38 Questions
What is a characteristic of quantitative research?
Systematic
Which type of quantitative research aims to identify relationships between concepts?
Descriptive
What is a goal of descriptive studies?
To identify relationships between concepts
What is a characteristic of correlational studies?
They explore relationships or associations
Which type of study does not manipulate variables?
Descriptive
What is the main goal of experimental research?
To test cause and effect
What is a common goal of both descriptive and correlational studies?
To generate hypotheses
What is NOT a characteristic of correlational studies?
They determine cause and effect
What is the primary goal of quasi-experimental studies?
To establish causality between variables
What is a key difference between quasi-experimental and experimental studies?
The level of control over variables
What is a characteristic of experimental studies?
Random assignment of participants
What is the purpose of random assignment in experimental studies?
To reduce bias and ensure comparable groups
What is the term for excellence in research attained by strict attention to detail and methods?
Rigor
What is the purpose of control in research?
To decrease the probability of errors
Why do experimental studies have a higher degree of control compared to quasi-experimental studies?
Because they use random assignment
What is the primary consideration when selecting a research design?
The ability to achieve the greatest control
What is reliability in research?
Consistency in measurements
What is the focus of qualitative research?
To study people in their natural social settings
What is the goal of quantitative research?
To make general statements about people as groups
What type of research asks 'How much?' or 'How many?' questions?
Quantitative research
Which type of research emphasizes the importance of understanding people's opinions and feelings?
Qualitative research
What is the main difference between quantitative and qualitative research?
Quantitative research focuses on numbers, while qualitative research focuses on meanings
What is validity in research?
Does the measure accurately represent the real world?
Which research approach sees the world as constantly changing?
Qualitative research
What is the primary focus of ethnography?
Studying people in their natural settings
What is the main difference between deductive and inductive approaches?
Deductive involves forming hypotheses, inductive involves emergent themes
What is the purpose of evaluating qualitative research?
To establish trustworthiness, rigor, and auditability
What is the defining characteristic of a phenomenological study?
It focuses on the participants' interpretations of their lived experiences
What is the primary advantage of using intensive data collection methods in qualitative research?
It provides rich, detailed data from a small sample
What is the term for the process of evaluating the quality of qualitative research?
Evaluation of trustworthiness
What is the term for the information collected by a researcher in qualitative research?
Data
Which type of research design is characterized by a large sample size and high generalizability?
Quantitative study
What is the primary purpose of an interview in research?
To elicit or obtain certain information
What is a characteristic of an unstructured interview?
There may be no preplanned questions or fixed agenda
What is the primary goal of participant observation?
To actively participate in the group's activities
What is the purpose of induction in research?
To form a general principle to explain a set of observations
What is a characteristic of time sampling?
The sampling unit is time
What is the purpose of coding in qualitative research?
To analyze materials such as interviews and identify themes
Study Notes
Quantitative Research
- Formal, systematic, objective, and rigorous
- Types of quantitative research:
- Descriptive
- Correlational
- Quasi-experimental
- Experimental
Descriptive Studies
- Explore and describe real-life phenomena
- Characteristics:
- Large number of participants
- Natural setting
- No manipulation of variables
- Goals:
- Concept identification and description
- Identification of relationships between concepts
- Hypothesis generating
Correlational Studies
- Investigate and describe relationships between or among variables
- Characteristics:
- Do not determine cause and effect
- Do not test interventions
- Goals:
- Explore relationships or associations
- Hypothesis generating
Quasi-Experimental Studies
- Examine causal relationships or determine the effect of one variable on another
- Characteristics:
- Interventions or treatments are tested
- Less control of variables than in experimental studies
- No random assignment
Experimental Studies
- Highly controlled, systematic design
- Examines causality
- Characteristics:
- Controlled manipulation of an independent variable
- Comparison of a treatment group and a control group
- Random assignment
Rigor and Control
- Rigor: excellence in research attained by strict attention to detail and methods
- Control: strategies to increase accuracy of results and decrease the probability of errors in research
- Experimental studies have the highest degree of control
Reliability and Validity
- Reliability: consistency
- Validity: does the measure accurately represent the real world?
- Example: a blood pressure device that consistently measures 60/30 but is not accurate
Qualitative Research
- A method of naturalistic enquiry
- Aims to study people in their natural social settings
- Focuses on the meanings participants attach to their social world
Quantitative vs. Qualitative
- Quantitative:
- Emphasis on measuring and counting
- Makes general statements about people as groups
- Likes to prove causal relationships
- Qualitative:
- Emphasis on feeling and experiences
- Sees the world as changing
- Emphasis on the individual
Main Types of Qualitative Research
- Ethnography: study of people in their natural settings
- Phenomenology: focuses on individuals’ interpretations of their lived experiences
Evaluating Qualitative Research
- Trustworthiness: authenticity and accuracy of information presented
- Rigor: high standards of research
- Auditability: established decision trail
Qualitative Research Terms
- Data: information collected by a researcher
- Interview: conversation between interviewer and interviewee
- Unstructured Interview: no preplanned questions or fixed agenda
- Participant Observation: researcher studies behavior by actively participating in the group’s activities
- Focus Group: research method of interviewing people while they interact in small groups
- Time and Event Sampling: sampling units are time or events, not people
- Coding: qualitative method of analysis of materials, such as interviews, where categories or themes are formed and their interrelationships examined
This quiz covers the concept of quasi-experimental studies in psychology, including their purpose, characteristics, and limitations. It examines the role of interventions and treatments in determining causal relationships.
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