Experimental Design

Question 1

What are experimental designs?

Answer 1

How p’s are used in an experiment. There are two conditions to investigate two levels of the IV.

Question 2

What is independent groups?

Answer 2

When participants are divided and randomly allocated into the two conditions
Each group does one level of the IV

Question 3

What are strengths and weaknesses of an independent groups design

Answer 3

+ No order effects as there are different P’s in each condition;
+ Less chance of demand characteristics
+ Less materials needed as same test used for both groups
- More participants needed as different P’s in each condition so time-consuming
- Chance of individual differences / PV’s

Question 4

What are RM’s?

Answer 4

Only one group of participants which take part in both conditions

Question 5

What are strengths and weaknesses of a RM’s design?

Answer 5

+ Less participants needed as same P’s in each condition;
+ Less chance of individual differences as same P’s
- Higher chance of demand characteristics as P’s take part in both conditions
- Order effects can occur due taking part in both conditions which leads to practice or boredom effects

Question 6

What are MP’s?

Answer 6

When the participants are matched based on qualities before the experiment
- Such as age, IQ
- One participant takes part in condition A and the other in B

Question 7

What are strengths and weaknesses of MP’s

Answer 7

+ Reduces impacts of participant variables (PV’s) as they’re matched for qualities before the study
+ No order effects as different P’s in each condition
- More participants needed which is time consuming as they have to find a pair that matches
- Matching is difficult and takes time as impossible to match all PV’s