Problems in Research design decisions Researcher bias Researcher
Problems in Research design decisions ► Researcher bias ► Researcher effects on participants ► Things participants may do regardless sychlotron. org. ► Poor
Poor Design ► Problems study that stem from a badly designed § Poor operationalisation of variables § Inadequate control of variables the internal validity of the study ► Cause reliability problems sychlotron. org. ► Threaten
Poor Design ► Poor operationalisation § Insufficient care when translating unobservable psychological processes into observable behavioural ones end up measuring the wrong thing ► Can generate false positives or false negatives sychlotron. org. ► Can
Poor Design ► Reliability – the extent to which a study or measuring tool produces consistent results § Test-retest reliability § Inter-observer reliability is maximised by (1) careful operationalisation; (2) adequate control of variables ► NB: a reliable study can still be invalid sychlotron. org. ► Reliability
Poor Design ► Inadequate controls § Extraneous variables should be held constant § Most are not a problem (random effect) that have a systematic effect (e. g. affect one condition more than another) become confounding variables sychlotron. org. ► Those
Researcher Bias ► Emphasising others some things at the expense of § Self-confirmatory bias – tendency for researchers to pay more attention to data that confirm their expectations the need for subjective judgements by (1) careful operationalisation; (2) use of double blind sychlotron. org. ► Reduce
Researchers & Participants ► Researcher effects - behaviour of researcher can affect that of participants: § Intimidate (anxiety) § Insult (motivation) § Cue PPs to behave in particular ways be reduced through standardisation of scripts and procedures sychlotron. org. ► Can
Researchers & Participants effects – characteristics of the researcher can affect how PP relates to them; hence their responses § Gender § Social class § Age § Ethnicity… ► Difficult to predict, impossible to eliminate sychlotron. org. ► Interviewer
Participants… ► …are people too; people try to make sense of their situation…how they do this is not always predictable. sychlotron. org. § Attempts to please (or displease) the researcher § Management of self-presentation
Participants ► Respond studied to the fact that they are being § Evaluation anxiety § Feelings about the study & the researcher on motivation – please the researcher or confound the results; depends on how researcher is perceived sychlotron. org. ► Effects
Participants ► May respond to demand characteristics (cues); these can enter the research: ► Can be reduced through careful choice of design; standardisation; double blind sychlotron. org. § Through poor design e. g. allowing PPs to be aware of both conditions in an expt § Through researcher behaviour e. g. unwittingly indicating desired behaviour
Participants ► Generally try to manage how they are perceived by others (we all do); can lead to: § Socially desirable responses § Other distortions of truth in order to manage impressions (how depends on who and why) be reduced through anonymity, confidentiality but rarely eliminated sychlotron. org. ► Can
General Precautions with the aim, not the procedure ► Pay attention to choice of design, controls, operationalisation etc. ► Pilot all procedures and materials ► Use double blind procedures where appropriate & possible sychlotron. org. ► Start
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