Research Methods 6: Reliability

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A2 Psychology (Research Methods) Flashcards on Research Methods 6: Reliability , created by Francesca Mary on 14/11/2016.
Francesca Mary
Flashcards by Francesca Mary, updated more than 1 year ago
Francesca Mary
Created by Francesca Mary about 8 years ago
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Question Answer
Define reliability. How consistent something is. If a certain measurement can be repeated and gain consistent results, the measurement is reliable.
Define external reliability. Producing the same results each time the measurement is carried out.
Define internal reliability. Give an example to support your explanation. A measure of how consistent something is within itself. For example, all the questions on a psychological test should measure the same thing.
Define observer reliability. When two or more observers produce the same record of their observations.
Describe the 'test - retest' method of assessing reliability. This is when a test/questionnaire/interview is administrated to the same participants on different occasions; if the same or very similar results are produced each time it is said to be reliable.
What type of reliability does the 'test - retest' method assess? External reliability.
Describe the 'split - half reliability' method of assessing reliability. This involves splitting the measuring device (test/questionnaire/interview) into two separate halves ad comparing a persons performance on both halves, if the performance is similar on both halves it is said to be reliable.
What type of reliability does the 'split - half reliability' method assess? Internal reliability.
Describe the 'Inter - Observer reliability' method of assessing reliability. This is where the observations of two or more observers, who observe the same event and make independent recordings, are compared for similarities. If they are similar, it is classed as reliable.
What type of reliability does 'inter - observer reliability' assess? Observer reliability.
How similar do results have to be before we can say they are reliable? They must correlate, to see how close the relationship between the two is. If the correlation is positive and significant, it is good. 'IF IT AIN'T +0.8, IT AIN'T GREAT'
How can we improve the reliability of questionnaires? Remove leading or ambiguous questions, or reword them so they are clearer. Replace open - ended questions with close - ended questions, to avoid misinterpretation.
How can we improve the reliability of interviews? Use the same interview each time, which should be structured as these are more controlled. Ensure all interviewers are properly trained.
How can we improve the reliability of experiments? Make sure all variables are operationalized and that procedures and instructions are fully standardised.
How can we improve the reliability of observations? Ensure the behavioural categories are precisely defined and don't overlap. Make sure all observers are properly trained.
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