1. Research Methods 1 Planning Research
Year 9 Psychology

2. Research Methods Research Methods One section in each paper
Split into 8 parts
Planning Research
Case Studies
Observations
Correlation
Research Methods
Interviews
Maths in Psychology
Experiments
Questionnaires

3. Research Methods
There are a number of techniques for gathering information about the human mind and behaviour. We will study these in more depth throughout the course
Correlations
Experiments
Observations
Case studies
Questionnaires
Interview

4. Planning Research
Before we can begin looking at different types of research, we must look at how to plan research in psychology

5. Samples and Sampling Methods
A decision needs to be made about which people will be involved in the research
Whole population
The whole population is identified
The people we are interested in studying are identified. These are the target population
Target population
Sample
Participants are chosen from the target population to take part in the research

6. Samples and Sampling Methods
Target Population
The group of people that we are interested in studying. The participants will be taken from this target population.

7. Samples and Sampling Methods
The group of people, known as participants, that will take part in the research

8. Samples and Sampling Methods
The way in which the sample is chosen from the target population.

9. Sampling Methods
Random
Opportunity
Self-Selection

10. Random Sampling
Everybody in the target population has an equal chance of being selected to take part.
E.g. Placing names in a hat and drawing the names randomly
E.g. Using a random name generator to select names electronically and randomly

11. Opportunity Sampling
The participants selected to take part are people that happen to be around at the time of selection.
E.g. People in a shopping centre at time of selection

12. Self-Selecting Sampling
Participants volunteer to take part, normally in response to an advert in a newspaper.
E.g. People reading a university newspaper may see the advert and volunteer to take part.

13. Evaluating sampling methods
Each sampling method in psychology has clear strengths and weaknesses.
Task
Complete the description of each type of sampling method
Arrange the cards into strengths and weaknesses of each sampling method
HAVE YOUR ANSWERS CHECKED BEFORE STICKING!!

14. Random Sampling
The sample isn’t influenced by the researcher’s wants and needs
It allows for an unbiased sample to be chosen
It’s difficult to identify the whole target population to randomly select from!
It can be time consuming
Ensures that all people have a fair chance of taking part

15. Opportunity Sampling It’s easy to carry out
The sample is open to bias as people in one place are likely to share some characteristics
The researcher could be biased in choosing certain people out of those that are available

16. Self-Selecting Sampling
It’s easy and requires little work from the researcher
You can assume consent as people have volunteered themselves
People volunteering are likely to be outgoing and confident, causing bias

17. Large Samples The more people, the better!
It becomes more representative and generalizable to the wider population

18. Small Samples
There are not enough people to establish a consistent effect.
This is not representative of the wider population and difficult to generalise from

19. A study looking at the effect of caffeine on reaction time
Experimental Design
Once you have a sample, you need to organise your participants in a way that makes sense for your experiment
A study looking at the effect of caffeine on reaction time
There are three ways in which participants can be organised

20. Repeated Measures Each participant takes part in every test
Test 1 = NO CAFFEINE
Test 2 = CAFFEINE

21. Independent Measures
Different participants take part in each test. Each participant takes part in only one of the tests.
Test 1 = NO CAFFEINE
Test 2 = CAFFEINE

22. Matched-Pairs Measures
Different participants take part in each test. Participants are matched across the two groups based on characteristics. E.g same IQ
Test 1 = NO CAFFEINE
Test 2 = CAFFEINE

23. Evaluating experimental designs
Each experimental design has its pros and cons.
It reduces the risk of individual differences between tests
People might improve from one test to another due to practice
Taking part in both tests might give away the aim of the research
It’s quicker and easier to do
REPEATED MEASURES

24. Evaluating experimental designs
Each experimental design has its pros and cons.
It reduces the risk of individual differences between tests
It means people cannot improve due to practice effects
People are unlikely to work out the aim from taking part in only one test
It can be time consuming and difficult to find people with similar characteristics
MATCHED-PAIRS

25. Evaluating experimental designs
Each experimental design has its pros and cons.
There is a risk of individual differences between the tests
It means people cannot improve due to practice effects
People are unlikely to work out the aim from taking part in only one test
It can be quick and easy to do
INDEPENDENT MEASURES

26. Variables INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE
What is being changed?
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
What is being measured?

27. Identify the IV and DV in these examples
Do girls talk more than boys?
Does lack of sleep affect reaction time?
Do higher temperature make tomatoes grow faster?
Does age affect short term memory?
Do higher prices mean less people travel on trains?
Does TV affect people’s level of intelligence?
Do rewards or punishments affect attainment on a quiz?
Does noise level affect performance on essay writing?
Do sweets have an impact on children’s attention span?
Does snoozing have an impact on people’s time skills?

