Psychology Sampling Methods Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is sampling?

A type of psychological test

A method of analyzing data

The process of selecting participants from the population (correct)

A way to collect qualitative information

What is the target population?

The entire group a researcher is interested in.

What is a sampling frame?

A list of all those within the target population who can be practically sampled.

In random sampling, every member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected.

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What is an advantage of random sampling?

The method is not biased as the researcher is not choosing who will take part. Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of random sampling?

The sample may be unrepresentative, lowering external validity. Signup and view all the answers

What is self-selected sampling?

Participants themselves come forward to take part in the study after seeing adverts put out by the researcher. Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of self-selected sampling?

Less time-consuming and cost-effective for the researcher. Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of self-selected sampling?

The sample is unrepresentative. Signup and view all the answers

What is opportunity sampling?

Selecting people who are available at the time of the study. Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of opportunity sampling?

Less time-consuming and cost-effective. Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of opportunity sampling?

The sample is only taken from a small section of the target population, making it likely unrepresentative. Signup and view all the answers

What is quota sampling?

Groups of participants are selected according to their frequency in the population. Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of quota sampling?

It is representative as participants are selected according to their frequency in the population. Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of quota sampling?

The experimenter chooses who takes part, leading to researcher bias. Signup and view all the answers

What is stratified random sampling?

Groups of participants are selected according to their frequency in the population, but within each group, individuals are selected randomly. Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of stratified random sampling?

It is representative of the population and no researcher bias. Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of stratified random sampling?

It is very time-consuming to identify categories and conduct random selection. Signup and view all the answers

What is systematic sampling?

A system where every nth person is selected after picking the first person randomly. Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of systematic sampling?

The sample is not biased as they are chosen using an objective system. Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of systematic sampling?

It can be unrepresentative. Signup and view all the answers

What is snowball sampling?

A small number of participants are recruited by the researcher, and they recruit further participants. Signup and view all the answers

What is an advantage of snowball sampling?

It enables researchers to study difficult-to-access groups. Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of snowball sampling?

It is unlikely to be representative of the overall population. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Sampling Methods in Psychology

Sampling is the process of selecting participants from a population for research purposes.
Target population refers to the entire group that the researcher is interested in studying.
Sampling frame is a practical list of individuals within the target population available for sampling.

Types of Sampling

Random sampling ensures every member of the target population has an equal chance of being chosen, minimizing bias.
Advantage of random sampling: Reduces researcher bias in participant selection.
Disadvantage of random sampling: May lead to unrepresentative samples, affecting external validity if the chosen participants share similar characteristics.
Self-selected sampling occurs when participants volunteer to take part in a study in response to advertisements.
Advantage of self-selected sampling: It is less time-consuming and cost-effective for researchers.
Disadvantage of self-selected sampling: Risks unrepresentative samples, as volunteers may share common traits, like being unemployed or altruistic individuals.
Opportunity sampling involves selecting participants available at the time of the study.
Advantage of opportunity sampling: It saves time and costs, allowing for easier research execution.
Disadvantage of opportunity sampling: Likely to be unrepresentative if the sample is taken from a limited demographic, e.g., a single local school.
Quota sampling involves selecting groups of participants according to their prevalence in the population, with the researcher choosing individuals from these groups.
Advantage of quota sampling: Can lead to representative samples aligned with population frequencies.
Disadvantage of quota sampling: Potential for researcher bias, as the experimenter controls who is chosen.
Stratified random sampling balances representation by selecting groups based on population frequency and then choosing individuals randomly from those groups.
Advantage of stratified random sampling: Provides a representative sample without researcher bias.
Disadvantage of stratified random sampling: Time-intensive due to the need for categorization and random selection.
Systematic sampling selects participants using a fixed interval (every nth person), starting with a random selection.
Advantage of systematic sampling: Reduces bias through an objective selection process.
Disadvantage of systematic sampling: Might yield an unrepresentative sample if the chosen interval skews demographics, e.g., selecting only one gender.
Snowball sampling is a method where existing study participants recruit additional participants from their acquaintances.
Advantage of snowball sampling: Useful for accessing hard-to-reach populations like drug users or the homeless.
Disadvantage of snowball sampling: Typically results in unrepresentative samples, as recruitment is limited to the social circles of the initial participants.

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Explore key terms related to sampling methods in psychology with these flashcards. Each card provides a definition to help you understand concepts like target population, sampling frame, and random sampling. Perfect for quick review and study.