What is randomisation?

Randomisation is the use of chance to make decisions in a study, such as the order in which word lists are shown. Randomisation removes researcher bias from those decisions.

What is random allocation to conditions?

Random allocation gives each participant an equal chance of being placed in each condition, for example by tossing a coin.

Why is random allocation used in an independent groups design?

Random allocation spreads participant variables evenly across the conditions. Any difference in the results is then more likely to be caused by the independent variable.

AQA GCSE Psychology 8182

Memory

Topic overview Processes and types of memory The multi-store model of memory Primacy, recency and Murdock's serial position curve Reconstructive memory, Bartlett and factors affecting accuracy

Perception

Topic overview Sensation, perception and depth cues Gibson's direct theory of perception Visual illusions Gregory's constructivist theory of perception Perceptual set and factors affecting perception

Development

Topic overview Early brain development, nature and nurture Piaget's stage theory of cognitive development Piaget in education, naughty teddy and policeman doll studies Dweck's mindset theory, learning styles and Willingham

Research Methods

Topic overview Hypotheses and variables Sampling methods Experimental designs and types of experiment Interviews, questionnaires, case studies and observations Research procedures, reliability and validity Ethical issues in psychological research Types of data, calculations and averages Correlation, graphs and the normal distribution

Social Influence

Topic overview Conformity and Asch's study Obedience, agency theory and the authoritarian personality Bystander intervention and Piliavin's subway study Crowd and collective behaviour

Language, Thought and Communication

Topic overview Language, thought and the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis Animal communication and von Frisch's bee study Non-verbal communication Explaining non-verbal behaviour: Darwin and Yuki

Brain and Neuropsychology

Topic overview The nervous system, fight or flight and the James-Lange theory Neurons, synaptic transmission and Hebb's theory Brain structure, localisation and Penfield's study Brain scanning, Tulving's gold memory study and brain damage

Psychological Problems

Topic overview An introduction to mental health Effects of mental health problems Clinical depression Explaining and treating depression Addiction Treating addiction

Research Methods

Research procedures, reliability and validity

3 things to know
Paper 1

Overview

Standardised procedures and instructions, random allocation, order effects and counterbalancing, reliability, validity, ecological validity and demand characteristics.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Process

What is a standardised procedure?

Key term

What are standardised instructions?

Process

Why do standardised procedures make a study easier to replicate?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is a standardised procedure?
Model answer
A standardised procedure means every participant is tested in exactly the same way and under the same conditions. Standardisation stops the procedure acting as an extraneous variable.
2
What are standardised instructions?
Model answer
Standardised instructions are the same instructions, usually read from a script, given to every participant. Every participant then understands the task in the same way.
3
Why do standardised procedures make a study easier to replicate?
Model answer
A standardised procedure is written down in full, so another researcher can repeat it exactly. A repeated study that gets similar results shows the findings are reliable.
4
What is randomisation?
Model answer
Randomisation is the use of chance to make decisions in a study, such as the order in which word lists are shown. Randomisation removes researcher bias from those decisions.
5
What is random allocation to conditions?
Model answer
Random allocation gives each participant an equal chance of being placed in each condition, for example by tossing a coin.
6
Why is random allocation used in an independent groups design?
Model answer
Random allocation spreads participant variables evenly across the conditions. Any difference in the results is then more likely to be caused by the independent variable.

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