Research Methods

Design types

4 levels of explanation

Biological

Basic Processes

Personal

Social cultural

Qualitative

Focus Group , group discussion held by a trained facilitator Advantages:Better than indiv interviews, more complex pool of data
Disadvantages:May bring up minority views, Certain people may dominate discussions, Bias of group and interviewer,

Experiment

Quantitative Observational

Manipulation of the IV and observation of the DV Advantages:Allows for a causal explanation between the variables, replication is possible, limits extraneous variables
Disadvantages:Might not apply to the real world, a sample might not represent the entire population, variables cannot be controlled

Natural Observation of the IV, Observation of a behaviour in a natural setting
Advantages:Allows study of complex subjects
Disadvantages :Cannot be replicated, observer bias,

Quasi Experimental, Unlike experiment it has no random allocation and no control group Advantages:More convenient, unethical research possible, evidence for casual explanation Disadvantages

Delphi Technique Questionnaire sent to experts Advantages Ability to draw expertise from across the globe, free expression of opinion Disadvantages:Contamination of results through researcher bias, non-responses can limit data quality, small sample size

Processes that everyone has e.g. thought, memory and cognition

Behaviour

How someone interacts with the environment around them

Biological influences. e.g. Gender, age, drugs

Traits related to the certain individual. e.g. Personality

Social influence, how behaviour changes in from of others

Physiological, measures of heart rate or scores on IQ tests Advantages:The use of precise measurements Disadvantages:Bias may influence results