Experimental Research Methods (RM P2)

Question 1

What is a Laboratory Experiment?

Answer 1

• An experiment carried out in a controlled environment
• Where variables can be easily manipulated
• Participants aware they’re taking part, may not know full aims of study

Question 2

Adv Laboratory Experiments

Answer 2

• High internal validity: high control over experiment/variables, more certain any changes to the DV are cause by IV
• Easy to replicate due to high control and standardised procedures, results can be tested and compared

Question 3

Disadv Laboratory Experiments

Answer 3

• Low ecological validity: can’t necessarily be generalised due to artificial setting/materials, lacking mundane realism, participants may not behave naturally
• Demand characteristics: when participants become aware of aims and may behave differently, reducing validity

Question 4

What is a Field Experiment?

Answer 4

• More natural environment
• IV still manipulated and DV still measured
• Participants usually not aware they’re taking part in an experiment

Question 5

Adv Field Experiments

Answer 5

• High ecological validity: results can be generalised due to real life setting, higher mundane realism
• Lack of demand characteristics: pps won’t behave differently as they do not know they’re being studied

Question 6

Disasv Field Experiments

Answer 6

• Low internal validity: experimenter has less control over extraneous/confounding variables so cannot be sure any observed change in DV is due to IV
• Less replicable: lower levels of control over variables, harder for results to be tested and compared

Question 7

What is a natural Experiment?

Answer 7

• Conducted when not possible (for ethical/practical reasons) to deliberately manipulate IV
• IV occurs ‘naturally’

Question 8

Adv Natural Experiments

Answer 8

• Allows research where IV can’t be manipulated
• High ecological validity: allows psychologists to study effect of ‘real’ problems such as effects of disaster on mental health

Question 9

Disadv Natural Experiments

Answer 9

• Lack of causal relationship because IV not directly manipulated
• Lack of random allocation: IV naturally occurring so participants cannot be randomly selected, may be confounding variable affecting result

Question 10

What is a Quasi-Experiment?

Answer 10

IV is simply a difference between people that exists e.g. gender/age/disorder, DV still measured

Question 11

Adv Quasi-Experiments

Answer 11

• Allows comparison between types of people, no manipulation is carried out
• Can be carried out in a lab: DV can be tested in a lab therefore higher control/can be replicated

Question 12

Disadv Quasi-Experiments

Answer 12

• May be carried out in lab: DV may be tested in lab therefore low ecological validity
• Lack of random allocation: IV naturally occurring, pps cannot be randomly allocated into conditions so may be confounding variables