EXPERIMENTAL METHOD

Question 1

What is an experimental method?

Answer 1

Experimental methods involve the manipulation of an independent variable to measure the effect on the dependent variable. Experiments may be laboratory, field, natural or quasi.

Question 2

In psychological research, aims are developed from theories. What is an aim?

Answer 2

An aim is a general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate: the purpose of the study.

Question 3

A psychologist has a theory that energy drinks affect how much people talk. In this context, would would the aim be?

Answer 3

The aim would be ‘to investigate whether drinking energy drinks makes people more talkative’.

Question 4

What is developed following the formulation of the aim?

Answer 4

Having written an aim, a psychologists needs to formulate a hypothesis.

Question 5

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 5

A hypothesis is a clear, precise, testable statement that states the relationship between the variables being investigated. The hypothesis is stated at the outset of any study.

Question 6

Using the context of the energy drink experiment, provide an example of a hypothesis.

Answer 6

‘Drinking SpeedUpp causes people to become more talkative’.

Question 7

How many types of hypotheses are there?

Answer 7

There are two major types of hypotheses.

Question 8

What are the two types of hypotheses?

Answer 8

• A directional hypothesis

- Non-directional hypothesis

Question 9

What is a directional hypothesis?

Answer 9

In a directional hypothesis the researcher states the direction of the difference or relationship between two conditions. For this reason, directional hypotheses include words like more or less, higher or lower, faster or slower.

Question 10

Using the context of the energy drink experiment, provide an example of a directional hypothesis.

Answer 10

‘People who drink SpeedUpp become more talkative than people who don’t’.

Question 11

What is a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 11

A non-directional hypothesis simply states that there is a difference between conditions of groups of people but, unlike in a directional hypothesis, the nature of the difference is not specified.

Question 12

Using the context of the energy drink experiment, provide an example of a non-directional hypothesis.

Answer 12

‘People who drink SpeedUpp differ in terms of talkativeness compared with people who don’t drink SpeedUpp’.

Question 13

Decide whether the following hypothesis is directional or non-directional: ‘There is a difference in children’s reading ability depending on whether they have blue or brown eyes’.

Answer 13

Non-directional hypothesis

Question 14

Decide whether the following hypothesis is directional or non-directional: ‘Dogs that are rewarded with treats sit when told to do so more often than dogs that are not rewarded with treats’.

Answer 14

Directional hypothesis

Question 15

Decide whether the following hypothesis is directional or non-directional: ‘There is a difference in the psychology grades of students depending on whether they are male or female’.

Answer 15

Non-directional hypothesis

Question 16

Decide whether the following hypothesis is directional or non-directional: ‘Teenagers who watch horror films have more friends than teenagers who watch romantic comedies’.

Answer 16

Directional hypothesis

Question 17

When do psychologists opt to use a directional hypothesis?

Answer 17

Psychologists tend to use a directional hypothesis when the findings of previous research studies suggest a particular outcome.

Question 18

When do psychologists opt to use a non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 18

Psychologists tend to use a non-directional hypothesis when there is no previous research, or findings from earlier studies are contradictory.

Question 19

In an experiment, what variable is changed or manipulated by the researcher?

Answer 19

In an experiment, a researcher changes or manipulates the independent variable (IV).

Question 20

Within an experiment, the independent variable is changed or manipulated by the researcher. What is the IV?

Answer 20

The IV refers to some aspect of the experimental situation that is manipulated by the researcher. This allows the effect on the DV to be measured.

Question 21

In an experiment, what variable is recorded or measured by the researcher?

Answer 21

The researcher records or measures the effect of change on the dependent variable (DV).

Question 22

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 22

A dependent variable is the variable that is measured by the researcher. Any effect on the DV should be caused by the change in the IV.

Question 23

Why is it important for a researcher to maintain a number of control variables?

Answer 23

This allows the researcher to be confident that the cause of the effect on the DV was the IV, and the IV alone.

Question 24

What are the two levels of an independent variable?

Answer 24

• The control condition

- The experimental condition

Question 25

In the energy drink experiment, what would the two levels of the IV look like?

Answer 25

In the control condition participants would be given a drink of water. In the experimental condition participants would be given the energy drink.

Question 26

What is operationalisation?

Answer 26

Operationalisation refers to when psychologists clearly define variables in terms of how they can be measured.