Experiments Methods Flashcards
What is a Laboratory Experiment?
The researcher deliberately manipulates an IV while maintaining strict control over the environment through standardised procedures. Has high control over extraneous variables.
What are the strength of a Laboratory Experiment?
-More objective and so allows for replication
-High control so causality can be established
What are the weaknesses of Laboratory Experiment?
-Not possible to control for every extraneous variable, so could influence DV
-low in ecological validity as ppts are not behaving naturally and so could show demand characteristics
What is a Feild Experiment?
The researcher deliberately manipulates the IV but does so in the participants natural setting.
What is a strength of a Field Experiment?
-results are more likely to be more ecologically valid as it occurs in ppts natural environment and so they are less likely to show demand characteristics
What is a weakness of Field Experiments?
-Considered unethical as you would be observing participants without their concent
-difficult to control over extraneous variables and so some could confound the results of the DV
-difficult to replicate
What is a Quasi Experiment?
The IV are naturally occurring.
What is a strength of a Quasi Experiment?
-more likely to be ecologically valid as they are investigating a natural change on the DV, so there is less influence from potential researcher bias.
- in some experiments ppts are unaware that they are being observed to less likely to show demand characteristics
What is a weakness of Quasi Experiments?
-results from research may become socially sensitive and have a negative affect on those groups studied
- some people may not be able to fully give informed consent
-difficult to infer causality and there is little or no control over EV
