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Research Methods
Experimental Method
Resear ch Methods → The different ways in which we conduct research in
psychology
Research Methods → The methods used to collect and analyse data
Resear ch Methods → The controls that must also be implemented by the
researcher throughout
Aims
Aim → a general statement of what the researcher intends toInvestigate… The purpose
of the study.
Hypotheses
H ypotheses → This is a clear, precise, testable statement that states the relationship
between the variables to be investigated.
Dir ection al hypothesis (one tailed) → States the direction of the difference or
relationship, used when the findings of previous research studies suggest a particular
outcome.
Non -dir ection al hypothesis (tw o tailed) → Does not state the direction, used
when there is no previous research, or previous research findings are contradictory.
Null h ypothesis → A prediction that states that there is no relationship or difference
between two variables.
Dir ection al H ypothesis → How one level of the IV, affects the DV, in comparison to
the other level of the IV
Non -dir ection al H ypothesis → There will be a difference in the DV, depending
upon one level of the IV, compared to the other level of the IV
,Null H ypothesis → There will be no difference in the DV, regardless of one level of
the IV or the other level of the IV.
Variables
Var iables → anything that can vary or change within in the investigation.
In depen den t var iable (IV) → An aspect of the experimental situation which is
manipulated by the researcher, or changes naturally, so the effect on the DV can be
measured and is usually split into two levels.
Depen den t var iable (DV) → The variable that is measured by the researcher.
Covar iables → two variables investigated in a correlational study (we will come back
to this at a later date)
Extr an eous Var iables → variables other than the IV that have the potential to affect
the DV
Par ticipan t Var iables → A type of extraneous variable where an individual difference
between the participants may have not been controlled (age, personality, motivation etc.)
Situation al Var iables → A type of extraneous variable where an aspect of the
environment may not have been controlled (noise, time of day etc.)
Confounding Variable → Variables which advantage or disadvantage one condition
over the other if left uncontrolled
Operationalisation
Oper ation alisation → The process of clearly defining variables in terms of how they
can be measured. This allows for future researchers to replicate the methodology in
exactly the same way
, i.e: Students who spend more time on their phone , will perform worse than students
who use their phone less → Students who spend 2 or more hours on their phone daily
will have a lower percentage of correct marks than students who use their phone less
than 2 hours daily.
AIM NON- DIRECTIONAL IV DV OPERATIONALISE
DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS
HYPOTHESIS (ONE TAILED)
(TWO TAILED)
To Attendance Those who attend Attending The exam Independent Groups:
investigate levels will have every class will class/Not performan One group who attends
the impact of a significant have significantly attending ce of the every class and one
attendance impact on higher exam class individual group who attend 50%
on exam student performance than s of classes complete an
performance. performance in those who don’t exam to determine
an exam. attend every class their performance
To Watching Those who watch Watching The Independent Groups:
investigate violent TV violent TV violent TV aggression One group who
the impact of programmes programmes will programme levels of watches violent TV
violent tv will have a have significantly s/Not the programmes and one
programmes significant higher aggression watching individual group who doesn’t
on impact on levels than those violent TV s watch violent TV
aggression aggression who don’t watch programme programmes complete
levels levels. violent TV s a questionnaire to
programmes. determine their
aggression levels
To Drinking energy Those who drink Drinking The Independent Groups:
investigate drinks will have energy drinks will energy cattiness One group who
the impact of a significant have significantly drinks/Not levels of watches violent TV
energy impact on higher cattiness drinking individual programmes and one
drinks on cattiness levels. levels than those energy s group who doesn’t
levels of who don’t drink drinks watch violent TV
chattiness energy drinks. programmes complete
a questionnaire to
determine their
aggression levels
Research Issues
Dem an d Char acter istics → Any cue from the researcher or from the research
situation that may be interpreted by participants as revealing the purpose of the
investigation. This may lead to a participant changing their behaviour within the
research situation. (Mainly about the research situation)
, ↓ Internal validity
- In Milgram’s study, 25% of the participants believed that the shocks were fake
and may have either played along to please the experimenter, or go against the
study to ruin the experiment (Later research, Borne and Holland, even states
that 50% believed the shocks were fake and they were just trying to play
along)
In vestigator Eff ects → Any effect of the investigators behaviour (conscious or
unconscious) on the research outcome (the DV). This may include anything from the
design of the study to the selection of, and interaction with participants during the
research process. This may lead to a participant changing their behaviour within the
research situation. (Mainly the researcher’s behaviour i.e: smiling, tone of voice)
↓ Internal validity
- In Milgram’s study, the investigator may have behaved differently when
delivering verbal prods, silently encouraging the participant to continue
Internal Validity → Does the research accurately measure what it claims to?
Ran dom isation → The use of chance in order to control for the effects of bias when
designing materials and deciding the order of conditions (CONTROLS FOR
INVESTIGATOR EFFECTS
- A researcher creates a list of 20 words for their participants to recall. These
are then put into a computer system which jumbles them up into a random
order.
Stan dar disation → Using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for
all participants in a research study (CONTROLS FOR DEMAND
CHARACTERISTICS & INVESTIGATOR EFFECTS)
- The instructions for the task within the experiment are written out step by
step, so that each participant receives the same instructions.
- CAN B E ASK ED FOR A SET OF STANDARDISED INSTRUCTIONS
FOR ANY STUDY
Sin gle B lin d → The participant is not told the aim of the study or the condition of the
experiment they are in
Double B lin d → Treatment is administered to participants by someone who is
independent of the investigation and does not know which drugs are real and which are
a placebo
Pilot Study → a small-scale trial run of the investigation. It is carried out to test the
procedure and check that it runs smoothly. It can identify problems that can be changed
and addressed before the actual research is carried out.
