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Assessment Resource - Internal
Level 3 Psychology
27693, Conduct a supervised psychological research activity and evaluate its
methodology
Credits: 6
Title: PLAYWAY
Teacher guidelines:
The following guidelines are supplied to enable teachers to carry out valid and consistent
assessment using this internal assessment resource. An observation research activity
has been selected to provide students with experience in a non-experimental
methodology
Context/setting:
In this activity students will evaluate the use of a psychological methodology.
The psychological methodology to be evaluated will focus on its use in a directed and
supervised research activity. Supervised research activities are ones where the teacher
sets the parameters and directs the research activity which may be carried out within the
classroom or in an appropriate approved setting.
Teachers can expect to explicitly discuss ethical issues as they arise.
In order to place the methodology in context in a research exercise then there will be an
examination of alternative theoretical contexts to which the findings of the research
exercise can be based.
Conditions:
Prior to the assessment task the students should understand the steps and research
methods of the scientific method. This should include reference to ethical considerations.
As part of the teaching the teacher will provide need to provide selected studies from the
field of psychology to enable students the opportunity to gain Merit and Excellence.
These studies must include a range of research methodologies. Students will be
required to identify the research method used in each study and summarise the scientific
method as used in psychology. For the assessment students will describe the steps in
the scientific method in the research activity.
The assessment task will be done as a supervised research activity where the teacher
sets the parameters and directs the research activity which may be carried out within the
classroom or in an appropriate approved setting. The post research report which will
include the evaluation of the methodology used will be completed in class under teacher
supervision. This report should not be taken home in either written or electronic form.
NB For the successful completion of the research exercise it is important that students
have a clear plan for gathering the data and a structured means of analysis.
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Before assessment begins, the students should understand the key features of
psychological research methodologies. These key features will include the
appropriateness of the methodology to the research design, the nature of the data
collected, the appropriate analysis of the data within the methodologies, strengths and
limitations and being able to suggesting implications and/or applications of the
psychological methodology.
In addition for the assessment task to be completed successfully it will help if it is placed
in a context. This will allow judgements to be made for the appropriateness of the
approach, its strengths and limitations as well as implications and /or applications. This
will be for this example assessment in the research into children’s play. It is
recommended that 4 theoretical approaches be examined, for example
Cognitive (Piaget, J. (1962). Play, Dreams and Imitation in Childhood. New York:
Norton.)
Socio-Cultural (Vygotsky 1978 Mind in Society: The Development of Higher
Psychological Processes, Havard University Press)
Social Learning Theory (Bandura, A. 1962). Social Learning through Imitation. University
of Nebraska Press: Lincoln, NE.)
Evolutionary Psychology (Jarvis, K. “Rough and Tumble” Play: Lessons in Life.
Evolutionary Psychology 2006 4: 330 – 346)
These also offer examples of differing approaches to the investigation of children’s play.
Students will be required to evaluate the key features used in a study using a recognised
research methodology within psychology.
Summaries or extracts may be oral, visual and/ or written. Resources should be
appropriate to Level 8 of the NZC, or have characteristics that enable students to meet
the expected level of understanding. Assessment of this standard also provides
opportunities for students to develop aspects of the key competencies of the NZC.
Teachers should not provide detailed notes that ‘teach to the assessment’ as they
discuss the key features of research methodologies used in psychological research. It is
essential that, as part of the assessment, students make their own evaluations
independently.
Resource requirements:
Teachers will provide resources and/or opportunities to understand the methodologies
used in psychological research.
Teachers will provide relevant extracts or summaries of selected research or directed
practical investigations. Extracts or summaries could be gathered from psychology
textbooks, popular works on psychology, journals, newspaper and magazine articles,
televisual broadcasts and documentaries, movies, podcasts, and websites. Directed
practical investigation may include in-class experiments or EOTC activities. If EOTC
activities are undertaken, teachers must follow Ministry of Education guidelines
http://eotc.tki.org.nz/.
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Some possible studies:
The study groupings below are intended to provide teachers with guidance on support
materials and sufficient examples of data gathering methods to provide students with the
resources to achieve the standard.
It is not intended that the list of resources below is exhaustive. Teachers should select
resources that are relevant to their course outlines and student requirements. The
following study groupings include examples of three data gathering methods for
assessment. There is replication of the resources in the Level 1 ‘methodology’ with
additions. It would be expected that if a resource was used in level 1 it would not be
replicated when that group reaches Level 3
Data Gathering Method One: Observation
 Rosenhan (1973) Sane in insane places [Primary Study]
 Piliavin [1969] Subway study ..I checked it is considered a “Controlled Participant
Observation” as an approach in an experiment…no clear boundaries in Psych!
 Turnbull, C. M. (1961) Some observations regarding the experiences and behaviour
of the BaMbuti Pygmies. American Journal of Psychology. 74, 304-308
 PiagetJ.(1954) The development of object concept. The construction of reality in the
child. New York: Basic Books Inc. 3-96.
Data Gathering Method Two: Survey
 Dunedin Multidisciplinary Study
 ASH Smoking Survey
 Whalen, Carol K.; Jamner, Larry D.; Henker, Barbara; Delfino, Ralph J. Smoking and
moods in adolescents with depressive and aggressive dispositions: Evidence from
surveys and electronic diaries. Health Psychology, Vol 20(2), Mar 2001, 99-111
 Argyle, M. (2001) The Psychology of Happiness. Routledge
Data Gathering Method Three: Interviews
 Tienari et al (1994) Finnish Adoption Studies
 Hodges and Tizard [1989] Social and family Relationships of Ex-institutional
Adolescents
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Data Gathering Method Four: Experiment
Gazzaniga, M.S. (1967). The split brain in man. Scientific American, 217, 24-29
Gibson, E.J. and Walk, R.D. (1960) The ‘visual cliff” Scientific American 202 67-71
Pavlov, I.P. (1927) Conditioned reflexes. London: Oxford University Press.
Held, R. & Hein, A. MOVEMENT-PRODUCED STIMULATION IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF VISUALLY GUIDED BEHAVIOR. Journal of Comparative and
Physiological Psychology 1963, Vol. 56, No. 5, 872-876
Blakemore, C. and Cooper, F.W (1970) Development of the brain depends on the
