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87 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Psychology
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The scientific study of the human mind and behaviour.
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Hypothesis
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This is a prediction based on a theory.
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Operationalisation
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This is how the researched manipulates or measures the psychological thing they are interested in.
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Lab Experiment
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Specifically designed environment where variables are tightly controlled
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Field Experiement
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Variables are manipulated but the participants are in their own environment (and often unaware, covert)
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Natural Experiment
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The IV is naturally occurring so experiment simply measures the DV without changing anything.
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Independent Variable
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This is what the researcher changes to see the affect on the DV.
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Dependent Variable
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This is what the researcher measures/counts.
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Cause/Effect Relationship
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Scientists use IV's and DV's in order to determine cause and effect relationships.
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APFCC
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Aim
Procedure Findings Conclusion Criticisms |
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Strengths of Lab Experiments
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- has a high degree of control, accuracy and objectivity. The IV and DV can be tightly controlled/measured.
- because they are so controlled, they are easy to repeat to check the results. - the manipulation of IV and DV means we can determine cause and effect relationship. |
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Weaknesses of Lab Experiments
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- the experimenters expectations can effect the results and participants may be influenced by these expectations.
- participants know they are in a study so may guess the aim of the study and change their behaviour to fit accordingly. Or they may do the opposite - the 'screw you' effect. - the experiments are so highly controlled that the situations are unrealistic, artificial and unlike real life. |
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Strengths of Field Experiments
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- the manipulation of the IV and DV means we can determine cause and effect relationships.
- due to the 'real world' setting, results are more likely to relate to everyday behaviour. - the participants usually do not know they are in a study and so their behaviour is natural - they don't change it because they don't know they are being watched. |
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Weaknesses of Field Experiments
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- it is difficult to repeat the experiment because the situation/environment will never be exactly the same again.
- it is more difficult to control extraneous variables e.g. who else is there at the time, noise, temperature, etc. - usually the participants are not aware they are in an experiment and are not asked to take part. Some argue this is unethical (unfair to the participants). |
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Strengths of Natural Experiments
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- due to the 'real world' setting results are more likely to relate t everyday behaviour.
- can be used when it is not possible to manipulate the IV - e.g. age, mental disorders etc. - the participants usually do not know they are in a study and so their behaviour is natural - they don't change it because they don't know they are being watched. |
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Weaknesses of Natural Experiments
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- it is difficult to repeat the experiment because the situation/environment will never be exactly the same again.
- it is more difficult to control extraneous variables e.g. who else is there at the time, noise, temperature, etc. - usually the participants are not aware they are in an experiment and are not asked to take part. Some argue this is unethical (unfair to the participants). |
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Independent Groups
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- Recruit a group of participants
- Divide them into two. - IV gets set for each group. - Measure DV for both groups. - Compare the results |
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Problems for Independent Groups
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- extraneous variables
- the natural variation between the individuals in each group may affect the DV measurements |
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Weaknesses of Correlations
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- does not determine cause and effect relationships. This is because we have not manipulated the DV and IV (variables).
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Repeated Measures
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- Recruit a group of participants
- Everyone does condition one AND condition two - Compare the results from the two conditions. |
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Problems for Repeated Measures
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- the participants have a practice on the task
- bored or tired - may figure out aim of study which may affect DV measurements. |
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Solution for the problems with Repeated Measures
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- Counterbalance, half group do one condition while other do second then swap over.
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Matched Pairs
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- Recruit a group of participants
- Find out what sort of people are in this group. - Recruit another group that match each individual - Compare the results for the matched pairs. |
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Problems for Matched Pairs
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- time consuming
- rarely possible to find an exact match - if one participant drops out you lose two participants as you have nothing to compare to |
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Positive Correlation
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Variables increase together
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Negative Correlation
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One variable increases while the other decreases.
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Correlation Coefficient
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Explains the lines correlation
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Strengths of using Correlation
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- can be used when it is unethical to manipulate the variables to see if one changes the other
- if a relationship was found this could justify further research |
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Inter-observer Reliability
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Observers should be consistent so two observers should produce the same record of events. It has to be at least 80% of people who agree to be reliable.
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Opportunity Sample Weaknesses
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Sample influenced by where people are asked.
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Volunteer Sampling Strengths
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More varied sample
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Volunteer Sampling Weaknesses
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Volunteer biased (e.g. more motivated)
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Reliable
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If you do the research more than once and you get the same results your study will be reliable.
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Valid
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The study measures what it intends to measure.
