The Student Room Group

A-level Research methods- Help!

Hello well I am sitting the PSYB4 exam and this has research methods. I was wondering if someone could help me on a question.


The researcher investigated if children were more likely to be disruptive in the classroom if sat in rows or around the table. He monitored the sample for 3 days for 30 mins per day.

Week 1: children became more disruptive as week progressed- around table
Week 2: children became less and less disruptive as week progressed- in rows
Week 3: children became more disruptive as week progressed- around table

The question is:

Suggest one reason why the researcher monitored the children around the table both before and after seating them in rows (2 marks).


I thought it may have something to do with the Hawthorne effect (demand characteristics I believe it is in Psychology?)... The fact the researcher was new to the classroom in Week 1 the children may behave unnaturally, so the researcher sits them back around the table in week 3 to compare the results to Week 2 and to rule out the possibility that the high rates of disruption in Week 1 were due to the researchers presence.

I don't know :frown:
Reply 1
Anyone?
Reply 2
Since no one else has replied i'll tell you what i think, I am in the year below you though so make of my answer what you wish.

I think it's related to the reliability of the results. The researcher repeated the first setting (around table) to see if he got the same results (which he did). Week 3 improved the reliability of his results found in week 1.
Hope that helps in some way shape or form :smile:
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 3
Original post by Melas1
Since no one else has replied i'll tell you what i think, I am in the year below you though so make of my answer what you wish.

I think it's related to the reliability on the results. The researcher repeated the first setting (around table) to see if he got the same results (which he did). Week 3 improved the reliability of his results found in week 1.
Hope that helps in some way shape or form :smile:


Ah I never looked at it like that but that's a brilliant suggestion! Thank you :smile:

Quick Reply