11.3 - The Case for Non-manipulation Studies

Question 1

Naturalistic Research Settings

Answer 1

Conditions ‘in the field’ that are used to make the results more significant as they are more ‘real’

Often not used as they risk losing advantages of lab experiments (e.g. standardisation)

Question 2

Manipulation not possible

Answer 2

Can be impossible, impractical, or unethical to manipulate variable of interest

Question 3

Natural Variation

Answer 3

Can help to understand relationships between variables

Question 4

Comparing Sizes of Associations

Answer 4

Helps find out which of a number of variables are most strongly associated with another

Question 5

Prediction and Selection

Answer 5

Used for determining which variables best predict an outcome. These variables may then be used to sleep most promising candidates

Question 6

Explanatory Models

Answer 6

Models that may be used to explain certain behaviour. Can also be used to examine whether data fits that model

Question 7

Structure

Answer 7

The structure of some characteristics (e.g. intelligence, personality, political attitudes or love). May help to see if there is a general factor of intelligence (e.g. dimension)

Question 8

Developing or Refining Measures

Answer 8

To develop or refine a measure which you will validate against some criterion

Question 9

Temporal Change

Answer 9

To see whether a particular behaviour changes over time and to what variables is change related

Question 10

Temporal Direction of Associations

Answer 10

To see what the temporal direction is of the association between 2 variables.
E.g. Does parental interest in child’s academic achievement affect their achievement?

Question 11

Bidirectional/Bilateral/Non-recursive/Reciprocal/Two-way Association

Answer 11

An association where both variables affect each other