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Ecological Validity
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Refers to how well the results of the study can be generalised to other situations outside of the setting the research took place.
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Population Validity
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Refers to how well the results of the study can be generalised to different people of populations (e.g. other cultures, genders, ages, classes)
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Extraneous Variables
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Factors which may have had an effect on the result of the study (the DV in particular) that were not intended, controlled or account for.
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Hawthorne Effect
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The tendency for participants to alter their behaviour merely as a results of knowing that they are being observed.
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Demand Characteristics
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When participants are able to guess what they think is the aim of the experiment or how they are expected to behave.
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Behavioural Categories
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You cannot record everything so categories are used to give observers structure. The must be well defined.
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Content Analysis
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A method of changing qualitative data into quantitative data so that it can be statistically analysed or used descriptively.
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General Population
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Everyone
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Target Population
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People the researcher is interested in.
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Sample
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Those from the target population who take part in the study.
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Sampling Technique
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How the sample was chosen, either random, opportunity or volunteer
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Random Sampling Strength
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Equal chance so unbiased
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Random Sampling Weakness
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Often not possible to be completely random.
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Opportunity Sample Strength
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Quick, easy and more practical
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Inter-observer Reliability
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Observers should be consistent so two observers should produce the same record of events. It has to be at least 80% of people who agree to be reliable.
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Opportunity Sample Weaknesses
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Sample influenced by where people are asked.
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Volunteer Sampling Strengths
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More varied sample
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Volunteer Sampling Weaknesses
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Volunteer biased (e.g. more motivated)
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Reliable
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If you do the research more than once and you get the same results your study will be reliable.
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Valid
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The study measures what it intends to measure.
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Ecological Validity
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Refers to how well the results of the study can be generalised to other situations outside of the setting the research took place.
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Population Validity
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Refers to how well the results of the study can be generalised to different people of populations (e.g. other cultures, genders, ages, classes)
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Extraneous Variables
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Factors which may have had an effect on the result of the study (the DV in particular) that were not intended, controlled or account for.
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Hawthorne Effect
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The tendency for participants to alter their behaviour merely as a results of knowing that they are being observed.
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Demand Characteristics
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When participants are able to guess what they think is the aim of the experiment or how they are expected to behave.
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Behavioural Categories
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You cannot record everything so categories are used to give observers structure. The must be well defined.
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Scorer Relability
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The extent to which scorers are consistent
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Improving Inter-Observer Reliability
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Training
Operationalise toon Ability to view he behaviour |
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Test Re-test Method (reliability)
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This is giving out the test again to see if you if you get the same results the second time. If it is reliable, on a graph we will see a positive correlation.
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Split half method (reliability)
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This is splitting the test in half and then correlate the results.
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Internal Validity
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How much do the findings of the dependent variable have to do with the independent variable and not other factors.
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External Validity
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Either our results can be generalised beyond the study
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Face Validity
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When an independent expert looks at the measure being used and assesses whether it will measure what it has set out to measure.
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Concurrent Validity
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Comparing the new procedure with a similar procedure with a similar procedure that has been done before, where the validity has already been established.
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Directional Hypothesis
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Predict the direction of the findings, e.g. who will remember more
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Non-directional Hypothesis
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Predict that there will be a different in scores, but not which way
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Content Analysis
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A method of changing qualitative data into quantitative data so that it can be statistically analysed or used descriptively.
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Alternative Hypothesis
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When it is not an experiment
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Experiment Hypothesis
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If talking about an experiment
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Null Hypothesis
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This says there won't be any difference.
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Ethics
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Desirable stands of behaviour we use towards others
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BPS
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British Psychologist Society
Set the ethics guidelines |
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Retrograde Amnesia
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Forgetting things that happened in the past
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Anterograde Amnesia
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Not being able to form new memories.
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Case study Strengths
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- qualitative data provided in-depth understanding
- can track and describe change over time. |
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Case study Weaknesses
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- lack of generalisability
- non-standardised methods may be difficult to replicate - heavy reliance on retrospective and self report data - time consuming - potentially expensive - people could withdraw and would of them wasted time and money |
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General Population
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Everyone
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Target Population
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People the researcher is interested in.
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Sample
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Those from the target population who take part in the study.
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Sampling Technique
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How the sample was chosen, either random, opportunity or volunteer
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Random Sampling Strength
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Equal chance so unbiased
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Random Sampling Weakness
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Often not possible to be completely random.
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Opportunity Sample Strength
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Quick, easy and more practical
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