Expermental Designs

Question 1

What is a design?

Answer 1

The way participants are allocated to experimental groups

Question 2

Describe an independent measures design

Answer 2

Different participants are allocated randomly to take part in each experimental condition

Question 3

Describe a repeated measures design

Answer 3

Same participants are allocated to all groups and take part in all conditions

Question 4

Describe a matched pairs design

Answer 4

Participants take part in only one condition, but are recruited specifically for relevant characteristics (e.g. gender or IQ) to ‘matched’ participants in the other conditions

Question 5

What is a participant variable?

Answer 5

Characteristics/aspects of a participants background that could effect the results of a study

Question 6

What is counterbalancing?

Answer 6

Technique used to deal with order effects when using a repeated measures design

Question 7

What are order (practise) effects?

Answer 7

Any change that results merely from the repetition of a task