Experimental Design

Question 1

What are the three types of Experimental Design?
[3]

Answer 1

1. Independent Group Design
2. Repeated Measures Design
3. Matched Pairs design

Question 2

Describe the Independent Groups Design

Answer 2

The participants only perform in one condition of the independent variable (IV)

Question 3

What happens in Repeated Measures?

Answer 3

The same participant take part in all conditions of the IV

Question 4

What happens in Matched Pairs?

Answer 4

Pairs of participants are first matched on some variable that has been found to affect the DV, then one member of each pair does one condition and the other does another

Question 5

What are the Strengths of Independent Groups Design?
[2]

Answer 5

• No order effects
• Participants are less likely to guess aim of investigation - demand characteristics eliminated

Question 6

What are the Limitations of Independent Group Design?
[2]

Answer 6

• No control over participant variables which means different abilities of participants in conditions cause changes to DV
• You need more participants than other design to gather same amount of data (more expensive)

Question 7

Explain a solution to Limitations of Independent Groups Design.
[2]

Answer 7

• Random Allocation solves participant variables
• it ensures each participant has equal chance of being selected in one condition of Iv or another

Question 8

What are strengths of Repeated Measures?
[2]

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Answer 8

• Eliminates participant variables
• Fewer participant needed, so less time consuming

Question 9

What are Limitations of Repeated Measures?

Answer 9

Order effects presented - boredom, so participant may have different behaviour in another task

Question 10

What is solution to Repeated Measures?

Answer 10

Counterbalancing - when half of participant do conditions in one order and other half do it in other order

Question 11

What are Strengths of Matched Pairs?
[2]

Answer 11

• No order effects
• Demand characteristics are less of a problem

Question 12

What are Limitations of Matched Pairs?
[3]

Answer 12

• Time consuming and expensive to match
• A large pool of people needed which is hard
• Diffuclt to know which variables are appropriate for participants to be matched

Question 13

What is participant variables?

Answer 13

Different abilities of participants in conditions cause changes to DV