Experiments

Question 1

What is a lab experiment and its weaknesses and strengths

Answer 1

A lab experiment is a closed experiment which excludes extraneous variables
Strengths are
-its controlled meaning extraneous variables are excluded and cause and effect of IV and DV can be easily established
-its a standardised procedure meaning that it can be easily repeated and is reliable
Disadvantages
- demand characteristics - aims can easily be spotted
-low ecological validity as participants aren’t going to act how they would everyday due to the setting.
The findings can’t be generalised to an everyday situation

Question 2

Field experiments

Answer 2

It is an experiment where the experimenter goes to the participants usual environment rather than participants going to them.
There’s still IV manipulated and Dv measured
Strengths
-higher ecological validity as its natural environment- out allows us to generalise findings to real life situations
- less likely to spot demand characteristics
Weakness
-hard to exclude extraneous variables
-it is also difficult to repeat because there’s a lack of control over extraneous variables

Question 3

Natural experiments

Answer 3

Take place in a natural setting , the IV is not manipulated directly due to ethical issues
For example dying children cannot be manipulated
Strengths
-high ecological validly because it can be generalised to real life situations
-less demand characteristics as the P don’t know they are in then experiment
Weaknesses
-not possible to control extraneous variables and it can have an affect on P and its difficult to establish cause and affect
-they are also very hard to replicate decreasing internal validity

Question 4

Quasi experiments

Answer 4

They have IV that are based on existing differences between people , for example gender
Strengths
-carried out under controlled conditions
-if carried out in natural situation then there’s no demand characteristics as well as increase in ecological validity
Weakness
-Groups may have individual differences - difficult to control

Question 5

Population validity
Ecological validity

Answer 5

Ecological- the extent it can be generalised to real world beyond experimental setting
Population- the extent we can generalise our findings to other populations and the rest of society