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Research methods (Scientific Research) PT4 - Coggle Diagram
Research methods (Scientific Research) PT4
Reliability
how consistent results are
two ways to test - test, re-test (check constancy between both scores) and inter-observer (two researchers who compare results on same experiment
To test if results are reliable enough they have to carry out a Spearman's Rho Test (checks whether the correlation is significant or not, whether its due to chance or not) HAVE to have a correlational coefficient above 0.8 - if its above 0.8 then it is reliable VERY IMPORTANT
Types of Validity
Internal
Are you accurately measuring what you set out to measure
co-current (whether the variables are accurately operationalised, eg. not just 'aggressive' are they punching?) or face validity
Face Validity
Does it appear to be measuring what it set out to measure
Can be impacted by: Social desirability, Demand characteristics, extraneous variables, researcher bias
External
Can you accurately generalise your findings?
Population validity - is the sample representative of your target population
Ecological validity - is the procedure representative of real-life settings and situations
Temporal validity - is your study representative over time? or are they subject to that time? (mainly used in social influence - bit outdated information/ society is very different today)
Features of Science
DEBATE IS PHSYCOLOGY A SCIENCE?
OBJECTIVITY
looking at how some of the research we do is free from bias
evidenced through the collection of quantitive data (numerical data) and inferential testing (using statistics to access whether a finding is due to chance or not)
example - Aschs line experiment, how many people obeyed and how many didnt
SUBJECT
perhaps were not a science because we do collect subjective data at times
use of questionnaires and interviews
EMPIRICAL METHOD
use of highly controlled environements with standardised procedures
example - use of laboratory experiments, Banduras Bobo Doll Study
sometimes we use non-empirical methods (such as case studies)
REPLICABILITY
to do the experiment again and again and again to check the consistency of results
example - Ainsworth's strange situation (baby in the room with mother and then stranger etc)
not replicable example - the Romanian Orphanage case study, looking at a sample that will never be tested again
FALSIFIABILITY
Being able to disprove theories, a theory has to be testable so we can prove if its true or false
Behaviourist approach has good falsifiability, proven we can condition people
theories such as Pyschodynamic approach doesn't have falsifiability because we cant actually test it
THEORY CONSTRUCTION
Two ways in which we can construct a theory - inductive method (creative a theory then test it - e.g. social learning theory) and Deductive method (carry out research and then construct a theory based on the findings - e.g. classical conditioning, discovered by accident)
Hypothesis Testing
the idea that in order to be considered scientific we need to operationalise variables and test them
eg. Zimbardo
some concepts that arent testable, internal and mental processes
PARADIGMS AND PARADIGM SHIFTS
Paradigm - theory or a concept that is accepted to be true, that paradigm will be held dominant in the field of pscyhology
Paradigm shifts - when the current paradigm Is falsified, then a new paradigm shifts into its place
When Freud was the paradigm we believed mental health was very unconscious and then when Skinner took over it became about conditioning them out of it (flooding)
E.G. Frued was a very dominant paradigm for a period of time but then Skinner came along and was able to falsify Freud by providing better evidence for conditioning - view behaviour different to when Freud was the paradigm
Reporting Pyshological Investigations
Every time an experiment takes place, scientific report has to be written and published to a psychological journal
Abstract - goes at beginning and is a summary of the study (aims, findings, conclusions within it)
Inroduction - include previous research that's been done into that topic, why you are now doing further research into the topic and aims and hypothesis
Method - will include the sample, sampling methods, how procedure was carried out and what materials were used (method must be written in a way to be replicated - step by step explanation)
results - will have descriptive statistics, graphs and inferential testing results
Discussion - will have conclusions, acceptation and rejection of hypothesis will also have strengths and limitations of the research and suggestions of further research
referencing - identify where you have found where you have found all the previous research
in order to write a reference you will need
last name of researcher
initials
if you have more than one researcher you MUST put their last names in alphabetical order
year that the study is published in brackets
name of the study
book title or journal it was published in
company that published it
the country or city it was published in
page number if you have them