Experimental Designs

Question 1

Independent group design

Answer 1

Different participants complete in each of the two (or more) conditions of the experiment
-Produces unrelated data as the individual data point in one condition cannot be paired with any of the data points in the other condition

Question 2

Strength of independent group design (AO3)

Answer 2

Avoids research a bias as participants are randomly allocated to each condition

Question 3

Weakness of independent group design [A03]

Answer 3

-Participant variables: if more participants with a particular characteristics are randomly assigned to one of the groups e.g. age this can influence the measurement of the DV ( an extraneous variable)

Question 4

Repeated measure design

Answer 4

The same participants complete in each of the two or more experimental conditions
-produces related data each participant score in one condition can be paired with a data point ( their own score) in the other condition

Question 5

Weakness of repeated measure design (AO3)

Answer 5

• Order effects: participants may improve on the second condition as practice always makes perfect
  -It may also increase the boredom or fatigue of a participant not wanting to Dundee the second condition and may do it terribly
  -increase demand characteristics as participants then the aim of the study is and alter the behaviour

Question 6

Strengths of repeated measured design

Answer 6

Counter balancing attempts to control for order effects [this means that half the participants complete condition A first and B second
The other half of the samples start with condition B then A

Question 7

Matched pairs design

Answer 7

Pairs of participants are first match and some variables that may affect the dependent variable than one member of the pair is assigned to condition A and other to condition B
_ produces related data each participants score in one condition can be paired with a data point

Question 8

Strength of match pairs design

Answer 8

-reduce participants variables as participants are much on a relevant characteristics
- no order effect As participants only take part in one condition

Question 9

Weakness of math pairs design

Answer 9

MPD time consuming - longer to set up experimental designs
MPD needs twice as many participants