Identify the research method used and outline two characteristics of the method.

Describe the sampling method used in the study.

Suggest one alternative or one additional research method that could be used to investigate the aim of the original study, giving one reason for your choice.

Award [1] for identification of correct research method.

Experiment (accept also: lab experiment; true experiment)

Answers related to an outline of characteristics of the method may include two of the following characteristics: [1] per relevant point. Maximum of [2].

• The experimental method involves at least two conditions. In this study, there were two conditions: social exclusion and social inclusion.
• The experiment is based on a hypothesis that predicts a causal relationship between the IV and the DV.
• The experiment (true experiment) involves random allocation of participants to the experimental group (also accept: to the exposure of the IV).
• The experiment can establish a cause-effect relationship between manipulation of the IV and levels of the DV.
• The experimental method involves control for confounding variables, for example, for participant variables to avoid bias

Award [1] for naming the correct sampling method.

Convenience sampling (accept also: opportunity sample; volunteer sample; self-selected sample) [1].

Description of the sampling method may include two of the following characteristics: Award [1] per relevant point, up to a maximum of [2].

Descriptions of the sampling method used in the study could include but are not limited to:

• A convenience sample is a non-probability sample where members of the population who meet certain practical criteria (such as geographical proximity, similarity or willingness to participate) are selected.
• It is an easy way to get a sample for the researcher. This was also the case in this study where the sample consisted of psychology university students who were available and participated for course credits.
• A convenience sample is cost-effective and saves time compared to gathering a random sample.
• A convenience sample suffers from self-selection bias. The sample is not considered representative of a target population and the findings cannot easily be generalized if at all.

Award [1] for naming an alternative or additional research method, and up to [2] for reason with rationale.

The candidate may choose to write about an alternative or additional method. Either approach to answering the question is acceptable. The rationale may differ depending on which is chosen.

Suitable alternative or additional research methods could be but are not limited to:

Focus group interviews
Focus group interviews with the participants could be used either as a follow-up (additional method) or as an alternative method. Reasons (with rationale) for using a focus-group interview could include but are not limited to:

• This is a different way to explore how people’s perceptions of social exclusion influence prosocial behaviour. The facilitator would encourage the participants to share their experiences, including emotions, in situations in which they had felt socially excluded.
• This qualitative approach could give a more subjective view on what the threat of exclusion feels like and how this could potentially affect human behaviour.

A semi-structured interview
Reasons (with rationale) for using a semi-structured interview as an alternative/additional method could be but are not limited to:

• The semi-structured interview is based on an interview guide with a list of potential questions and topics that need to be covered during the interview. The focus of this research was a possible relationship between social exclusion and lack of prosocial behaviour and it can be considered a very sensitive topic. Therefore, a semi-structured one-to-one interview could be more appropriate if the researcher wants to explore how individuals experienced social exclusion and how that affected them.
• The semi-structured interview is flexible. There are both closed and open-ended questions and the interviewer can ask respondents to elaborate on answers, which could potentially lead to a better understanding of participants' own subjective understanding of this very sensitive issue.
• The one-to-one setting in a semi-structured interview is likely to establish a good rapport between the interviewer and the respondent. This could be extremely important in a research study on a sensitive issue.

Stronger candidates identified the research method as a laboratory or true experiment and could refer to characteristics such as manipulation of the IV to measure its effect on the DV, controls, or random allocation of participants to conditions. It was obvious that many used knowledge obtained from their work with IA to answer this question.

Weaker candidates suggested research methods such as quasi-experiment, natural experiment, correlational study, field experiment, and even covert observation demonstrating limited knowledge of research methods, or candidates referred to various designs instead of a research method.

Most candidates identified the sampling method correctly as it was stated in the stimulus paper and therefore scored at least 1 mark in this question. Stronger candidates were also able to describe various characteristics of the sampling method.

Even though the sampling method was explicitly mentioned in the stimulus paper a few candidates suggested other sampling methods. Weaker candidates were not able to describe characteristics of the sampling method but mainly wrote how researchers recruited participants in the study or provided some characteristics of the sample. This approach was awarded 1 mark if the sampling method was correctly identified.

It should be noted that in question 1c it is necessary to focus on a research method that can be used to investigate the same aim as that the original study, whether it is an alternative or an additional method.

Stronger candidates suggested either a survey or a form of qualitative interview as an additional method and gave a relevant reason with rationale for that choice, for example, having the possibility to collect qualitative data that could give an insight into participants' subjective experience in the actual experiment in order to reveal reasons for their behaviour.

Some candidates who had correctly identified the research method as a lab experiment in question 1a just suggested a different experimental design (for example, a field experiment or a natural experiment) as alternative or additional method, which was not accepted.