experimental methods

Question 1

lab experiment

Answer 1

takes place in a environment where different variables can be controlled precisely

Question 2

field experiment

Answer 2

conducted in a more natural environment but with variables still being well controlled

Question 3

quasi experiment

Answer 3

where IV has not been determined by the researcher and instead happens naturally

Question 4

natural experiment

Answer 4

an experiment that is testing IV that happens naturally, even when researcher isn’t present

Question 5

strengths and weaknesses of LAB

Answer 5

+ high degree of control
+ replicable and check results

• experimenter’s bias/ ppts influenced by expectations
• low ecological validity/ high degree of control makes it artifical

Question 6

strengths and weaknesses of FIELD

Answer 6

+ naturalistic/ higher ecological validity
+ controlled variables

• ethical considerations/ invasion of privacy without consent
• loss of control/ extraneous variables

Question 7

strengths and weaknesses of QUASI

Answer 7

+ controlled conditions

• cannot randomly allocate ppts/ confounding variables cannot determine cause and effect

Question 8

strengths and weaknesses of NATURAL

Answer 8

+ provides opportunity/ research that is considered impossible due to practical reasons
+ High external validity

• natural occurring events/ rare so not replicable hard to generalise
• difficult to randomise/ confounding and extraneous