visual environment. Nature, 228 477-8.
Data Gathering Method Five: Correlation
 Quirkology
 Christchurch Health and Development Study
 Dunedin Multidisciplinary Study
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 The Dunedin & Christchurch research projects above utilise a number of research
methods including correlation.
 Zajonc, R.B. and Markus, G.B. (1975) Birth Order and intellectual development.
Psychological Review 82, 74-88
Data Gathering Method Six: Case Study
 Vincent Ward (2008) Rain of the Children (documentary film)
 Rosenthal, A. M. Thirty-Eight Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case, Melville House
Publishing (30 May 2008)
Phineas Gage: Fleischman J. A Gruesome But True Story About Brain Science.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2004 - 96 pages
Gardner, R.A.; Gardner, B.T. (1969), "Teaching Sign Language to a Chimpanzee",
Science 165, 664-672
General Sources of Research Studies
 “Forty Studies That Changed Psychology”
 TED Talks www.ted.com
 Geoff Rolls, Classic Case Studies in Psychology, 2nd edition 2010, Hodder
Education
 Standard psychology textbooks.
Additional information:
Teaching and learning guidelines that inform psychology as it is taught in New Zealand
can be found at http://www.tki.org.nz/ncea/.
Information on psychology as it is practiced in New Zealand is available from the New
Zealand Psychological Society, http://www.psychology.org.nz.
Information on Maori-focussed psychological research available through Maori and
Psychology Research Unit
http://www.waikato.ac.nz/wfass/subjects/psychology/mpru/
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Conduct a supervised psychological research activity and evaluate its
methodology
Credit: 4
Student Instructions Sheet
During your Psychology programme in class, your teacher will work with you on a variety
of methodological approaches in research in psychology. You will do a wide range of
activities in class which will help you understand the ideas, concepts and applications
used in psychological research. You will undertake a piece of supervised psychological
investigation. Research activities are ones where the teacher sets the parameters and
directs the research activity which may be carried out within the classroom or in an
appropriate approved setting.
Your teacher may also give you opportunities to apply your understanding of the
research methodologies through practical activities.
Summary of the Scientific Method used in psychology research
As part of your Psychology programme your teacher will work with you to source
reference texts or other materials to explore psychological research.
Steps of the scientific method may include depending on the mode of inquiry
 identifying the problem,
 establishing a hypothesis or open research question,
 gathering data,
 analysis and interpretation of data,
 stating conclusions,
 suggesting improvements to the methodology and/or areas for further research,
including identifying and explaining strengths and/or limitations of the selected
psychological methodology in a given study This may include their implications and
applications.
Key methodologies used in psychological research are, with each having its own
distinguishing features;
Observation
Survey
Interviews
Experiment
Correlation
Case Study
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Assessment guide
For achieved
For merit
For excellence
Conduct a supervised
psychological research
activity and evaluate its
methodology.
Supervised psychological
research activity is
conducted according to the
scientific method, using
identified and justified
research steps and key
features of a selected
research method. The
evaluation includes an
explanation of key strengths
and/or limitations of the
selected research method
in conducting the
supervised psychological
research activity.
Supervised psychological
research activity is
conducted according to the
scientific method, using
identified and justified
research steps and all
relevant features of a
selected research method.
The evaluation includes a
comprehensive explanation
of the strengths and/or
limitations of the selected
research method in
conducting the supervised
psychological research
activity and an implication
and/or application of the
methodology in
psychological research.
Task One:
Your task is to undertake and evaluate a supervised research study. This will be in the
form of an Observation Study. This will focus on children’s play. This will be the study
for which the observation methodology will be evaluated.
There will an open research question provided by the teacher. This will be in the form of:
“Why do children play?”, or
“Are there cross-cultural differences in children’s play?”, or
“Does the nature of children’s play change with age?”
For this assessment the question will be “Are there cross-cultural differences in
children’s play”.
You have been asked to develop a research proposal to answer the open question “Are
there cross cultural differences in children’s play?” Note below the features and steps of
an observational research project. Explain what each step involves and how you would
make it operational for the research project. This will enable you to complete the
evaluation of the conducted research.
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Step of the
observational research
project
Identifying the
problem
Explanation of the step and why it is in place
Research question
Aim
Gathering data
[naturalistic or
controlled or
participant]
Ethical considerations
Analysing data
Coding scheme or
grounded research.
Simple statistical
procedures as
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appropriate
Evaluation of analysis
This may link
observations to current
theories
Conclusion
May include
considerations of
appropriateness of
method
Reliability
Validity
Implications
application
Task 2
Carry out the observational research project and write a ‘report’ on it. The report should
reflect your research plan above and may be presented in a variety of formats, which be
conveyed using written, oral, or audio-visual presentation in response to this assessment
in agreement with your teacher.
Task 3
Your final task is to evaluate the research project.
For Achieved the candidate must:
 Justify each step of the research in the observational study, this will include why it
was important to be included. You may wish to suggest any further step[s] that may
be included or those that were unnecessary. These suggestions will need to be
explained’
For Merit and Excellence
 You need to identify and explain any strengths and/or limitations of the observational
research methodology as used in this study
 You need to suggest implications and/or applications of the observational research
methodology as used in this study.
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27693, Evidence and Judgement Statements: Conduct a supervised psychological research activity and evaluate its methodology
Achieved
Achieved with merit
Achieved with excellence
Conduct a supervised psychological
research activity and evaluate its
methodology.
As for achieved + the evaluation
includes an explanation of key
strengths and/or limitations of the
selected research method in conducting
the supervised psychological research
activity.
As for merit + the evaluation includes a
comprehensive explanation of the strengths and/or
limitations of the selected research method in
conducting the supervised psychological research
activity and an implication and/or application of the
methodology in psychological research.
Research question
Strengths may include
Validity
Should be an ‘open’ question

