A psychologist investigates whether wearing matching badges affects cooperation during a group puzzle. Two observers watch the same recordings and independently classify borderline actions that could reasonably be recorded as either cooperative or not cooperative. Observer A is told that the psychologist expects participants wearing matching badges to cooperate more. Observer B is not told this prediction.
| Group | Borderline actions recorded as cooperative by Observer A | Borderline actions recorded as cooperative by Observer B |
|---|---|---|
| Matching badges | 15 | 9 |
| Different badges | 8 | 8 |
Name the source of bias shown in Observer A's recordings.
Explain how the data suggest that this source of bias affected Observer A's recordings and how it could affect the psychologist's conclusion.
173 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Psychology 7.3 Analysing Research, covering 7.3.1 Types of Data, 7.3.2 Measures of central tendency, 7.3.3 Other descriptive statistics, 7.3.4 Tables, Charts and Graphs, 7.3.5 Reliability, 7.3.6 Validity and effects on validity, and 7.3.7 Sources of bias. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.