Download PSYC 550 Research Methods Midterm: Qualitative & Quantitative Research and more Exams Nursing in PDF only on Docsity!
Define applied research - correct answer the practical application of science to government,
business, or client-driven purposes
give examples of applied vs basic research - correct answer academic research = curiosity. what
makes people loyal? what makes people consume more? applied research = probem-solving. our customers aren't not loyal, how can we keep them? customers don't really understand the benefits of our technology. how should we market it to them?
list the characteristics of applied behavioral research - correct answer - external observation
- theories and language associated with a field of study
- behavior not governed by strict laws
- scientific study has an element of creativity
- limits to scientific knowledge
describe three types of empirical inquiry - correct answer descriptive
- describes problem
- quant and qual relational
- relationship between variables
- lacks causality
- quantitative only
experimental
- vary independent variable to manipulate the experiment
- establishes causality
list the characteristics of a good applied researcher (9 things) - correct answer - enthusiasm
- open-mindedness
- common sense
- role-taking ability
- inventiveness/creativity
- confidence in judgment
- consistency and care about details
- ability to communicate
- honesty and integrity
give examples of applications of psychology to business problems - correct answer - market research
compare and contrast the four differences between qualitative and quantitative data (*add more to
definition*) - correct answer nature of the data
- qual: richly detailed and nuances
- quant: responses turned into numeric scores contextualism
- qual: takes into account contextual factors like culture and institutions
- quant: decontextualized; generalizes across contexts naturalism
- qual: Research conducted in natural environment; no manipulation
- quant: research conducted in lab/artificial setting; variables controlled/manipulated role of the researcher
- qual: researcher is primary data collection instrument; interpersonal skills are important
- quant: researcher removed from data collection; impact from researcher is minimized; instrument is standardized
describe the value of qualitative research - correct answer - provides insight into how and why
people behave the way they do
- supplements and complements quant data, but may stand out on it's own
- provides deep understanding to quant data
list the caveats to qualitative research - correct answer - seen as quick and cheap. false!
- often seen as exploratory. sometimes, not always
- seen as lacking "rigor" cuz we're not attaching measures to it
- "scope creep": scope of project continually grows lager and larger
- not all research suited for quant
discuss the differences between neopositivistic and non-neopositvistic qualitative methods - correct
answer nepositivism
- positivism refers to the scientific method
- neo-positivism states that there are new approaches to the scientific method
- seeks validity through replication and substantiation
- rational explanations, causal, and relational
- quant is always neo-positivistic non-neopositivism
- seeks to understand a specific situation
- not rational, causal, or relational
- doesn't seek generalizability
- doesn't seek universal understanding
- concerned with understanding
- might focus on marginalized groups
describe how to prepare for a depth interview - correct answer - familiarize yourself with the topic
before going into field (e.g. lit review)
- distance yourself from topic
- have recorder ready
--- instead, ask can you tell me more about that? how is that? can you please explain that a bit more?
- no yes/no questions
- probe strategically -- don't interrupt the flow
- circle back to earlier topics for greater depth
compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of focus groups - correct answer
advantages
- generates fresh ideas
- allows clients to observe participants -easy access to niche samples disadvantages
- groupthink (watch out for this), big personalities, silence can be issue
- non representative
- results can be difficult to interpret
- expensive
describe the five elements of ethnography in practice - correct answer - focus: reveals desires,
attitudes, behaviors
- immersion/time: 8 week period or so
- context: how people express themselves/react
- methods: little methodological explication
- results: powerpoint/videography
- Netnography: social insights from digital platform
list the elements of observational interviews - correct answer - naturalistic setting
- observe and ask questions
- didactic interview between researcher and informant
- trust = important
- same guidelines as depth interview
- can include multiple researchers
- can be disguised
describe alternative observational methods - correct answer - online
- archival/texts
- physical traces
- "Garbology" (sift through people's garbage)
describe the six different classes of data collection aids - correct answer 1. written notes
--- distinct elements of same phenomena, process elements (step, stages, phases), and explanatory elements that promote understanding
- logically ordered codes and nets
- diagram if complex or multifaceted
list the elements of managerially actionable qualitative research - correct answer managerial
accountability is based on:
- contextualized data
- analysis of metaphors
- contradictions in pov
- eureka moments
- discrepancies in what people say vs what people do
- bring in academic theory
list the elements of a successful qualitative report - correct answer - tell a story
- make it actionable
- keep it short
- use charts and graphs
- use direct quotes
- make good use of visuals
- show emotions of your response
- revise personas
- make it sharable
describe the elements of quality in qualitative research - correct answer - Congruence with data
- Applicability of data to interpretation
- Sufficiency of observations and sampling
- Trustworthiness includes admitting bias and problems with data collection
- Honesty includes transitional nature of research and understanding
discuss the approaches to reliability and validity in qualitative research - correct answer reliability
- objectivity in reporting of data; make transcriptions available
- reporting raw data
- field notes as a reliability check validity
- correctly naming concepts during coding
- field research/duplication
- theoretical validity
State the history of SPSS - correct answer - Stands for Statistical Package in Social Sciences
- Founded in 1968 by Norman Nie
- needed a way to analyze dissertation data; got help from computer scientists
- now widely used among social scientists
- bought by IBM in 2010
articulate what research designs are - correct answer plan for the research that includes the type of
research, data collection method, and the analysis method
- based upon research problem and objective
describe how exploratory research informs the researcher - correct answer discussions with your
client in order to get more context about research problem
- gain background information/context in which you're conducting research
- define terms and concepts
- clarify problems and hypothesis
- establish research priorities
discuss what questions are addressed by descriptive research - correct answer - used to describe
characteristics of a population or phenomenon being studied -- not trying to intervene
- does not answer why/when/how characteristics occurred: only addresses "what?"
