Question 1: Define the term 'hypothesis' in the context of psychological research.

Answer: A hypothesis is a clear and testable statement predicting the outcome of an experiment or study.

Question 2: Describe what is meant by 'independent variable' in an experiment.

Answer: The independent variable is the factor that the researcher manipulates to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Question 3: Explain why psychologists use control groups in their experiments.

Answer: Control groups are used to compare against the experimental group, helping to determine if the independent variable has an effect and to control for other factors.

Question 4: Identify and describe two types of research methods used in psychology.

Answer: Two types are: (1) Experiments, where variables are manipulated and observed; (2) Observations, where behaviour is watched and recorded without interference.

Question 5: Imagine a study testing whether sleep improves memory. Write a simple hypothesis for this study.

Answer: Getting more sleep improves people's memory performance.

Question 6: Describe how a psychologist might collect data in an observational study.

Answer: They would watch people behave in a natural setting and record specific behaviours without interfering.

Question 7: Draw a simple outline of an experimental setup, including a participant, a researcher, and two different conditions (e.g., with and without a stimulus).

Answer: A sketch showing a participant sitting in a room with a researcher nearby, with arrows indicating two different conditions or setups for the participant.

Question 8: What is the purpose of random sampling in psychological research?

Answer: Random sampling ensures that every individual in the population has an equal chance of being chosen, making the results more generalisable.

Question 9: Explain what a 'reliable' experiment means.

Answer: An experiment is reliable if it produces consistent results when repeated under similar conditions.

Question 10: Identify one ethical consideration psychologists must follow when conducting research involving people.

Answer: One ethical consideration is to obtain informed consent from participants before the study begins.