experimental method Flashcards
What is a lab experiment?
-an experiement done in a highly controlled setting meaning that there is high control over extraneous variables.
-participant comes to researcher
What are the disadvantages of a lab experiment?
- may lack generalisability
-chance of demand characteristics due to unnatural setting - may have low mundane realism
What are the advantages of a lab experiment?
-easy to replicate
-precise control of extraneous and independent variables increasing internal validity
What is a field experiment?
-the IV is manipulated in a natural, more everyday setting.
-Researcher goes to participants usual environment
What are the strengths of a field experiment?
-have higher mundane realism
What are the limitations of a field experiment?
-Ethical issues- privacy
-less control over EV and CV
What is a natural experiment?
-The researcher has no control over the IV and cannot change it- someone/something has to cause it to vary
-IV is naturally occouring, setting isnt necessarily.
What are the strengths of a natural experiment?
-provide research oppourtunities that may not have otherwise been undertaken
-often have high external validity as they often study real world issues
What are the limitations of natural experiments?
-may limit scope for generalisability
-naturally occouring event may only happen very rarely
-may not have random allocation of participants
-if conducted in a lab it may lack realism and have demand characteristics
What is a quasi-experiment?
-Has an IV based on an existing difference between people. Not manipulated and cannot be changed
What are the strengths of a quasi-experiment?
what conditions are they often under? what does this help?
-often carried out under controlled conditions so easy to replicate and high control of extraneous variables increasing internal validity
What are the limitations of a quasi-experiment?
-many cannot randomly allocate participants to conditions and therefore may have confounding variables
-IV is not deliberately changed, so we cannot claim that it has directly caused any observed change
