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Chapter 5: Research Methods for Chapter 1

Terms in this set (29)

Questionnaire +/−
+Shows what people think/feel
+Easily repeated
+Respondents are anonymous

−Possible bias answer
−Social desirability bias
Closed questions +/−
+Easy to analyse
+Answers more objective, interpreted same way
-Cannot express own feelings
-Oversimplifies reality
Open questions +/−
+Rich detail of behaviour
+Unexpected results
-Harder to draw conclusions
-Interpretation is subjective
Ranked scales +/−
+Objective
+Produces quantitative data
-Response set
-Social desirability bias
Random Sample +/−
+Relatively unbiased
+Can choose a subgroup
-Time and effort
-Samples often not random
Stratified sample +/−
Participants selected in proportion to subgroups frequency in target population

+Most representative
+Important subgroups selected
-May be biased
-Lengthy process
Volunteer sample +/−
+Very convenient
+Purposive sampling
-Biased
-Deman characteristics
Opportunity sample +/−
+Most convenient
+May be only technique possible
-Inevitably biased
-Participants refuse to take part
Measures of central tendency +/−
Mean:
+Sensitive measure
-Affected by extreme measures

Median:
+Unaffected by extreme scores
-Not as sensitive as mean

Mode:
+For nominal data
-Can have several modes
Measures of dispersion +/−
Range:
+Convenient
-Affected by extreme values

Standard Deviation:
+All exact values taken into account
-Hides features of data
Tables and graphs
Raw data table:
Arranges data in rows and columns
Frequency table: Display how often an event occured
Bar chart: Height represents frequency. Suitable for data with no order
Histogram: Continuous data, area within bars is proportional to frequencies
Scatter diagram: A graph displaying correlation data
Thematic analysis
1- Read data transcript
2-Create units and give each a name or code
3-Identify themes by grouping units
4-Reread text to make sure themes are correctly allocated
5-Final report should include quotes
6-Conclusions drawn
Comparing quantitative data +/−
+Relatively easy to analyse
+More objective
-May not express precise thoughts
-Oversimplifies human experience
Comparing qualitative data +/−
+A holistic approach
+Provides details of thinking and behaviour
-Less useful than quantitative in some ways
-Researchers interpretations create bias
Ethical issues: Anonymity and confidentiality
Protect personal information
Ethical issues: Deception
Participants should be told a study's true aims/ procedures
Ethical issues: Informed consent
Full information about the nature and purpose of a study
Ethical issues: Privacy
Participants right to control information about themselves
Ethical issues: Right to withdraw
Participants must be allowed to stop participating in a study at any time.
Ethical issues: Protection from harm
Participants should not experience negative physical or psychological effects
Ethical guidelines: BPS code of ethics and conduct
1-Respect
2-Compotence
3-Responsibility
4-Integrity
Ethical guidelines: Risk assessment and management
Assessment: identify potential physical or psychological harm.

Management: weigh up long terms gain vs short term risks

Ethics committees decide whether risks are justified eg. Milgram
Ethical guidelines: Debriefing
Inform participants of true nature of study
Structured Interview +/−
+Easy to replicate, increase reliability
+Easy to analyse
+Interviewer can give extra information
-Researcher bias/effect
-Participants may be reluctant to reveal personal information
Unstructured interviews and Semi-structured interviews +/−
+More detailed information
+Access more information
-Researcher bias/effect
-Need well trained interviewer
Internal Validity of self-report
Whether a test/questionnaire assessed what it is intended to assess
Ecological validity of self-report
Extent to which results can be generalised
Inter-rater reliability of self-report
Checking consistency across interviewers.

High reliability: Same person interviewed by different interviewers answers should be same

Low reliability: caused if interviewers behave differently and answers are different
Test-retest reliability of self-report
Checking consistency over time.

Same questionnaire/test given to the same participants on two occasions to see if same result.
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