AQA Psychology - Research Methods
Self-report techniques - Answer Any method in which a person is asked to state or
explain their own feelings, opinions, behaviors and experiences related to a given topic.
Questionnaire - Answer A set of written questions (sometimes called items) used to
access a persons' thoughts/experiences
Strengths of questionnaires - Answer + Cost effective
+ Can gather large amounts of data quickly
+ Can be completed without the researcher being present
Weaknesses of questionnaires - Answer - Can produce response bias
- P.ps may misunderstand the question or read it incorrectly
- Demand Characteristics / Social Desirability may occur
Open Questions - Answer Questions with no fixed answer/response and respondents
can answer in any way they wish.
Advantages & Disadvantages of an Open Question - Answer + Get more information
+ Produces qualitative data - depth and detail
- People can miss them out as they can't be bothered to answer them
- Harder to analyse
Closed Question - Answer Questions with a fixed answer/ the choice of response is
determined by the question setter.
Advantages & Disadvantages of a Closed Question - Answer + People have to same
perception of the Q&A
+ Quick and easy to answer
+ Quantitative data is easier to analyse
- Not detailed or in depth answers
- Don't find out the meaning behind the answer
Interview - Answer A live encounter (face to face or on the phone) where one person
asks a set of questions to assess an interviewees thoughts/experiences. They can be
structured, semi structured or unstructured.
Structured Interview - Answer Made up of pre-determined questions and are asked in a
fixed order. Basically like a questionnaire but conducted face to face.
Unstructured Interview - Answer Works like a conversation. There are no set questions.
There is a general aim that a certain topic will be discussed and interaction tends to be
free flowing.
Semi-structured Interview - Answer There is a list of questions that have been worked
out in advance but interviewers are also free to ask follow up questions when they feel it
is appropriate.
, AQA Psychology - Research Methods
Strengths & Weaknesses of Structured Interview - Answer + Straight forward to
replicate
+ Reduces differences between interviews
+ Easier to analyse
+ Get answers you're looking for
- Get less information as P.ps can't deviate from the point
- Don't find out people's worldwide views
Strengths & Weaknesses of Unstructured Interview - Answer + Can get more detailed
answers as people can elaborate
+ More flexible as you can gain insight
- Not easy to replicate
- Not easy to analyse as you get irrelevant information
- Experimenter effects can occur
Leading Questions - Answer Encourages P.ps to give a particular answer e.g don't you
think...?
Ambiguity - Answer Questions which can be interpreted in various ways. They can
mean different things to different people.
Loaded Questions - Answer They are questions which contain emotive language which
is likely to produce an emotional reaction in the respondent.
Double-barreled Questions - Answer They contain two options within a single question.
Aim - Answer A general statement that the researcher intends to investigate.
Hypothesis - Answer A detailed statement which is clear, precise and testable that
states the relationship between variables being tested.
Directional Hypothesis - Answer The researcher makes it clear what difference is
anticipated between the 2 conditions or groups.
(One tailed).
Non-directional Hypothesis - Answer Simply states that there is a difference but not
what the difference will be.
Null Hypothesis - Answer There will be no relationship between the 2 variables.
Meta-analysis - Answer A particular form of research method that uses secondary data.
Data from a large number of studies which have involved the same research question
and method are combined.
Self-report techniques - Answer Any method in which a person is asked to state or
explain their own feelings, opinions, behaviors and experiences related to a given topic.
Questionnaire - Answer A set of written questions (sometimes called items) used to
access a persons' thoughts/experiences
Strengths of questionnaires - Answer + Cost effective
+ Can gather large amounts of data quickly
+ Can be completed without the researcher being present
Weaknesses of questionnaires - Answer - Can produce response bias
- P.ps may misunderstand the question or read it incorrectly
- Demand Characteristics / Social Desirability may occur
Open Questions - Answer Questions with no fixed answer/response and respondents
can answer in any way they wish.
Advantages & Disadvantages of an Open Question - Answer + Get more information
+ Produces qualitative data - depth and detail
- People can miss them out as they can't be bothered to answer them
- Harder to analyse
Closed Question - Answer Questions with a fixed answer/ the choice of response is
determined by the question setter.
Advantages & Disadvantages of a Closed Question - Answer + People have to same
perception of the Q&A
+ Quick and easy to answer
+ Quantitative data is easier to analyse
- Not detailed or in depth answers
- Don't find out the meaning behind the answer
Interview - Answer A live encounter (face to face or on the phone) where one person
asks a set of questions to assess an interviewees thoughts/experiences. They can be
structured, semi structured or unstructured.
Structured Interview - Answer Made up of pre-determined questions and are asked in a
fixed order. Basically like a questionnaire but conducted face to face.
Unstructured Interview - Answer Works like a conversation. There are no set questions.
There is a general aim that a certain topic will be discussed and interaction tends to be
free flowing.
Semi-structured Interview - Answer There is a list of questions that have been worked
out in advance but interviewers are also free to ask follow up questions when they feel it
is appropriate.
, AQA Psychology - Research Methods
Strengths & Weaknesses of Structured Interview - Answer + Straight forward to
replicate
+ Reduces differences between interviews
+ Easier to analyse
+ Get answers you're looking for
- Get less information as P.ps can't deviate from the point
- Don't find out people's worldwide views
Strengths & Weaknesses of Unstructured Interview - Answer + Can get more detailed
answers as people can elaborate
+ More flexible as you can gain insight
- Not easy to replicate
- Not easy to analyse as you get irrelevant information
- Experimenter effects can occur
Leading Questions - Answer Encourages P.ps to give a particular answer e.g don't you
think...?
Ambiguity - Answer Questions which can be interpreted in various ways. They can
mean different things to different people.
Loaded Questions - Answer They are questions which contain emotive language which
is likely to produce an emotional reaction in the respondent.
Double-barreled Questions - Answer They contain two options within a single question.
Aim - Answer A general statement that the researcher intends to investigate.
Hypothesis - Answer A detailed statement which is clear, precise and testable that
states the relationship between variables being tested.
Directional Hypothesis - Answer The researcher makes it clear what difference is
anticipated between the 2 conditions or groups.
(One tailed).
Non-directional Hypothesis - Answer Simply states that there is a difference but not
what the difference will be.
Null Hypothesis - Answer There will be no relationship between the 2 variables.
Meta-analysis - Answer A particular form of research method that uses secondary data.
Data from a large number of studies which have involved the same research question
and method are combined.
