Methodological Issues

Question 1

Representative

Answer 1

When the sample reflects the population

Question 2

Reliability

Answer 2

Consistency of results

Whether a test can be used more than once to produce consistent results

Question 3

Internal reliability

Answer 3

Consistency of results of a test across items within that test (first half of test give similar results as second half)

Question 4

Split half method

Answer 4

Testing one half of the questions to get a score and then testing the other half of questions to see if the same score was achieved (every other question, first half of questions, first third and quarter)

Question 5

Internal validity

Answer 5

The extent to which the findings are measuring what they intended to measure

Question 6

External reliability

Answer 6

The extent to which test scores varies from one time to another

Question 7

Test-re test method

Answer 7

Used to see if the same results are achieved

Question 8

Inter-rater reliability

Answer 8

2 observers rate or observe the same behaviours and the 2 sets are correlated
If a significant positive correlation is seen, inter rater reliability has been established

Question 9

Validity

Answer 9

How accurate a test is at measuring what it aims to measure

Question 10

External validity

Answer 10

The extent to which the findings can be generalised outside the study

Question 11

Face validity

Answer 11

How good the research is at testing what it is meant to test (measuring circumference of someone’s head to measure intelligence)

Question 12

Construct validity

Answer 12

Whether the test measures the actual behaviour it sets out to measure (test of general knowledge to test intelligence, this is a bad way)

Question 13

Concurrent validity

Answer 13

Where the test or research gives the same results as another test or study which is meant to measure the same behaviour (Loftus and Palmer)

Question 14

Criterion validity

Answer 14

How much one measure predicts the value of another measure

Question 15

Predictive validity

Answer 15

Where the test predicts certain behaviours (a levels to predict success at uni)

Question 16

Population validity

Answer 16

The extent to which the findings can be generalised to other people

Question 17

Ecological validity

Answer 17

The extent to which the findings can be generalised to other places/real life

Question 18

Demand characteristics

Answer 18

Clues which alert participants to the true aims of the study

Question 19

Social desirability bias

Answer 19

Trying to look good

Making yourself look socially acceptable

Question 20

Researcher/observer effects

Answer 20

Participants being influenced by researchers presence (Ofsted)
Gender/age may influence results in interviews

Question 21

Researcher bias

Answer 21

Researcher shows bias when collecting the data
Reduced by not knowing what condition ppts were in
Researcher may try to support hypothesis so act bias

Question 22

Ethical considerations

Answer 22

Informed consent
Right to withdraw
Confidentiality 
Protection of participants 
Debrief 
Deception

Question 23

Generalisability

Answer 23

The ability to generalise the results to the general population