What does Approaches to Research mean?
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Author: Dr Laura Swash
An introduction to research methods - Definitions of the research methods outlined in the IB Diploma Psychology guide.
By Week 2 of your Pamoja Psychology course, you will be writing a description of a study that uses a certain approach to research to draw conclusions. This study and others will be presented throughout the course will be presented as empirical evidence (data-supported verification) for an existing theory in psychology. Sometimes the evidence is used to generate theory that is then tested with further research. But what is an approach to research? It is simply another term for a research method.
Depending on what they want to find out, and on their belief in what is the best way to discover this, researchers choose the methods best suited to gain answers to their question.
The IB Diploma psychology guide (linked in your course) identifies two different types of research methods and several variations of each. Here they are with their definitions:
Quantitative Research Methods (produce numerical data)
(Experiments) True experiment (sometimes called a lab experiment, as that is where most of them take place).
An experiment with random allocation of participants to two or more conditions/groups and controls variables to isolate a cause-and-effect relationship between the independent variable (IV) and the dependent variable (DV). This is what you will do for your IA later in your course.
(Experiments) Quasi-experiment (can also take place in a lab, but not necessarily).
An experiment where the participants are allocated to two or more conditions/groups by a pre-determined characteristic: gender, ethnicity, age, ability in maths, left- or right-handed, etc. This usually acts as the IV on a controlled task. e.g. memory compared between young people and older people.
(Experiments) Field experiment
An experiment conducted in the place where the behaviour usually occurs - a school, a hospital, a sports stadium, etc. The IV is still manipulated by the researcher, so they may investigate the test results (DV) of students who were allowed to sleep 8 hours the night before the test, with those who were woken by the researchers every hour.
(Experiments) Natural experiment
An experiment that often has a ‘before and after the IV’ design. The IV in this case is a natural occurrence, such as the introduction of internet to a remote area that did not have it, or a sudden disaster. The researcher[s] compare behaviour (DV) in a certain group of people before and after the occurrence.
Correlational research
Identifies a positive or negative correlation between two or more co-variables. As one moves in one direction, the other moves the same (positive) or opposite (negative) way. Many experiments that are not true experiments produce a correlation and not a cause- and -effect relationship, but they are not correlational research which is set up to identify a statistical concordance rate (measure of correlation) that is graphed on a scattergram.
Surveys
Using questionnaires to collect numerical data. These often use rating scales from 1-5 or Yes/No answers to collect data.
Qualitative Research Methods (produce textual data, usually recorded and transcribed)
(Interviews) Semi-structured
The interviewer has an interview schedule (guide) with the questions that need to be answered but will often vary the order or allow the interviewee to elaborate on answers. The interview may start quite structured with factual information until the interviewee relaxes.
(Interviews) Unstructured (narrative)
The interviewer is looking for what an experience means or meant to the interviewee, and so will ask one or two open-ended questions that allow them to talk freely, with minimal interference. This is more like a conversation between friends where one is doing most of the talking.
Focus Group
This is an interview with a small group, where the interviewer acts as a facilitator and allows the interviewees freedom to chat amongst themselves. It is usually semi-structured.
Naturalistic observation
Observation of people as they go about their daily life. It can be conducted in a shopping mall, a school, on the street, etc.
Case study
This is an in-depth study of an organisation, a particular event, group of people, or a single person and is usually longitudinal (over a period of time). It uses a combination of other research methods, such as interviews and observations, to gather data.
International Baccalaureate (March 2020) IB Diploma Psychology guide pp. 32-34.
