A-level Psychology - Research methods| 124 Questions and Answers with complete solution

Aim - A general expression of what the researcher intends to investigate Hypothesis - A precise and operationalised statement about the assumed relationship between variables Directional Hypothesis - States the direction of the predicted difference between two conditions or two groups of participants Non-directional Hypothesis - Predicts simply that there is a difference between two conditions or two groups of participants without stating the direction of the difference Independent Variable - Some event that either naturally varies or is directly manipulated by an experiment in order to test it's effect on another variable Dependent Variable - A measurable outcome of the action of the independent variable in an experiment Operationalise - Ensuring that variables are in a form that can be easily measured. Experimental method - A researcher causes the independent variable to vary and records the effect of the IV on the dependent variable. The DV must be operationalised. Control - (Refers to) The extent to which any variable is held constant or regulated by a researcher Extraneous Variables - 'Nuisance' variables that do not vary systematically with the IV. A researcher may control some of these. Confounding Variable - Change systematically with the IV so we cannot be sure if any observed change in the DV is due to the CV or the IV. CVs must be controlled.Demand Characteristics - Refers to any cue from the researcher or research situation that may reveal the aim of the study Investigator Effect - Any effect of the investigator's behaviour on the outcome of the research (the DV) Randomisation - The use of chance when designing investigations to control for the effects of bias Standardisation - Using exactly the same formalised procedures for all ps in a research study Control groups - Control groups are used for the purpose of setting a comparison. They act as a 'baseline' and help establish causation. Single Blind Design - A ps doesn't know the aims of the study so that demand characteristics are reduced.