Fiducia TogetherResearch methods in psychology
How psychology gathers evidence, and how to criticise a study.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
Methods include laboratory, field and natural experiments, observation, self-report through questionnaires and interviews, correlation and case studies. Key concepts: hypotheses, variables, sampling, reliability, validity and ethics.
Where it applies
GCSE and A Level psychology, and it is the highest-weighted topic on many specifications.
How it works
Each method trades control against realism. A laboratory experiment controls variables and loses ecological validity; a field study gains realism and loses control.
Ethical requirements — informed consent, right to withdraw, protection from harm, confidentiality, debriefing — are examined and are the standard criticism of the classic studies.
How to use it in your work
For "evaluate this study" questions, use a checklist: sample, method, controls, validity, reliability, ethics, and application. You will always find three points.
Write hypotheses properly — operationalised, and directional or non-directional as asked.
Correlation is not causation, and saying so with a reason is a mark.
Where to get help
Your teacher and your board's specification — these qualifications vary more between boards than the traditional GCSEs do, and much of the grade is coursework marked against stated criteria.
Revise this with a song
These are ours. We write revision songs because a lot of people remember a tune when they cannot remember a page, and because revising out loud in the kitchen beats staring at a highlighter.
- The Psychology Song The GCSE and A Level psychology topics, set to music.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.