1.5 Research Methods - Experimental Methods Flashcards
Lab Setting
research is conducted in highly controlled environment with high levels of control over the IV and the DV
Strengths of a Lab setting
- High control over EVs, allowing stronger cause and effect relationship to be established
- Easily replicable due to controlled nature of the study and use of standardisation
Limitations of a Lab setting:
- Low ecological validity due to artificial environment so results lack generalisability
- Demand characteristics may be present
Field setting
Takes place in a ‘real world’ setting. The IV is still manipulated and the DV is still measured. EVs are controlled as much as possible however it is much more difficult to do
Strengths of a Field setting
- Real life environment so high ecological validity
- Less demand characteristics due to demonstration of real life behaviours, increased validity
Limitations of a Field setting
- Less control over EVs so less establishment of cause and effect
- Harder to replicate
- Lack of informed consent so ethically questionable
Natural setting
When the researcher takes advantage of a pre-existing IV
Strengths of a Natural setting
- Ability to research areas ethically and practically difficult to before e.g. comparing someone before and after a head injury
- High in validity as it is the study of real life events
Limitations of a Natural Setting
- Much harder to replicate so lower reliability
- Less control over EVs so harder to establish cause and effect
Quasi experiment
When the IV hasn’t been chosen or determined by the researcher and is fixed and not manipulated, they vary naturally e.g. age and gender
Strengths of a Quasi experiment
- High control over variables
- More ethical due to lack of manipulation
Limitations of a Quasi experiment
- Low ecological validity as mostly conducted under controlled settings
- Much harder to replicate so lacks reliability
