Experimental methods

Question 1

What are the 4 experimental methods?

Answer 1

Laboratory experiment
Field experiment
Natural experiment
Quasi experiment

Question 2

What is a laboratory experiment?

Answer 2

The IV is manipulated in a controlled environment.

Question 3

What is a field experiment?

Answer 3

The IV is still manipulated but it is carried out in the real life place.

Question 4

What is a natural experiment?

Answer 4

An experiment where the difference in IV would have happened even if the researcher had not been there.

Question 5

What is a quasi experiment?

Answer 5

The IV is not manipulated, it is something that the person just is and cannot be manipulated or changed by the experimenter.

Question 6

What are the strengths of a laboratory experiment?

Answer 6

• Can show cause and effect
• Creates accurate measurements due to the control
• Can be replicated really easily

Question 7

What are the weaknesses of a laboratory experiment?

Answer 7

• Low similarity to real-life situations
• Tasks are artificial
• Aware being studied due to the artificial setting (may act differently)
• Total control of all variables is never possible

Question 8

What are the strengths of a field experiment?

Answer 8

• High similarity to real life
• Can show cause and effect because the IV is manipulated
• Participants may be unaware and won’t act differently

Question 9

What are the weaknesses of a field experiment?

Answer 9

• Less control over extraneous variables
• Participants don’t always know they’re taking part - unethical
• Harder to replicate as the environment is not controlled

Question 10

What are the strengths of a natural experiment?

Answer 10

• Ethical - IV is not manipulated
• Practical
• More applicable to real life (naturally occurring IV)

Question 11

What are the weaknesses of a natural experiment?

Answer 11

• Can’t show cause and effect because researcher has not manipulated the IV
• Less control over extraneous variables
• A desired event may only happen rarely, making opportunities for research less common

Question 12

What are the strengths of a quasi experiment?

Answer 12

• Ethical
• Practical
• More applicable to real life (naturally occurring IV)
• Experimental tasks often carried out in controlled environments so some studies will share some strengths of lab experiments

Question 13

What are the weaknesses of a quasi experiment?

Answer 13

• Can’t show cause and effect because researcher has not manipulated the IV
• Less control over extraneous variables
• It may be difficult to find participants that have the correct IV required