Research Methods
Experimental Method
Resear ch Methods → The different ways in which we conduct research in
psychology
Research Methods → The methods used to collect and analyse data
Resear ch Methods → The controls that must also be implemented by the
researcher throughout
Aims
Aim → a general statement of what the researcher intends toInvestigate… The purpose
of the study.
Hypotheses
H ypotheses → This is a clear, precise, testable statement that states the relationship
between the variables to be investigated.
Dir ection al hypothesis (one tailed) → States the direction of the difference or
relationship, used when the findings of previous research studies suggest a particular
outcome.
Non -dir ection al hypothesis (tw o tailed) → Does not state the direction, used
when there is no previous research, or previous research findings are contradictory.
Null h ypothesis → A prediction that states that there is no relationship or difference
between two variables.
Dir ection al H ypothesis → How one level of the IV, affects the DV, in comparison to
the other level of the IV
Non -dir ection al H ypothesis → There will be a difference in the DV, depending
upon one level of the IV, compared to the other level of the IV
,Null H ypothesis → There will be no difference in the DV, regardless of one level of
the IV or the other level of the IV.
Variables
Var iables → anything that can vary or change within in the investigation.
In depen den t var iable (IV) → An aspect of the experimental situation which is
manipulated by the researcher, or changes naturally, so the effect on the DV can be
measured and is usually split into two levels.
Depen den t var iable (DV) → The variable that is measured by the researcher.
Covar iables → two variables investigated in a correlational study (we will come back
to this at a later date)
Extr an eous Var iables → variables other than the IV that have the potential to affect
the DV
Par ticipan t Var iables → A type of extraneous variable where an individual difference
between the participants may have not been controlled (age, personality, motivation etc.)
Situation al Var iables → A type of extraneous variable where an aspect of the
environment may not have been controlled (noise, time of day etc.)
Confounding Variable → Variables which advantage or disadvantage one condition
over the other if left uncontrolled
Operationalisation
Oper ation alisation → The process of clearly defining variables in terms of how they
can be measured. This allows for future researchers to replicate the methodology in
exactly the same way
, i.e: Students who spend more time on their phone , will perform worse than students
who use their phone less → Students who spend 2 or more hours on their phone daily
will have a lower percentage of correct marks than students who use their phone less
than 2 hours daily.
AIM NON- DIRECTIONAL IV DV OPERATIONALISE
DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS
HYPOTHESIS (ONE TAILED)
(TWO TAILED)
To Attendance Those who attend Attending The exam Independent Groups:
investigate levels will have every class will class/Not performan One group who attends
the impact of a significant have significantly attending ce of the every class and one
attendance impact on higher exam class individual group who attend 50%
on exam student performance than s of classes complete an
performance. performance in those who don’t exam to determine
an exam. attend every class their performance
To Watching Those who watch Watching The Independent Groups:
investigate violent TV violent TV violent TV aggression One group who
the impact of programmes programmes will programme levels of watches violent TV
violent tv will have a have significantly s/Not the programmes and one
programmes significant higher aggression watching individual group who doesn’t
on impact on levels than those violent TV s watch violent TV
aggression aggression who don’t watch programme programmes complete
levels levels. violent TV s a questionnaire to
programmes. determine their
aggression levels
To Drinking energy Those who drink Drinking The Independent Groups:
investigate drinks will have energy drinks will energy cattiness One group who
the impact of a significant have significantly drinks/Not levels of watches violent TV
energy impact on higher cattiness drinking individual programmes and one
drinks on cattiness levels. levels than those energy s group who doesn’t
levels of who don’t drink drinks watch violent TV
chattiness energy drinks. programmes complete
a questionnaire to
determine their
aggression levels
Research Issues
Dem an d Char acter istics → Any cue from the researcher or from the research
situation that may be interpreted by participants as revealing the purpose of the
investigation. This may lead to a participant changing their behaviour within the
research situation. (Mainly about the research situation)
, ↓ Internal validity
- In Milgram’s study, 25% of the participants believed that the shocks were fake
and may have either played along to please the experimenter, or go against the
study to ruin the experiment (Later research, Borne and Holland, even states
that 50% believed the shocks were fake and they were just trying to play
along)
In vestigator Eff ects → Any effect of the investigators behaviour (conscious or
unconscious) on the research outcome (the DV). This may include anything from the
design of the study to the selection of, and interaction with participants during the
research process. This may lead to a participant changing their behaviour within the
research situation. (Mainly the researcher’s behaviour i.e: smiling, tone of voice)
↓ Internal validity
- In Milgram’s study, the investigator may have behaved differently when
delivering verbal prods, silently encouraging the participant to continue
Internal Validity → Does the research accurately measure what it claims to?
Ran dom isation → The use of chance in order to control for the effects of bias when
designing materials and deciding the order of conditions (CONTROLS FOR
INVESTIGATOR EFFECTS
- A researcher creates a list of 20 words for their participants to recall. These
are then put into a computer system which jumbles them up into a random
order.
Stan dar disation → Using exactly the same formalised procedures and instructions for
all participants in a research study (CONTROLS FOR DEMAND
CHARACTERISTICS & INVESTIGATOR EFFECTS)
- The instructions for the task within the experiment are written out step by
step, so that each participant receives the same instructions.
- CAN B E ASK ED FOR A SET OF STANDARDISED INSTRUCTIONS
FOR ANY STUDY
Sin gle B lin d → The participant is not told the aim of the study or the condition of the
experiment they are in
Double B lin d → Treatment is administered to participants by someone who is
independent of the investigation and does not know which drugs are real and which are
a placebo
Pilot Study → a small-scale trial run of the investigation. It is carried out to test the
procedure and check that it runs smoothly. It can identify problems that can be changed
and addressed before the actual research is carried out.