Aim
Should be clearly stated to give
direction to the study
Gathering data
The use of video clips will be explained
and justified. E.g.


Ease of accessing examples of play
from a wide variety of culturally
different sources.
The ability to replay to check
behaviours

No direct observer interference,
though may be participant
interference by person taking video.

An operational definition of play
identified so behavioural parameters

This refers to whether a study measures or
examines what it claims to measure or examine.
Observations are said to often lack validity for a
number of reasons. If participants are aware they
are being observed they may behave in the way
Participant observation in
they feel they should behave. Perhaps some of the
naturalistic setting subjects are likely
categories could have been coded in a different way.
to behave in a natural way
Given consideration of the limitations does the study
With the use of video clips subjects
have external validity, that is can we generalise the
may be seen in a variety of
findings to other settings.
situations. If the video taken by
Procedural Implications
friend family then subjects likely to
be acting naturally.
If problem not clearly defined the data collected may
not answer the research question.
Descriptive, inferential and
evaluative observations may be
Before attempt made to collect data there should be
made.
a period of naturalistic study to ensure external
validity – for good a good research question and
Multiple variables may be
correct behavioural parameters.
considered.
Need to consider several behavioural parameters.
May account for complexity of
With direct observation [ time
allocation style] people can be
recorded in a variety of situations to
see what they are doing
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can be defined and coding criteria
established. These to be explained and
justified.
behaviours if children in a group or
with adults

Analysing data
The processes used to analyse data
are explained and justified. This may
include, for example, elements of
‘grounded research’.
Conclusions
Conclusions are evaluated to assess
how the fit in the analysis of data
answers the research question and
aim. The appropriateness of the data
gathering and analysis of data is
evaluated in giving appropriate
evidence for the conclusion to be
reached.

Reveal interrelationships among
multifaceted dimensions of group
interactions
Allow for the identification of
recurring patterns of behaviour
Limitations may include
With the use of video clips the child
subjects may be ‘acting up’ for the adult
videoing. This means subjects may not
be equally credible. Also means the
data collection is skewed.
If using a coding schedule important
data may be overlooked.
Need suitable sampling strategies.
Need suitable statistical operations.
Theoretical implications
Do the outcomes of the observation fit with
established theories or is there new insight for
further research. How does the observation
methodology fit with the methodologies used to
establish current theories of children’s play
Applications
If external validity can be established given the
procedural implications above then the findings of
the research may have application to the real world.
In this case
e.g.
Video clips posted on u-tube are not
randomly selected but chosen by those
posting them – introduction of bias.
do the findings suggest for how we encourage / limit
children’s play [ e.g. the concern that we ‘cotton
wool’ children too much].
Researcher bias can enter the study.
How do we integrate what we have found about play
into children’s development programs in early
childhood education programs [ECEPs].
Background information may be
missing
Study group may not be representative
of the population.
If there seen to be strengths in observation how may
it be formalized to assess children’s development in
ECEPs.
Analysis of observations may be
biased.
Observational studies are not
generalisable.
•
Evidence statements are indicative and not exclusive
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