Tailored for the G544 exam - OCR A2 Psychology. Has notes on how to write a good study

1. Approaches and Research
Methods
•How to write the perfect study for the 2nd
paper
A2 Psychology for OCR exam board (can
also be used in conjunction with the AS
spec.)

2. Strengths & Weaknesses of
Experiment Types
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 more control of the  Lacks ecological
experiment validity – not in
 More ethical as it is natural setting
easy to get consent  High demand
characteristics as
they can see what
is expected of them

3. Strengths & Weaknesses of
Experiment Types
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 Higher ecological  Can be unethical:
validity difficult to get
 Lower demand consent e.g.
characteristics Piliavin
 Experimenter has
Piliavin less control

4. Strengths & Weaknesses of
Experiment Types
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 Higher ecological  Difficult to repeat
validity as there is as the IV is
no tempering with naturally occurring
the IV

5. Design of the Experiment
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 Less demand  More difficult to
characteristics as compare as there
they will not learn could be several
conditions reasons such as
gender etc.

6. Design of the Experiment
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 More accurate and  Demand
easy to compare characteristics:
the results participants may
 Costs less than become familiar
getting twice as with what is
many participants expected

7. Design of the Experiment
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 Less demand  Using different
characteristics as participants in
the study won’t be same condition not
learnt over time as accurate as
originally thought to
be

8. Appropriate Hypothesis
 Alternate hypothesis
◦ Testable statement that proposes the expected
outcome of the study
◦ Suggests significant difference between results
of the two conditions
 Null hypothesis
◦ Findings not consequences of predicted effect
but due to chance
 Two-tailed hypothesis
◦ Predict that the outcome could fall in one of two
directions
 One-tailed hypothesis
◦ Predict that the outcome will fall in one direction

9. Operationalising a Hypothesis
 Hypothesis should contain a clear
statement of the IV and the DV as well
as the word ‘significant’ and an
indication as to whether it is one-
tailed, two-tailed or null.
 People in a village will post a
significantly greater number of
apparently mislaid letters than
people in a city [example]

10. The Procedure
 IV – if looking for differences between 2 people, you need 2
groups of participants. This is the variable that CHANGES
 DV – this has an effect on the materials used to measure this
variable. This is the variable that is MEASURED
 Controls – ensure extraneous variables are controlled as far
as possible (particularly for simple things such as age, gender
etc.)
 Ethical guidelines – ensure the study follows for participants:
1. Consent
2. No deception
3. Right to withdraw
4. No psychological harm
5. Confidentiality
6. Debreifing
 A step by step procedure of what participants will be doing
is ideal

11. The Procedure continued...
 Ethical guidelines – ensure the study
follows for participants:
1. Consent
2. No deception
3. Right to withdraw
4. No psychological harm
5. Confidentiality
6. Debriefing
 A step by step procedure of what
participants will be doing is ideal

12. Decide on a Sample
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 Varied selection of  Can be
participants ethnocentric
(biased towards
experimenters
cultural influence)
Available Participants

13. Decide on a Sample
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 Completely fair  No theory behind
 Mixture of how sample is
participants chosen
An equal chance of being chosen

14. Decide on a Sample
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
 Ethically sound  Not always a
◦ Informed consent varied sample
received ◦ Participants may
have time
◦ Participants may be
more motivated
Volunteers