PSYA1 Research Methods

PSYA1 Research Methods

1. Aim: This is a statement based on what is going to be found out in the investigation

2. Hypothesis: This states what you believe to be true. It is a precise and testable statement of he relationship between two variables.

3. Independent Variable (IV): This is the variable that the researcher manipulates or alters

4. Dependent Variable (DV): This is the measurement taken by the researcher

5. Directional Hypothesis (One-tailed): States the direction of the predicted difference between two conditions or two groups of participants

6. Non-Directional Hypothesis (Two-tailed): Predicts that there will be a difference between two conditions or groups of participants without stating the direcion

7. Extraneous Variables (EV): Other variables that must be controlled or eliminated.

   • Participant Variables: These are extraneous variables which are to do with the participants. These may include age, gender, social class etc.. They can be controlled by randomly allocating participants to groups so that any differences cancel each other out.
   • Situational Variables: These are extraneous variables to do with the situation which might interfere with and affect the behaviour of the participants in an experiement. These may include time of day, temperaturem lighting etc.. These can be controlled by using standardised procedures to ensure all participants have exactly the same experience.