Field Experiments

Question 1

What is a field experiment

Answer 1

An experiment which looks to manipulate the Independent variable, and measure the dependant variable

Question 2

How is this different to a lab experiment?

Answer 2

Other (Extraneous) variables aren’t controlled as the experiment is conducted in the ‘field’

Question 3

Examples

Answer 3

Pygmalion in the classroom

Question 4

Overview of Rosenthal and Jacobsen’s Pygmalion in the classroom

Answer 4

• Manipulated teachers perceptions of students and found that high expectations lead to improved performance in a given area.
• The effect is named for the Greek myth of Pygmalion, the sculptor who fell so much in love with the perfectly beautiful statue he created that the statue came to life.

Question 5

Strengths

Answer 5

• As subjects are observed in their natural environment, there is a lesser chance of the hawthorne effect
• Higher ecological validity

Question 6

Hawthorne Effect

Answer 6

individuals modifying an aspect of their behavior in response to their awareness of being observed.

Question 7

Drawbacks

Answer 7

• Ethical issues such as deception and informed consent
• Expensive to monitor the subjects, with specific equipment required to record behaviours
• Presence of extraneous variable means it cannot produce a cause and effect relationship, merely a correlation between factors

Question 8

Ecological Validity

Answer 8

the extent to which findings from a research study can be generalised to other settings / real life.