Experiments Flashcards
What is a hypothesis
A clear and testable statement that is simply a prediction of what you think the results of your experiment will be that will be proved or disproved.
What is the IV
Variable you manipulate
What is the DV
Variable you measure
What is the CV
Variable you keep the same
What is cause and effect
When you can prove it is the IV that has influenced the DV
Lab experiment
In a controlled and artificial setting
Field experiment
In a real life setting where individuals are usually unaware they are participating
Example of Lab experiment
Zimbardo Stanford Prison - 24 male college students from America who responded to a local newspaper ad asking for volunteers. Study for 2 weeks, paid $15 a day. One group were guards and had uniforms, reflective glasses, whistles and the others were prisoners and had uniforms, ID numbers and limited rights. Prisoners experienced abuse, degradation, punishment and severe stress. Guards asserted authority and power. Ended after 6 days as prisoners were forgetting it wasnt real and guards got too abusive
Example of field experiment
Rosenthal and Jacobson studied in an elemntary school in California. 20% of the children were labelled as spurters - those who would make rapid progress. After a year 47% of the spurters had gained 20 plus IQ points compared to only 19% of the other children - the control group. Said it was due to expectation advantage
Strenghts of lab experiment
high control
can be ethical
objective and scientific
relaible
Weaknesses of lab experiment
society cannot be replicated
unrepresentative
could be deceptive
lacks validity
hawthorne effects
experimenter effects
Strengths of Field experiment
may be only way
less artificial
reduced hawthorne effect
Weaknesses of Field experiment
less control
can be less ethical
less reliable
