Bias

Bias

Jean Piaget is pretty much king of the child psychologist world, his cognitive development theory, which has informed much of my research project to date, is respected and informs curriculums and parenting methods still to this day. A lot of his research and observational study was carried out with his own three children, yet his theory and discoveries are still relevant, respected and accurate. Piaget believed samples were valid as long as the structures that were identified were present/common amongst all individuals. Essentially if the research of the 1% I have chosen can be proved to reflect the 99% not chosen, the research can be trusted and the assumptions drawn reasonable.

Sampling bias is a non-probability sampling technique, the subjects being chosen for their proximity and accessibility. It is often used due to its low cost, speed and ease and can lead to systematic bias, whereby the results of the non-random sample do not reflect that of the entire population neglected by the study. In order minimize bias within my results I plan to carry out continuous secondary research and reading, to constantly test the data I receive, and gain a better understanding of the credibility of my research. I will also be carrying out quick surveys and questionnaires to further support or disprove my results. So I should avoid freak anomalies due to my chosen sample, who ent’ freaks anyway. There you’re general mini family, data I get from them should be as good as anywhere else, as long as I conduct the thing right.

“ Science is about recognizing patterns”

That’s what Christopher Knight said, and I’m with him.

This being said, it is an undisputable fact that you can’t ever eliminate bias from a research study, it’s an inescapable element of research, and the human nature. In fact Droyspencer from Climategate said “Seeking to reduct bias through controlled experiments takes away the data from real-world complexity in which scientific results must be applied to solve problems” …So it could be said bias might sometimes not be an entirely negative thing. The only steps that can be taken are to identify, limit and minimize the impact of bias, which ‘m going to do through the following measures:

I’m gonna get someone else to carry out my artefact !

“And why beholdest though the mote that is in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye”

Matthew 7:3 (King James Verision)

Bible speak is an effort to type, but Identifying bias in others is easy peasy, but in yourself, not so much. We’re all pretty blind to our own susceptibility, tiny things like body language and facial expressions, uncontrollable intricacies could influence the decisions and approach of my younger brother, he could be egged on to do some more if he see’s me grinning at him, or want to leave it be if he see’s I look bored as a need to please, Bowlby taught me that shit. So I’m gonna get me pal to do it for me which should level out and rival the possible implications of measurement bias.

The guy I’m gonna get to do it will be prepared with the same sort of paperwork that I’m gonna give to my Mom, and instructions of what needs to be done in terms of physical actions…that’s pretty much all he get’s to know. You know me, not big for talking, so both the respondent, the other respondent and my interviewer have little to no information about the motivations behind my project, the sort of results I’d love to receive, or any other kinda of details that could influence their actions and natural responses. Essentially, I’m trying to carry out a Double Blind experiment, where neither party can give away or affect the results, they both only know moderated information, the bare minimum, so there should be little to no chance of them playing up to what they think I might want or not want, or acting to their understanding of the project; a control measure to the sampling choice. Nice and Fair.

A book I read called Growing Up With Technology by Plowman, Stephen and McPake, explains considerations when conducting research with children. They detail the importance of building a rapport and the trusted relationship between the respondent and interviewer, it is for this reason the guy who’s carrying out my artefact isn’t someone I found off the street, but someone who’s met both my Mom and younger brother Isaac a couple of times; Enough for them to be comfortable in each other’s company without me there, but not comfortable enough to be passing wind or talking aloud.

(Despite my slightly jokey style o writing, I am serious in my approach, I’m taking the whole thing really serious, cos it’s something I’m passionate about)

I’ve researched into the importance of the interview setting, and have decided due to the control measure of the external interviewer the best setting for Isaac and my Mom to be in, to ensure their comfortable and natural, is their home. I don’t want the results to be skewed by their unease or unnatural emotional response.

Conclusion

I’m gonna blog how my sample choice differs from the ideal sample, the attributes and qualities absent. I’m going to have a look at how the results I get correlate to existing research and theories through continued reading. I’m going to conduct anonymous surveys and questionnaires, essentially evaluating my data, getting as much information from as varied approaches as I can acquire. I’m gonna get someone else to conduct my interview for me, and I’ve already taken a look and figured out what my data will mean, how it can be measured and what I can do with it.