Experiments Flashcards
List the 4 main types of experiments.
- Lab
- Field
- Natural
- Quasi
What is a lab experiment?
- Conducted under controlled conditions.
- The researcher manipulates the independent variable to measure the effect on the dependent variable.
Give the 3 strengths of lab experiments and their effects.
- High levels of control; reduces the risk of extraneous and confounding variables.
- Standardised measures are used; easily replicable and therefore highly reliable.
- High internal validity.
Give the 3 limitations of lab experiments and their effects.
- Low ecological validity; does not generalise well outside of lab settings.
- Low mundane realism; does not generalise well to real life.
- Risk of demand characteristics; when participants change their behaviour because they know they’re being observed.
What is meant by the term ‘ecological validity’?
The extent to which findings can be generalised to real world settings.
What is a field experiment?
- Conducted in a natural setting e.g sports centre/public transport.
- The researcher manipulates something (IV) to see the effect of this on something else (DV).
Give the 4 strengths of field experiments.
- High ecological validity.
- High mundane realism.
- Higher internal validity than natural/quasi experiments.
- Reduced demand characteristics.
Give the 3 limitations of field experiments.
- Lack of informed consent; leading to deception.
- Reduced control; higher risk of extraneous + confounding variables.
- Reliability could be low; not as easily replicable.
What is a natural experiment?
- Carried out in natural conditions.
- The reseracher cannot manipulate the IV; therefore examines the effects of a naturally occuring variable on the DV.
Give the 3 strengths of natural experiments.
- High ecological validity.
- High mundane realism.
- Reduced risk of demand characteristics.
Give the 4 limitations of natural experiments.
- Lack of control; higher risk of extraneous + confounding variables.
- Lack of internal validity.
- Ethical issues e.g consent, deception.
- Lack of reliability.
What is a quasi experiment?
- Contains a naturally occuring IV.
- The naturally occuring IV is a difference between people that already exists e.g gender, age.
- The researcher examines the effect of this variable on the DV.
Give a strength of quasi experiments.
- Allows us to study variables we cannot otherwise do so.
Give the 2 limitations of quasi experiments.
- Lack of control; possibility of extraneous and confounding variables.
- We cannot manipulate the IV so may not be able to study behaviours exactly as we want to.
Summarise what a ‘pilot study’ refers to and what they test.
Small, trial versions of proposed studies to test their effectiveness and make improvements.