Psychology Quasi-Experimental Studies

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Questions and Answers

What is a characteristic of quantitative research?

Subjective

Qualitative

Based on opinions

Systematic (correct)

Which type of quantitative research aims to identify relationships between concepts?

Correlational

Descriptive (correct)

Quasi-experimental

Experimental

What is a goal of descriptive studies?

To identify relationships between concepts (correct)

To test interventions

To identify cause and effect

To manipulate variables

What is a characteristic of correlational studies?

They explore relationships or associations Signup and view all the answers

Which type of study does not manipulate variables?

Descriptive Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of experimental research?

To test cause and effect Signup and view all the answers

What is a common goal of both descriptive and correlational studies?

To generate hypotheses Signup and view all the answers

What is NOT a characteristic of correlational studies?

They determine cause and effect Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of quasi-experimental studies?

To establish causality between variables Signup and view all the answers

What is a key difference between quasi-experimental and experimental studies?

The level of control over variables Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of experimental studies?

Random assignment of participants Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of random assignment in experimental studies?

To reduce bias and ensure comparable groups Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for excellence in research attained by strict attention to detail and methods?

Rigor Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of control in research?

To decrease the probability of errors Signup and view all the answers

Why do experimental studies have a higher degree of control compared to quasi-experimental studies?

Because they use random assignment Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary consideration when selecting a research design?

The ability to achieve the greatest control Signup and view all the answers

What is reliability in research?

Consistency in measurements Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of qualitative research?

To study people in their natural social settings Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of quantitative research?

To make general statements about people as groups Signup and view all the answers

What type of research asks 'How much?' or 'How many?' questions?

Quantitative research Signup and view all the answers

Which type of research emphasizes the importance of understanding people's opinions and feelings?

Qualitative research Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between quantitative and qualitative research?

Quantitative research focuses on numbers, while qualitative research focuses on meanings Signup and view all the answers

What is validity in research?

Does the measure accurately represent the real world? Signup and view all the answers

Which research approach sees the world as constantly changing?

Qualitative research Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of ethnography?

Studying people in their natural settings Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between deductive and inductive approaches?

Deductive involves forming hypotheses, inductive involves emergent themes Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of evaluating qualitative research?

To establish trustworthiness, rigor, and auditability Signup and view all the answers

What is the defining characteristic of a phenomenological study?

It focuses on the participants' interpretations of their lived experiences Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of using intensive data collection methods in qualitative research?

It provides rich, detailed data from a small sample Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the process of evaluating the quality of qualitative research?

Evaluation of trustworthiness Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the information collected by a researcher in qualitative research?

Data Signup and view all the answers

Which type of research design is characterized by a large sample size and high generalizability?

Quantitative study Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of an interview in research?

To elicit or obtain certain information Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of an unstructured interview?

There may be no preplanned questions or fixed agenda Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of participant observation?

To actively participate in the group's activities Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of induction in research?

To form a general principle to explain a set of observations Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of time sampling?

The sampling unit is time Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of coding in qualitative research?

To analyze materials such as interviews and identify themes Signup and view all the answers

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

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Description

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.