A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

What is a drawback mentioned regarding the sample in psychological studies?

1. Samples are always diverse and inclusive

2. Samples can often be ethnocentric and lack validity

3. Samples must be large to be meaningful

4. Samples are always easy to obtain

The correct answer is: Samples can often be ethnocentric and lack validity

The mention of samples being ethnocentric and lacking validity highlights a significant concern in psychological research. Ethnocentrism refers to the tendency to view the world from one’s own cultural perspective, which can lead to biased interpretations of behavior and psychological phenomena. When a sample predominantly consists of participants from a specific cultural or socio-economic background, the findings may not be generalizable to broader populations. This lack of diversity diminishes the validity of the conclusions drawn from the research, as they may not accurately reflect the experiences and behaviors of individuals from different backgrounds. In contrast to this concern, the other choices do not accurately capture the limitations related to samples. While it is true that samples must often be sufficiently large to yield statistically significant results, size alone does not guarantee diversity or inclusiveness. Similarly, the ease of obtaining a sample can vary widely depending on the research context and does not inherently relate to the quality or representativeness of the sample. Hence, the emphasis on the ethnocentric nature of samples and its implication on validity is a crucial aspect of evaluating psychological research methodologies.