28. Hypotheses = Variables
When planning research, it is important to come up with a hypothesis and establish what exactly you want to test and how you will test it.
Step 1 for writing a hypotheses
Identify what you will be manipulating in your research, and what you will be measuring

29. Hypotheses = Variables
Step 1 for writing a hypotheses
A study looking at the effect of caffeine on reaction time
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
What am I changing?
Amount of caffeine
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
What am I measuring?
Reaction time

30. Hypotheses = Variables
Step 1 for writing a hypotheses
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
What is being changed?
Identify the variables
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
What is being measured?

31. Hypotheses = Variables
Step 2 for writing a hypotheses
Put your variables into a statement a little like this:
This experiment is looking at the effect of _________ (the IV) on _________ (the DV)

32. Write a hypothesis for each of these examples
Do girls talk more than boys?
Does lack of sleep affect reaction time?
Do higher temperature make tomatoes grow faster?
Does age affect short term memory?
Do higher prices mean less people travel on trains?
Does TV affect people’s level of intelligence?
Do rewards or punishments affect attainment on a quiz?
Does noise level affect performance on essay writing?
Do sweets have an impact on children’s attention span?
Does snoozing have an impact on people’s time skills?

33. Hypotheses = Variables
Step 3 for writing a hypotheses
Is your hypothesis directional or non-directional?
You are saying there will be a difference and identifying exactly what it will be
You are saying there will be a difference, but not saying what it will be
Directional
One-tailed
Non-directional
Two-tailed

34. Hypotheses = Variables
Step 3 for writing a hypotheses
Is your hypothesis directional or non-directional?
The more caffeine you have, the better your reaction time
There will be an effect of caffeine on reaction times
Directional
One-tailed
Non-directional
Two-tailed

35. Hypotheses = Variables
Step 4 for writing a hypotheses
Write out your prediction (directional or non-directional), explicitly using the IV and DV identified in step 1
There will be a difference in reaction time based on how much caffeine is consumed
Dependent variable
Independent variable

36. Identify whether the hypotheses you wrote are directional, or non-directional. Write down what the opposite would be
Do girls talk more than boys?
Does lack of sleep affect reaction time?
Do higher temperature make tomatoes grow faster?
Does age affect short term memory?
Do higher prices mean less people travel on trains?
Does TV affect people’s level of intelligence?
Do rewards or punishments affect attainment on a quiz?
Does noise level affect performance on essay writing?
Do sweets have an impact on children’s attention span?
Does snoozing have an impact on people’s time skills?

37. A study looking at the effect of caffeine on reaction time
Extraneous Variables
The dependent and independent variables are what the researcher wants to investigate.
Sometimes, there are factors other than the thing the researcher is changing (IV) that influence what we are measuring (DV). These are called extraneous variables.
A study looking at the effect of caffeine on reaction time
How much sleep did the participant get?
Does the participant have any disabilities slowing their reactions?
Are some participants of an older age, where reaction times are likely to be slower?

38. Situational variables Participant variables Demand characteristics
Extraneous Variables
It’s possible to sort extraneous variables into 4 categories:
Situational variables
Participant variables
Demand characteristics
Order effects

39. What extraneous variables may these pictures be describing?

40. Situational Variables
Things in the environment that could influence the dependent variable

41. Participant Variables
Things about the participant that could impact on the dependent variable

42. Demand Characteristics
These occur when the participant works out what the researcher wants to find out and changes their behavior accordingly.

43. Order Effects
These occur when participants all complete the activities in the same order. There may be something about the order of activities that affects participant behaviour.
Practice Effects
Fatigue
Participants might get better at tasks over time due to practice. E.g. if participants are doing timed puzzles after different amounts of coffee, they may get better at the puzzles in each test! This means it would be nothing to do with the coffee, just the practice.
In studies that include multiple tests for the same participants, they are likely to get tired (or bored) which could affect their performance.

44. Controlling extraneous variables
Obviously, extraneous variables are very bad for research, and so researchers try to minimise the influence they have by controlling the variables.

45. Controlling Situational Variables
Researchers will ensure that the procedure, environment, time of day etc. is kept the same for all participants taking part
Standardised Procedure
Ensuring the study is exactly the same for all participants

46. Controlling Participant Variables
Researchers may be reduce the effect of participant variables, such as differing IQ, personality, stage of development etc. by ensuring that participants taking part are as closely matched as possible.
Experimental Design
Using a repeated measures of matched-pairs design can reduce the differences between participants in each test of the experiment

47. Controlling Demand Characteristics
It can be hard to prevent participants from guessing the aim of the research, especially as some methods are a little unethical!
DECEPTION
SINGLE-BLIND RESEARCH
Misleading participants into thinking the research is looking at something else. E.g. saying the study is looking at memory, when really it is looking at decision making.
Using a researcher that doesn’t know the aim of the study means they are unlikely to influence the participants in any way

48. Controlling Order Effects
Things like practice effects and fatigue/boredom are quite easy to control.
COUNTERBALANCING
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
Splitting participants into groups that do all the tasks, but in different orders
Independent measures design means that participants only have to take part in one test
AB : BA