean to have the right to withdraw?

  participants have the right to withdraw from a study at any time for any reason and to refuse the researcher to use any data collected on them
• what is protection from harm?

  participants should not endure any danger that they old not naturally come across psychically or psychologically
• what is cost benefit analysis?

  a systematic approach to estimate the negatives and positives of any research
• what is debriefing?


  a post research interview designed to inform participants of the true nature of their study
• What is the ethics committee and their code of conduct?

  a group of people within a research institution that must approve a study before it begins with a set of guidelines designed to help professionals behave honestly