descriptive research: longitudinal studies - correct answer - repeatedly measure the *same sample
units* over time (e.g. period 1, period 2)
descriptive research: cross-sectional studies - correct answer - looks at "snapshots": measure of
units out of a sample at one point in time
- different cross-section taken with each measurement
- sample surveys --- taking a representative sample of a particular research population
- "convenience samples" - not systematically sampling research population --- ad hoc surveys, tracking studies, syndicated studies
list the implications of causal research - correct answer experimentation
- manipulating IV and measuring it's effects on DV or "outcome variable" must establish causation
- temporal precedence: IV before DV
- statistical relationship between IV and DV experimental design notation
- DV = O (observation)
- IV = x (intervention/placebo)
- random assignment = R
- experimental effect = E (pretest minus post-test) experimental group = (R) O1 x O2 [x = intervention] control group = (R) O3 x O4 [x = placebo] control extraneous variables
- control for confounding variables so they won't influence outcome
Instrument reactivity
- survey instrument can induce bias Instrument validity
- different conditions may respond differently to instruments Instrument unreliability
- doesn't always measure with accuracy Instrument invalidity
- instrument isn't measuring what you want it to measure Hawthorne effect
- we are changing others' behaviors just by observing them differential subject loss
- difference between control and experimental groups
explain the different experimental designs - correct answer 1. Correlational Design
--- one sample/cross-sectional (O) --- tracking/cross-sectional (O, O')
- Longitudinal/time-series (O1 O2 O3 O4)
- Interrupted time series (O1 O2 x O3 O4) 4. Pre-test/Post-test - 1 group (O1 x O2)
- Control Group --- experimental group (R) O1 x O --- control group (R) O3 x O
- matching --- like control group, but groups match each other in terms of traits and characteristics
- Factorial Design (2 IV / 2-3 Levels each)
- Multi-variate Designs (many IVs and DVs - most complex)
define secondary data - correct answer Data previously gathered for a purpose other than the
project at hand
articulate the classifications of secondary data - correct answer - internal data (data collected
within firm) --- database marketing records --- customer relationship management data --- HR records
- external data --- published (academic/industry) --- syndicated services data (firms collect data and make available to subscribing firms) --- searchable databases
compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of secondary data (?) - correct answer
advantages
- readily available
- can be obtained quickly
- inexpensive/cost-effective
- readily available
- may negate need for primary data collection disadvantages
- incompatible reporting units
- measurement units do not match
- class definitions are different
disadvantages
- little or no control over the data collected
- no strategic information advantage
- long-term contracts are often required
list areas standardized data may be applied - correct answer - measuring consumer attitudes and
opinions
- defining marketing segments
- monitoring media usage and effectiveness (Nielsen ratings)
- conducting market-tracking studies
distinguish the different types of question formats - correct answer 1. open-ended
- unaided (what brand of gasoline can you think of? consumers give you a list)
- aided (have you heard of this brand? let respondents choose from a set)
- categorical (think choices)
- dual choice (e.g. yes/no)
- multiple choice (e.g. choose one out of this list or select all that apply)
- metric
- natural (they give their own answer) --- ranking, constant sum (e.g. summing up the hours of a day someone spends on a list of leisure activities like walking the dog, watching tv, etc.)
- synthetic (predefine what categories/options are)
articulate basic concepts in measurement - correct answer measurement: determining the
description or amount of some element of interest to research objective
properties
- specific distinguishing features, attributes, or characteristics objective properties
- observable and tangible
- we can directly measure subjective properties
- unobservable and intangible
- we con only indirectly measure (e.g. an attitude or a color - burgundy vs maroon; we might use different ways to describe similar phenomena)
- must be translated onto a rating scale through scale development process operationalization
- properties and levels of measurement are specified through operational definition, or operationalization
- if operationalization is wrong, we are getting the wrong constructs
list the different types of measurement scales used in applied psychology. give examples - correct
answer natural scales
- age, income ranking scales
- rank different attributes of wine, rank different attributes of good customer service constant sum
- e.g. how many hours/day do you spend on these 3 activities (then sum them up) synthetic/interval scales
