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Sampling Techniques and Research Methods

The document consists of a series of questions related to research methods and psychological studies, covering topics such as sampling techniques, experimental conditions, hypothesis formulation, measures of central tendency, validity, ethical guidelines, and observational methods. It also includes practical applications, such as plotting data and conducting interviews, aimed at understanding various psychological phenomena. The questions require detailed explanations and justifications, indicating a focus on critical thinking and application of psychological principles.

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Ahmed Ameen
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17 views10 pages

Sampling Techniques and Research Methods

The document consists of a series of questions related to research methods and psychological studies, covering topics such as sampling techniques, experimental conditions, hypothesis formulation, measures of central tendency, validity, ethical guidelines, and observational methods. It also includes practical applications, such as plotting data and conducting interviews, aimed at understanding various psychological phenomena. The questions require detailed explanations and justifications, indicating a focus on critical thinking and application of psychological principles.

Uploaded by

Ahmed Ameen
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Section A

Answer all questions.

1 (a) Outline what is meant by a sample.


………………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]

(b) (i) Suggest one reason why a volunteer sampling technique may
be better than an opportunity sampling technique.
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(ii) Suggest one reason why a volunteer sampling technique may not be
better than an opportunity sampling technique.
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…………………...……………………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]
2 The study by Andrade (doodling) had an experimental condition and a
control condition.
Explain what is meant by an experimental condition using the study by
Andrade as an example.
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]

3 One aim of the study by Dement and Kleitman (sleep and dreams) is to test
dream recall depending on stage of sleep.
(a) Write an operationalized one – tailed (directional) hypothesis for this aim.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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(b) Write a null hypothesis for this aim from the study.
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4 Maryam is a teacher who wants to investigate the different behaviours her
students display when they are bored. She notes the following categories of
behaviours: yawning; doodling; daydreaming; nodding off.
(a) Outline the most appropriate measure of central tendency Maryam would
use to investigate the different behaviours her students display. Justify your
answer.
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]
(b) Maryam is interested in seeing if there is a correlation between how boring
her lectures are, and how much her students yawn.
State which graph she would use to plot her data.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [1]

5 (a) Explain what is meant by validity.


……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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(b) Suggest one way the study by Bandura et al. (aggression) is not valid.
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6 Describe the animal ethical guidelines of deprivation and numbers, using
any example(s).
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [6]
7 Ayrah is planning a study on the marks obtained by students during a test.
Table 7.1 illustrates the different marks obtained by the students in a psychology
test.

Marks (out of 20) 0–5 6 – 10 11 – 15 16 – 20


Number of Students 3 7 3 9

(a) Plot a histogram to show the data represented in Table 7.1. You must label
the axes.

[4]
(b) Ayrah decides to calculate the standard deviation of the students’ marks.
Outline why it is better for Ayrah to calculate the standard deviation over the
range.
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]
(c) Ayrah decides to interview the students who did not perform well in the
test (marks under 10).
(i) Outline one open question Ayrah could ask the students to understand why
they did not perform well.
….….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [1]
(ii) Outline one problem with interviewing students about why they did not
perform well in the test.
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]
8 Iman is testing the relationship between how much sleep people get during
the week, and how productive they are at work.
(a) (i) Outline one way Iman could measure the variable of ‘sleep’ in her
study.
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]
(ii) Outline one way Iman could measure the variable of ‘productivity’ in
her study.
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(b) Explain why Iman cannot conclude that sleeping more hours during the
week leads to greater productivity for workers.
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]
(c) Suggest why it would be important for Iman to maintain the confidentiality
of the participants in her study.
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….….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]
9 Dr. Eshal is working in a centre for adults with autism. She is observing
social behaviour and communication, such as whether the residents seem
to understand facial expressions.
(a) Identify and operationalize one behaviour that Dr. Eshal could record to
measure whether the residents understand facial expressions.
Behaviour: …..………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Operationalization: ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]
(b) Explain what Dr. Eshal should do to be a participant observer.
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]
(c) Explain what Dr. Eshal should do to be a non-participant observer.
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]
(d) Name the type of observation Dr. Eshal would be conducting if she were to
use a behavioural checklist.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… [1]
Section B
Answer all questions.

10 Kazim is interested in the different sports children aged 8-10 prefer to play
(for example football, tennis, basketball) depending on whether they have siblings
or are an only child.
(a) Describe how Kazim could use a semi-structured interview to study the
different sports children aged 8-10 prefer to play depending on whether they
have siblings or not.
Do not describe sample/sampling technique or ethical issues/guidelines in
your answer.
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………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. [10]

(b) (i) Explain one strength of an interview as used in part (a).


Do not refer to sampling or ethics in your answer.
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………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….... [2]
(ii) Explain one weakness of an interview as used in part (a).
Do not refer to sampling or ethics in your answer.
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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….... [2]

Common questions

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Maintaining confidentiality is crucial to protect participants' personal information and uphold their privacy, fostering trust in the research process. This aligns with ethical principles such as respect for persons and non-maleficence, ensuring participants are not harmed or disadvantaged by disclosure of sensitive information .

Ethical guidelines for animal research emphasize minimizing deprivation and using the smallest number of animals necessary to achieve reliable results. This means ensuring animals are not unnecessarily deprived of basic needs like food or social interaction, and that researchers justify the number of animals used to avoid waste and distress. In practice, this could involve pilot studies to determine the smallest sample size for statistically significant results and ensuring enrichment to minimize stress during deprivation periods .

The Bandura et al. study might lack validity because it was conducted in an artificial setting, which can affect the generalizability of the findings to real-world settings. Additionally, the use of young children who might not fully understand the nuances of aggressive behavior can also impact validity, as they might behave differently under observation than they would in a natural environment .

Volunteer sampling can be beneficial because it tends to include participants who are more motivated and interested in the study, potentially leading to more reliable and valid results . However, it may not be better than opportunity sampling because it can lead to sampling bias, as the sample may not be representative of the larger population .

Standard deviation is more informative than the range because it provides a measure of the dispersion of scores around the mean, reflecting how much individual scores differ from the average score. This helps in understanding the variability within the data set rather than just the extremes, as provided by the range, making it a more comprehensive statistic for comparisons .

Semi-structured interviews allow for a combination of structured questions and flexibility for in-depth exploration. This method is particularly suited for studying children's sport preferences as it can reveal insights into personal motivations and social influences linked to sibling status, while allowing the interviewer to probe beyond initial responses, thus capturing richer, more nuanced data .

In the Andrade study, the experimental condition involved the participants doodling while listening to a monotone message. This allowed the researchers to manipulate the independent variable of doodling in order to measure its effect on the recall of information, illustrating the concept of an experimental condition where variables are systematically manipulated .

Iman cannot conclude causation in her study because it likely uses a correlational design, which only identifies relationships but not causality. Without controlling for potential confounding variables or using experimental manipulation, it's impossible to determine if increased sleep directly causes greater productivity, or if other factors are influencing both variables .

Interviews about poor performance may be affected by social desirability bias, as students might alter their responses to appear more favorable or avoid blame. Additionally, recall bias might impact accuracy, as students may not accurately remember their test experiences. These biases could lead to skewed interpretations of the factors contributing to poor performance .

Dr. Eshal may face challenges in operationalizing behaviors that accurately reflect social understanding, as these constructs can be abstract and vary widely across individuals with autism. Additionally, designing measures that are both sensitive enough to capture subtle understanding and valid across diverse contexts and settings (e.g., understanding facial expressions vs. responding appropriately) adds complexity to ensuring reliability and validity in the observational data .

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