AQA A Level Psychology Research Methods
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1. Empirical The only source of knowledge comes through our senses
method (not inherited) and is gained through experience
2. Objective All sources of bias are minimized and personal or subjec-
tive ideas are eliminated
3. Control All extraneous variables need to be controlled in order to
be able to establish cause and effect
4. Predictability/de- We should be aiming to be able to predict future behaviour
terminism from the findings of our research
5. Replication (reli- Whether a method and finding can be repeated with
ability) different/same people and/or on different occasions, to
see if the results are similar
6. Features of sci- Empirical methods
ence Objectivity
Replicability
Hypothesis testing/ theory
7. Scientific re- Lab experiment, field experiment, observation, natural
search methods experiment and quasi-experiment
8. Non-scientific re- Case study, questionnaire, interviews, content analysis
search methods and correlations
9. Aim general statement of the purpose of an investigation
10. Hypothesis testable statement about the expected outcome of the
investigation
11. Operationalisa- Making the variables testable
tion
12. importance of a hypothesis can only be tested if the variables being
operationalisa- studied can be measured
tion
13.
, AQA A Level Psychology Research Methods
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Independent the variable the researcher changes in order to test its
variable effect on the DV
14. Dependent vari- the variable measured by the experimenter
able
15. Null hypothesis A statement which predicts no difference or relationship
in the results
16. Experimental/al- A statement that predicts a difference or a relationship in
ternative results
hypothesis
17. Directional Specifies the direction of results/correlation
hypothesis
(one-tailed)
18. Non-directional Does not state the direction of results and is used when
hypothesis there is no previous research or previous research has
found contradictory results
19. Repeated mea- same pps. used in both conditions of IV
sures design
20. Strength of re- No participant variables as individual differences are elim-
peated measures inated and less pps. needed
design
21.
, AQA A Level Psychology Research Methods
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Weakness of re- demand characteristics due to pps. take part in all condi-
peated measures tions
design (d.c.)
22. Weakness of re- order effects e.g. boredom may occur (control using coun-
peated measures terbalancing)
design (o.e.)
23. Independent Participants randomly allocated to 2 different groups
groups design
24. Strength of inde- Lower chance of demand characteristics, no order effects
pendent groups due to only doing one condition
design
25. Weakness of Participant variables confound results cos there's differ-
independent ent participants in different conditions, more pps. are re-
groups design quired
26. Matched pairs pairs of pps. closely matched and randomly allocated to
design one condition/other
27. Strength of avoids order effects and demand characteristics, reduced
matched pairs individual differences, same material can be used in both
conditions
, AQA A Level Psychology Research Methods
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28. Weakness of Can't fully match participants, time consuming and re-
matched pairs quires more pps.
29. Extraneous vari- a variable other than the IV that might have an effect on
able the DV (e.g. weather or noise) - should be controlled so
they don't become confounding
30. Confounding extraneous variables which do affect the DV i.e. 'confound'
variable the results e.g. participants personalities
31. Situational vari- Aspects of the situation that interact with aspects of the
able person to produce behaviour (e.g environment, noise or
time of day)
32. Operationalism defining the variable so it can be measured numerically
and specifies how variable will be tested
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_ekmbb9
1. Empirical The only source of knowledge comes through our senses
method (not inherited) and is gained through experience
2. Objective All sources of bias are minimized and personal or subjec-
tive ideas are eliminated
3. Control All extraneous variables need to be controlled in order to
be able to establish cause and effect
4. Predictability/de- We should be aiming to be able to predict future behaviour
terminism from the findings of our research
5. Replication (reli- Whether a method and finding can be repeated with
ability) different/same people and/or on different occasions, to
see if the results are similar
6. Features of sci- Empirical methods
ence Objectivity
Replicability
Hypothesis testing/ theory
7. Scientific re- Lab experiment, field experiment, observation, natural
search methods experiment and quasi-experiment
8. Non-scientific re- Case study, questionnaire, interviews, content analysis
search methods and correlations
9. Aim general statement of the purpose of an investigation
10. Hypothesis testable statement about the expected outcome of the
investigation
11. Operationalisa- Making the variables testable
tion
12. importance of a hypothesis can only be tested if the variables being
operationalisa- studied can be measured
tion
13.
, AQA A Level Psychology Research Methods
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_ekmbb9
Independent the variable the researcher changes in order to test its
variable effect on the DV
14. Dependent vari- the variable measured by the experimenter
able
15. Null hypothesis A statement which predicts no difference or relationship
in the results
16. Experimental/al- A statement that predicts a difference or a relationship in
ternative results
hypothesis
17. Directional Specifies the direction of results/correlation
hypothesis
(one-tailed)
18. Non-directional Does not state the direction of results and is used when
hypothesis there is no previous research or previous research has
found contradictory results
19. Repeated mea- same pps. used in both conditions of IV
sures design
20. Strength of re- No participant variables as individual differences are elim-
peated measures inated and less pps. needed
design
21.
, AQA A Level Psychology Research Methods
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_ekmbb9
Weakness of re- demand characteristics due to pps. take part in all condi-
peated measures tions
design (d.c.)
22. Weakness of re- order effects e.g. boredom may occur (control using coun-
peated measures terbalancing)
design (o.e.)
23. Independent Participants randomly allocated to 2 different groups
groups design
24. Strength of inde- Lower chance of demand characteristics, no order effects
pendent groups due to only doing one condition
design
25. Weakness of Participant variables confound results cos there's differ-
independent ent participants in different conditions, more pps. are re-
groups design quired
26. Matched pairs pairs of pps. closely matched and randomly allocated to
design one condition/other
27. Strength of avoids order effects and demand characteristics, reduced
matched pairs individual differences, same material can be used in both
conditions
, AQA A Level Psychology Research Methods
Study online at https://quizlet.com/_ekmbb9
28. Weakness of Can't fully match participants, time consuming and re-
matched pairs quires more pps.
29. Extraneous vari- a variable other than the IV that might have an effect on
able the DV (e.g. weather or noise) - should be controlled so
they don't become confounding
30. Confounding extraneous variables which do affect the DV i.e. 'confound'
variable the results e.g. participants personalities
31. Situational vari- Aspects of the situation that interact with aspects of the
able person to produce behaviour (e.g environment, noise or
time of day)
32. Operationalism defining the variable so it can be measured numerically
and specifies how variable will be tested
