Running head: METHODS IN BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH 1

Methods in Behavioural Research

Name

Institution Affiliation
METHODS IN BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH 2

Methods in Behavioural Research

1. What is replication? What role does it play in increasing the external validity or

generalizability of a study?

Replication is the continuous process of creating and managing duplicate version of a

database[ CITATION Bal01 \l 2057 ]. It increases the external validity of a study by boosting the

confidence of the researcher.

2. What is the difference between an exact replication and conceptual replication? Provide

an example of each.

Exact replication, also known as direct replication. Is a research attempt to replicate the

scientific methods used in a previous study to decide if the results are consistent. In this form,

a scientist tries to exactly recreate the scientific methods used in conditions of an earlier study

to evaluate whether the results come out the same. In an example, is when you want to

accurately replicate Asch’s 1956 classic findings on conformity. Generally, you would follow

the initial and original methods. Among this originality methods that you have to use are; a

male participants, use 8 groups, and present the same lines of differing lengths (stimuli) in the

same order(Diener & Biswas-Diener, 2019).

Conceptual replication, is a theoretical attempt to replicate a scientific hypothesis used in an

earlier study to determine if the finding would generalize to different samples, situations, or

times. The same or similar results are an example of finding is genralizable. It occurs when a

scientists tries confirm the previous findings using a different set of specific methods that test

the same idea. In case of conceptual replication of Asch’s research, it may involve both

gender, the male and female[ CITATION Edw19 \l 2057 ].

3. What is meta-analysis? How is it useful?

METHODS IN BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH 3

Meta-analysis is the statistical procedure for combining data from multiple studies. Meta-

analysis is all about utility of n intervention of a hypothesis that cannot be based on results of

a single study, because results typically vary from one study to another.

4. True or false: in many cases, meta-analysis involves calculating an average effect size

for a relationship between variables. Explain your response

False. There is no reason to calculate the average effect size between variables.

5. Discuss the advantage and disadvantage of using college students as research

participants

Advantages

1. Students are very bright and intelligent,

2. They represent a large population worth of wide survey,

3. Students are considered to represent samples that have high cognitive skills,

4. Students are readily available and accessible when needed at any time.

Disadvantages

1. Students may decide not to take part in a research and thus their skills and knowledge

may be as a result of incentives or coercion.

2. It is may become hard to generalize outcomes of a study since the students belong to

different locale.

6. True or false. Many constructs, such as physical attractiveness and self-esteem, appear

constant across cultures; thus external validity is less of a concern when conducting

research on such constructs? Explain

False. Every culture is going to have their own thoughts about physical attractiveness. It is

going to vary across cultures (Cozby, 2015)

Balladelli, M., & Clercq, J. D. (2001). Mission-critical active directory : architecting a

secure and scalable infrastructure for Windows 2000. Boston: Digital Press
METHODS IN BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH 4

Cozby, P. C. (2015). Methods in behavioral research (12th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-

Hill

Diener, E., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2019). The Replication Crisis in Psychology. Diener

Education.Fund. Retrieved; https://nobaproject.com/modules/the-replication-crisis-in-

psychology#vocabulary-conceptual-replication

Diener, E., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2019). The Replication Crisis in Psychology. Diener

Education.Fund. Retrieved; https://nobaproject.com/modules/the-replication-crisis-in-

psychology#references