Lecture notes
Research methods in psychology
- Institution
- Coventry University (West Midlands) (CU)
Lecture notes on research methods in psychology for first years students.
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Control of variables: The essence of an experiment is the manipulation(changing) of the independent variable (IV) to see how this impacts the
dependent variable. (DV). Keep in mind that the IV is only intended to affect
DV. However, if there are additional (unwanted) variables that could affect IV
or DV, those are extraneous variables.
Unneeded variables:
anything that, if it is not controlled, could affect the dependent variable (DV),
excluding the independent variable (IV).
These factors can be controlled by the experimenter, the environment (such as
noise levels and temperature), or the participant (such as age and intelligence).
(e.g. personality, appearance or conduct of researcher)
Confounding factors
Any variable that has not been controlled and is different from the
independent variable (IV) will have an impact on the DV.
Demand characteristics: In experiments, participants are not "passive," and
they may figure out what's going on and alter their behaviour to appease the
experimenter—or even act in an unfavourable manner. Demand
characteristics happen when a participant changes their behaviour as a result
of receiving a "cue" from the researcher or the environment.
Effects of the researcher's behaviour, whether conscious or unconscious, on
the research findings are referred to as investigator effects. (DV). This may
cover everything from the study's design to the choice of and communication
with its participants throughout the course of the investigation.
How to reduce irrelevant or confusing variables:
Randomization is the use of "chance" to account for the effects of bias, as in a
memory experiment where participants may be asked to recall words from a
list. To prevent the experimenter from choosing the order of each word, the
list should be randomly generated.
Standardization is the application of exactly the same guidelines to all
participants, including the use of the same setting, instructions, and
experiences.
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