Experimental methods Flashcards
AO1 lab (2)
- Experiment in a highly controlled environment
- Where the researcher manipulates the IV and measures the effect on the DV
AO3: Strengths of labs (2)
1) High reliability as the research can be repeated in the same conditions to gain consent results which increases internal validity.
2) High control over extraneous variables therefore cause and effect can be established between IV and DV increasing the internal validity.
AO3: Weakness of labs (2)
1) Low ecological validity as it is carried out in an artificial environment so its more difficult to generalise the findings beyond the settings of study reducing the external validity.
2) Prone to demand characteristics where participants change their natural behaviour based on clues given off by the researcher which could lead to participants helping or hindering the researcher reducing the internal validity.
AO1: Field (2)
1) Takes place in a natural environment
2) Where the researcher manipulates the IV and measures the effect on the DV
AO3: Strengths of field (2)
1) High ecological validity as study carried out in a real life setting so it’s easier to generalise the findings to real life settings beyond the study increasing the external validity.
2) Less prone to demand characteristics as participants don’t know they’re being watched so they are less likely to guess clues and change their natural behaviour, increasing the internal validity.
AO3: Weaknesses of field (2)
1) Low reliability as it is carried out in a natural environment so it’s difficult to repeat in the same or similar settings to check for consistent findings lowering the internal validity.
2) Ethical issues due to a lack of informed consent as participants may not know they’re being watched so wouldn’t give their consent and they may wish to withdraw and become upset.
AO1: Natural
Researcher takes advantage of a naturally occurring IV. the variable would have changed even if researcher wasn’t interested
AO3: Strengths of natural (2)
1) Provide opportunities for research that may not be undertaken for practical or ethical reasons. Therefore natural experiments contribute to a greater psychological understanding of behaviour.
2) High ecological validity as it takes part in a real life settings therefore the findings can be generalised to settings beyond the study and similar settings increasing the internal validity.
AO3: Weakness of natural (2)
1) Low reliability as the event may only occur rarely which limits opportunities so it is unlikely that research can be repeated to check for consistent results.
2) Low control over extraneous variables as natural experiments take part in natural environments. Therefore cause and effect cannot be established between IV and DV lowering the internal validity
AO1: Quasi (2)
1) Experiment has an existing individual difference between people
2) The researcher hasn’t manipulated it and measures the effect on the DV
AO3: Quasi
Sample bias as the participants may have unique characteristics which may mean its difficult to generalise to the target population lowering the internal validity.
