Mr Robinson

Research Methods – Revision

Lab, Field and Natural Studies
Task 1: Using the following key terms, complete the table below identifying the key features, strengths and
weaknesses of lab, field and natural studies.

Key Terms (Features) Key Terms (Strengths) Key Terms (Weaknesses)

 Controlled situation  High level of replication  Lacks ecological validity
 Manipulation of IV  Cause and effect CAN be established  High level of demand characteristics
 No manipulation of IV  High level of ecological validity  Less control of Extraneous Variables
 Natural Environment  Reduces demand characteristics  Lower level of replication
 Causation cannot be established

FEATURES STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Controlled environment High level of replication Lacks ecological validity
No extraneous variables Cause and effect can be High level of demand
LABORATORY

IV is manipulated establised characteristics

Natural environment Cause and effect can be Less control over extraneous
establised variables
IV is manipulated High ecological validity Lower level of replication
Reduced demand characteristics
FIELD

Natural environment High ecological validity Less control over extraneous

No control over IV as it occors Reduced demand variables
naturally characteristics Lower level of replication
NATURAL

Causation cannot be
establised

Aims, Hypotheses, IV, DV and EV

Task 2: Answer the following questions in relation to the above research question:
A researcher wanted to answer the following research question:
“Do Mr Robinson’s workshops improve exam results?”

Answer the following questions in relation to the above research question:

1. Write the aim of the experiment?
To investigate the effect of Mr Robinson's worksops on exam results

2. Identify the independent variable and dependent variable?

IV – number of workshops attended
DV – exam results

3. Write a directional hypothesis;

Mr Robinson's workshops improve the exam results

 Mr Robinson

4. Write a non-directional hypothesis;

Mr Robisnson's worksop has an effect on the exam result

5. Identify possible extraneous variables in the above study and suggest ways to overcome these variables;
Note: Can you consider the difference between situation variables and participant variables…

Experimental Design
Task 3: Complete the experimental design handout (below), writing the key features and one strength and
weakness for each design.

Use the following key terms to help you:

 Order effects
 Participant variables
 More/Less participants required
 Time-consuming
**Note these key terms can be used more than once**
 People who volunteer may be differnt from
people who don't. Low generalizability.

Mr Robinson

High participant variability since Low participant variability since

participants compared with other participants are compared with
participants themselves.
 Mr Robinson
Applying Experimental Design
It is proposed that people are more willing to give money to a male rather than a female charity collector. This is tested
by showing participants photographs of male and female faces and a description of a fake charity that they represent.
The participants were divided into groups based on how much they earn (low earnings vs. high earnings) and then
asked to say how much (if any) money they would donate.
Task 4: Answer the following questions in relation to the above research question:
1. Write the aim of the experiment?
To investiagte if gender of charity collecter affects donation

2. Identify the independent variable and dependent variable?

IV – gender of charity collecter
DV – donation

3. Write a directional hypothesis;

People prefer donating to a male charity collecter than a female charity collecter

4. Write a non-directional hypothesis;

Gender of charity collecter afftects donation

5. Identify possible extraneous variables in the above study and suggest ways to overcome these variables;
Note: Can you consider the difference between situation variables and participant variables…

6. What experimental design was used in this experiment?

Matched pairs

7. Why was it necessary for the experimenter to use this experimental design?

Sampling

Psychologists use sampling techniques to choose people to represent the target population. If your
sample is representative then you can generalise the results of your target population.
 Mr Robinson
Task 5: As we discuss the three key methods of sampling, complete the table below.

TYPE OF DEFINITION/HOW THE SAMPLE IS

ISSUES (WEAKNESSES)
SAMPLE OBTAINED

Each participant has equal chance to be Selected participant may not want to participate
selected. Participants are selected randomly. in the study. If researcher then selects
Random sampling

participants on his own, ressearcher's bias will

occour.

Participants volunterily take part in the study. People who volunteer may be differnt from
Volunteer sampling

Researchers put up posters, banners, ads people who don't. Low generalizability.
so that people could reach them.

People who are easily availabe for the Sample not representative of the target
Opportunity sampling

research are part of the study. population. People who are available may be
different from people who are not available.

Past Paper Questions for Research Methods

Q8. A psychologist showed participants 100 different cards, one at a time. Each card had two unrelated
words printed on it, eg DOG, HAT. Participants in one group were instructed to form a mental image to
link the words. Participants in the other group were instructed simply to memorise the words. After all
the word pairs had been presented, each participant was shown a card with the first word of each pair
printed on it. Participants were asked to recall the second word. The following results were found.

Number of words correctly recalled

Mental Image Group Memorising Group
Mean Score 80 45

(a) What is the independent variable (IV) in this study? (2)

(b) What is the dependent variable (DV) in this study? (2)

(c) What experimental design was used in this study? (1)

(d) Explain one strength of this experimental design in the context of this study. (2)
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(e) Explain how a psychologist could find out whether these results are reliable. (2)
(Total 9 marks)

Q9. (a) Outline one method that psychologists have used to study conformity. (2)

(b) Explain one limitation of this method. (2)

(c) Suggest an appropriate way of overcoming this limitation. (2)

(Total 6 marks)

Q14. Some psychology students read about an experiment which suggested that organisation is a useful
strategy for improving memory. The students carried out an experiment to investigate the effects of
organisation on word recall. They made up a list of 50 items that could be bought in a supermarket. The
participants were teachers at their school. One group of participants saw the words organised into
categories such as fruit, vegetables, dairy products and cleaning materials. The other group saw the same
words presented randomly.

