Research Methods

Homework homework due in week commencing 7th May: paper 3 Thursday: go over homework 2 Thursday lunch time: support session 12-1pm Collect in mark: Paper 1

Task: Experimental design For each of the studies answer the following questions: Identify the independent variable Identify the dependent variable Identify the experimental design What strength does this experimental design have in this study? What limitation does this experimental design have in this study? Write a directional hypothesis for the experiment.

Bandura et al (1961) aimed to see if behaviour that is observed will be repeated. Participants (children aged 3-5) were divided into three groups. Individuals were matched in the three groups according to their aggression levels that existed before this study began. Group one observed an aggressive adult model hitting a Bobo doll; group two observed the model acting non-aggressively and group three observed no model. All participants were then placed in a room with a Bobo doll and their behaviour was observed. Group one acted most aggressively. There was little difference between the aggression shown by groups two and three. The conclusion was that aggressive behaviour shown by a role model was imitated

Designing an experiment What points do you need to consider when designing an experiment?

Music can affect the ability to concentrate. Design an experiment that could be carried out in a classroom to test the effects of two different kinds of music on a task requiring concentration (e.g. word search). You must use a repeated measures design. You should: fully operationalise the independent and dependent variables provide details of how you would control extraneous variables describe the procedure that you would use. 15 minutes

Operationalise the independent and dependent variables IV and DV – 2 marks The independent variable is type of music (for example classical and rock). Candidates should suggest two different types of music. The dependent variable is a measurement of concentration. Candidates can use the suggested word search task but must state how it is to be measured (for example, time taken to complete a word search or number of errors made). Alternatively, candidates may suggest their own DV. Award one mark for operationalising each variable.

Controls – 4 marks An important element in a repeated measures design is the control of order effects. Counterbalancing is the most likely procedure to control order effects. Half of the participants should carry out the 1st concentration task with music 1 followed by the 2nd task with music 2. The other half should complete the concentration task with music 2 first and follow this with music 1. The two concentration tasks should be matched for difficulty. Alternatively candidates could argue for randomisation or a time delay between the tasks. Other relevant controls eg volume of music, time allocated for task should be credited. Answers which make no reference to the control of order effects maximum 2 marks.

Procedure – 4 marks Procedural information should provide detail of how to go about conducting the study (ie what participants are required to do). Candidates could approach this task at a macro level ie from getting consent to debriefing or at a micro level ie the specific procedure for one participant. Other creditworthy material could include: Dealing with ethical issues Sampling Details of conditions and allocation to them Standardised instructions Data collected Note: there are only 4 marks available for the procedure and therefore candidates do not need to address all of the above to gain full credit.

Exam question: Individually Answer question… 15 miuntes

Assessing and improving reliability Define reliability? (1 mark) Outline the difference between internal and external reliability (2 marks) How do you assess the reliability of observations?(2 marks) Explain how inter-observer reliability can be improved (3 marks) Explain how you can assess and improve on the reliability of an experiment (2+2 marks) 35 minutes left

Assessing and improving Validity Define validity? (1 mark) Explain what is meant by face validity and concurrent validity (2+2 marks) Explain the term ecological validity using an example from a research study (3 marks) Explain why temporal validity might be a problem in research (2 marks) Explain two ways in which validity can be assessed (2+2 marks) A research wants to improve the validity of their interview, explain two ways this can be achieved (2+2 marks) A research wants to improve the validity of their experiment, explain two ways this can be achieved (2+2 marks)

List and define the main features of science Objectivity (and the empirical method) Replicability and falsifiability Theory construction Hypothesis testing Paradigms and paradigm shifts Write on your own words…

1. Briefly explain one reason why it is important for research to be replicated (2 marks). 2. Explain how theory construction is a feature of science (3 marks) 3. Describe what a paradigm shift is (2 marks) 4. Explain how paradigm shifts contribute to scientific understanding (3 marks) 5. Briefly explain one reason why it is important for research to be objective (2 marks) 6. Explain two ways in which the objectivity of a piece of research can be increased (2+2 marks) 7. Explain what is meant by the empirical method. Refer to an example of psychological research in your answer (3 marks) 8. Explain what falsifiability means (2 marks) 9. Briefly explain one reason why it is important for research to be falsifiable (2 marks)

Exam question A teacher has worked in the same primary school for two years. While chatting to the children, she is concerned to find that the majority of them come to school without having eaten a healthy breakfast. In her opinion, children who eat 'a decent breakfast' learn to read more quickly and are better behaved than children who do not. She now wants to set up a pre-school breakfast club for the children so that they can all have this beneficial start to the day. The local authority is not willing to spend money on this project purely on the basis of the teacher's opinion and insists on having scientific evidence for the claimed benefits of eating a healthy breakfast.   Explain why the teacher's personal opinion cannot be accepted as scientific evidence. Refer to some of the major features of science in your answer. (6 marks)

Still to cover Inferential statistics Carrying out statistical tests