7. Pilot Studies And More Flashcards
What is a pilot study ?
A small scale version of an investigation that takes place before the real investigation is conducted
What is the aim of a pilot study?
To check that procedures, materials, measuring scales etc. Work and runs smoothly which allows the researcher to make modifications of necessary
How might you conduct a pilot study ?
Use a handful of participants rather than the total number in order to ‘road test’ the procedure and check if it runs smoothly
Other than experimental studies, when else can you use a pilot study ?
When using self report methods such as questionnaires or interviews
Why should you use a pilot study on a self report method ?
It is helpful to try out questions in advance and remove or reword this that are ambiguous or confusing
What is a single blind procedure?
the researchers (and those involved in the study) do not tell the participants if they are being given a test treatment or a control treatment
What is the reason for a single blind procedure ?
It is an attempt to control for the confounding effects of demand characteristics
What is a double blind procedure?
A study in which both the experimenters and participants are unaware of who is in the control condition and who is in the test condition
What is the control group/ condition ?
The control group is the group who receive the placebo
What is a placebo ?
A placebo is something given to a person that has no physical effect on that person, even though they may think that it does
What is the experimental group/condition ?
The group that receives the real drug
Why is control used in experiments ?
For the purpose of comparison. If the change in behaviour of the experimental group is significantly greater than the control group, then the researcher can conclude that the cause of the effect was the IV
