E X P LO R I N G
Chapter 4
Research Methods
4.18
Research Methods quick quiz
Quiz 1 Answers
1. Name two sampling methods. Any two of: opportunity, volunteer (self-selected), random
2. Why are psychologists concerned about participants giving consent? So that participants are
able to make informed decisions about participating in studies
3. What is reliability? Consistency of results
4. What is a debrief? Giving a full explanation to participants after a study and returning them
to at least as positive a state as they were in before the study
5. Give an example of a field experiment in Cognitive Psychology. e.g. Godden & Baddeley
6. What is meant by qualitative data? Descriptive information not in the form of numbers
7. Name two measures of spread. range, standard deviation
8. What is the difference between a laboratory experiment and a natural experiment? Whether or
not the experimenter actively manipulates the IV
9. What is an independent measures design? Where a different group of participants is used in
each level of the IV
10. What are the four levels of measurement? Nominal, interval, ordinal, ratio
11. What is a correlation? A relationship between two variables
12. What is meant by the term ‘measure of central tendency’? A way to indicate the middle or
typical value in a set of scores
13. Define opportunity sampling. Selecting participants according to availability
14. What kind of graph would you use with correlational data? Scatterplot or scattergram
15. Give an example of a case study in Developmental Psychology. e.g. Curtiss (1977) [Genie] or
Koluchová (1972) [Czech twins]
16. State an advantage of correlations. e.g. They can be used when manipulating variables is not
practical or ethical
17. State a disadvantage of case studies. A single individual cannot be representative so it is hard
to generalise from findings
18. What is the difference between a participant and a non-participant observation? In participant
observation the observer is integrated as part of the social group being observed; in nonparticipant observation the group is unaware of the observer
19. What are investigator effects? Accidental influences that the researcher has on the
participants that can bias the results
20. How do you work out the mean? Add all the scores in the set together and divide by the
number of scores
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E X P LO R I N G
Chapter 4
Research Methods
4.18
Research Methods quick quiz
Quiz 2 Answers
1. Is opportunity sampling representative? No
2. What is validity? The extent to which we are measuring what we set out to measure
3. Identify two ethical guidelines. Any two from: consent, deception, right to withdraw,
competence
4. What is meant by quantitative data? Information in the form of numbers
5. Give an example of a laboratory experiment in Cognitive Psychology e.g. Peterson & Peterson,
Smythe & Costall, Godden & Baddeley
6. Name two measures of central tendency. Mean / median / mode
7. What is counterbalancing? Conducting conditions in an experiment in different orders on
different groups of participants in a repeated measures design experiment
8. What is the difference between a laboratory experiment and a field experiment?
A laboratory experiment is conducted in a controlled, artificial situation, whereas a field
experiment is done in the participants’ normal environment
9. What are demand characteristics? Features of an experiment that give away the aims to
participants, making them behave differently
10. What is a matched pairs design? Participants are selected in pairs matched on important
variables for the study and one of each pair is allocated to each condition
11. What is a case study? An in-depth investigation of a single individual using techniques such
as interviews and observations
12. What is meant by the term ‘measure of spread’? A way to indicate the dispersion in a set of
scores, i.e. how spread out they are
13. Name two ways to obtain self-report data. Interviews and questionnaires
14. State an advantage of case studies. Many different techniques can be used to get fuller,
more valid data
15. Give an example of an ethical issue in a case study. Confidentiality
16. Define random sampling. Selecting participants so that each member of the population has
an equal chance of being in the sample
17. State a disadvantage of correlations. A single correlation cannot allow a causal relationship to
be determined
18. What is the difference between a non-disclosed and a disclosed observation? In a non-disclosed
observation the participants are unaware that they are being observed, whereas in a
disclosed observation they are aware
19. What is a pilot study? A trial run of a method, e.g. to check that the measures of the DV work,
that the task is not too hard or too easy and that there are sufficient controls
20. How do you work out the median? Put all the numbers in a set in rank order and find the
middle one
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