Year 12 Definitions Research Methods in Psychology

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Aim

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The researcher’s area of interest – what they are looking at (e.g. to investigate helping behaviour).

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Bar chart

Back

A graph that shows the data in the form of categories (e.g. behaviours observed) that the researcher wishes to compare.

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Behavioural categories

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Key behaviours or collections of behaviour that the researcher conducting the observation will pay attention to and record.

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Case study

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In-depth investigation of a single person, group or event, where data are gathered from a variety of sources and by using several different methods (e.g. observations & interviews).

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Closed questions

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Questions where there are fixed choices of responses e.g. yes/no. They generate quantitative data.

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Co-variables

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The variables investigated in a correlation.

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Confidentiality

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Participants have the right to expect that all data collected during a research study will remain confidential and anonymous.

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Confounding variable

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An extraneous variable that varies systematically with the IV so we cannot be sure of the true source of the change to the DV.

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Control group

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A group that is treated normally and gives us a measure of how people behave when they are not exposed to the experimental treatment (e.g. allowed to sleep normally).

Front

Controlled observation

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An observation study where the researchers control some variables - often takes place in laboratory setting.