Research methods Booklet

A level Psychology
Paper 2: Research Methods



Fiona
(Only content in bold and italics is covered in this Notes Booklet)




The specification says that you must know about…

Research Methods
Students should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following research
methods, scientific processes and techniques of data handling and analysis, be familiar with
their use and be aware of their strengths and limitations.
 Experimental method. Types of experiment, laboratory and field experiments; natural and
quasi experiments.
 Observational techniques. Types of observation: naturalistic and controlled observation;
covert and overt observation; participant and non-participant observation.
 Self-report techniques. Questionnaires; interviews, structured and unstructured.
 Correlations. Analysis of the relationship between co-variables. The difference between
correlations and experiments.
 Content analysis.
 Case studies.



Scientific processes
 Aims: stating aims, the difference between aims and hypotheses.
 Hypotheses: directional and non-directional.
 Sampling: the difference between population and sample; sampling techniques including:
random, systematic, stratified, opportunity and volunteer; implications of sampling
techniques, including bias and generalisation.
 Pilot studies and the aims of piloting.
 Experimental designs: repeated measures, independent groups, matched pairs.
 Observational design: behavioural categories; event sampling; time sampling.
 Questionnaire construction, including use of open and closed questions; design of
interviews.
 Variables: manipulation and control of variables, including independent, dependent,
extraneous, confounding; operationalisation of variables.


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, Control: random allocation and counterbalancing, randomisation and standardisation.
 Demand characteristics and investigator effects.
 Ethics, including the role of the British Psychological Society’s code of ethics; ethical
issues in the design and conduct of psychological studies; dealing with ethical issues in
research.
 The role of peer review in the scientific process.
 The implications of psychological research for the economy.
 Reliability across all methods of investigation. Ways of assessing reliability: test-retest
and interobserver; improving reliability.
 Types of validity across all methods of investigation: face validity, concurrent validity,
ecological validity and temporal validity. Assessment of validity. Improving validity.
 Features of science: objectivity and the empirical method; replicability and falsifiability;
theory construction and hypothesis testing; paradigms and paradigm shifts.
 Reporting psychological investigations. Sections of a scientific report: abstract,
introduction, method, results, discussion and referencing.


Data handling and analysis
 Quantitative and qualitative data; the distinction between qualitative and
quantitative data collection techniques.
 Primary and secondary data, including meta-analysis.
 Descriptive statistics: measures of central tendency – mean, median, mode;
calculation of mean, median and mode; measures of dispersion; range and standard
deviation; calculation of range; calculation of percentages; positive, negative and
zero correlations.
 Presentation and display of quantitative data: graphs, tables, scattergrams, bar
charts, histograms.
 Distributions: normal and skewed distributions; characteristics of normal and skewed
distributions.
 Analysis and interpretation of correlation, including correlation coefficients.
 Levels of measurement: nominal, ordinal and interval.
 Content analysis and coding. Thematic analysis.


Inferential testing
 Introduction to statistical testing; the sign test. When to use the sign test; calculation
of the sign test.
 Probability and significance: use of statistical tables and critical values in interpretation
of significance; Type I and Type II errors.
 Factors affecting the choice of statistical test, including level of measurement and
experimental design. When to use the following tests: Spearman’s rho, Pearson’s r,
Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, related t-test, unrelated t-test and Chi-Squared test.


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, Research Methods
Case studies

Case studies involve a detailed study of one particular individual or group.

As a result all case studies are very unique. A case study can also be
conducted on an event. The researcher tends to focus on one specific
aspect of behaviour and generally collects qualitative data.



Examples:

Case studies on individuals Case studies on events
 Genie: A young girl who was privated from  Mob behaviour, London riots
a young age. Researchers were interested 2011: An investigation into
in the effects of privation on her whether ‘mob behaviour’ can be
development. classed as unruly as had been
 Phineas Gage: A railway worker who in a claimed by previous researchers.
tragic accident had a metal rod driven  Jonestown: A study of the social
through his head. He survived the accident processes involved in groups
and continued to live a further 12 years. which looked at a cult group led by
Researchers were interested in the Rev Jim Jones. Rev Jones
changes to his behaviour as a result of the persuaded his 900 followers to
brain damage. commit suicide.




How is the data from a case study obtained?
Information is obtained from a range of sources such as from family members, social services,
educational services, medical records, and through a variety of research methods including:



Methods of gathering data in a case study




Interviews with Observations in Questionnaires such Experimental testing
medical personnel daily life as IQ tests, to see what can be
or researchers personality tests done/not done


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