The results are given in the Table below.

The number of words correctly recalled by participants who saw the organised
list and participants who saw the random list
Organised List Random List
20 15
15 13
18 19
45 14
24 20
23 10
28 21
21 6
25 22
30 25
Measure of central tendency
Measure of dispersion

(a) Identify a suitable measure of central tendency that could be used with these data. Justify your
answer. (2)

(b) The psychology students decided to use a volunteer sample. Suggest one way in which this sample
could be obtained. (2)

(c) Suggest one possible extraneous variable in this study. (1)

(d) Suggest one way in which the students could control for this extraneous variable. (2)
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(e) The psychology students wanted to carry out an experiment to investigate the effectiveness of a
different strategy for memory improvement. For this further experiment, suggest the following:
(i) an appropriate strategy for memory improvement; (2)

(ii) an appropriate experimental design; (1)

(iii) operationalised independent and dependent variables. (2)

(Total 12 marks)

Q19. A psychologist investigated the effect of different forms of day care on children’s later social
development. She selected two different types of day care:
• child minders
• day nurseries.
The children had been in one of these types of day care full-time for at least a year before they started
primary school. Each child’s mother was asked to complete a questionnaire.

(a) Identify one sampling technique and explain how it could be used to select the children. (3)

(b) The questionnaire given to the mothers included questions about the way their children’s social
behaviour changed over time. Explain what is meant by children’s social behaviour. (2)

(c) Write one suitable question which could be used in the questionnaire to produce quantitative data.
(2)

(d) Write one suitable question which could be used in the questionnaire to produce qualitative data. (2)

(e) Give one weakness of using questionnaires in this research. (2)

(Total 11 marks)

Q20. A psychologist carried out a field experiment to investigate the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.
The participants were pupils and parents attending a school concert. Just before the concert began, two
professional actors had an argument on the stage. During the argument, one actor pushed the other
actor. Both actors then left the stage. Some of the audience were approached as they left the concert
and were asked to take part in an experiment. Those who agreed were taken to a quiet room and were
asked some questions about the argument. For some participants, the questions included, “Did you see
the man in glasses push the other man?” In fact, neither man was wearing glasses.
The participants were then asked to describe the argument in their own words.

(a) What is a field experiment? (2)

(b) Other than ethical issues, outline one weakness of using a field experiment in this investigation. (2)

(c) Suggest why the psychologist included the question about the man in glasses. (2)
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Q25. A psychologist investigated the relationship between type of attachment in childhood and success
in later adult relationships. He published a questionnaire in a local newspaper. The participants were
people who read the newspaper, filled in the questionnaire and sent it to the psychologist. Participants’
answers to the questions were used to decide whether they had been securely or insecurely attached as
children. The participants who were identified as securely attached children were more likely to have
successful adult relationships than those identified as insecurely attached children.

(a) Identify the sampling technique used in this study. Outline one weakness of using this sampling
method. (3)

(b) Identify one ethical issue the researcher would need to consider in this research. Suggest how the
researcher could deal with this ethical issue. (3)
(Total 6 marks)

Q26. Explain why it might be better to carry out research into eyewitness testimony in the real world,
rather than in a laboratory.
(Total 3 marks)

Q27. A researcher carried out an experiment to investigate how many numbers could be held in short-
term memory. The participants were 15 children and 15 adults. Participants were asked to repeat lists of
random numbers, in the correct order, as soon as they were read out by the researcher. For example,
when the researcher said, “3, 4, 2, 8” the participant immediately repeated “3, 4, 2, 8”. When the
researcher then said,“7, 5, 9, 6, 4” the participant immediately repeated “7, 5, 9, 6, 4”. One number was
added to the list each time until participants were unable to recall the list correctly. Each participant’s
maximum digit span was recorded.

(a) Write an appropriate non-directional hypothesis for this experiment. (2)

(b) Explain why the researcher used an independent groups design for this experiment. (2)

(c)
Frequency distribution of the maximum number of digits
correctly recalled by children and adults

Write the mode for each group in the table below.

 Mr Robinson

Age group Mode

Children
Adults
(2)

(d) What does the frequency distribution show about the results? (3)

(e) Do the results of this experiment support the findings of other research into the capacity of short-
term memory? Explain your answer. (2)
(Total 11 marks)

Q29. Some research into obedience has been carried out in laboratories. Other studies into obedience
have been carried out in the real world, including field experiments and observations.
(a) Outline one advantage of conducting obedience research outside a laboratory setting.

(b) Outline one limitation of conducting obedience research outside a laboratory setting.
(Total 4 marks)

Q34. Psychologists carried out a laboratory experiment to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive
interviews. All participants watched the same film of a robbery. They were randomly allocated to Group
One or Group Two. Participants were then asked to recall the robbery. The investigators used a cognitive
interview to access recall of participants in Group One and a standard interview to access recall of
participants in Group Two.

The results of this experiment are summarised in the Figure below.

Average number of correct and incorrect statements made by participants under two different interview
conditions
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(a) What experimental design was used in this experiment? (1)

(b) Explain one limitation of the design that was used in this experiment. (2)

(c) Explain what the results suggest about the effectiveness of the cognitive interview. (2)

(d) Participants in the standard interview were simply asked to describe what happened in the film.
Suggest one way in which participants in the cognitive interview condition could have been asked to
recall what happened. (2)

(e) What is meant by the term investigator effects? Explain possible investigator effects in this study. (4)
(Total 11 marks)