Lesson 1 - Experimental Methods

Question 1

What is the independent variable?

Answer 1

This is the variable that the researcher

manipulates in order to determine its effect on the dependent variable.

Question 2

What is the dependent variable?

Answer 2

This is the variable that is being measured.

Question 3

What is operationalisation?

Answer 3

Operationalisation is defining

the variables in such a way as to make them measurable.

Question 4

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 4

These are any variables (other than the IV) that COULD affect the DV.

Question 5

What are confounding variables?

Answer 5

These are any variables (other than the IV) that HAVE affected the DV.

Question 6

What are the 4 types of experiments?

Answer 6

Laboratory Experiments, Field Experiments, Natural Experiments, Quasi Experiments

Question 7

Describe laboratory experiments and give examples.

Answer 7

• Asch, Milgram, Zimbardo
• Carried out in a controlled environment
• High control of IV, eliminate any EV’s
• Manipulate IV to see affect on DV
• Easy to replicate
• Cause and effect can be determined
• Lacks ecological validity / mundane realism
• Chance of demand characteristics

Question 8

Describe field experiments with an example.

Answer 8

• Bickman
• Takes place in the real world
• Manipulate IV to see effect on DV
• More mundane realism and ecological validity
• Less chance of demand characteristics
• No control of EV’s, or of the sample
• Difficult to replicate

Question 9

Describe natural experiments.

Answer 9

• Researcher takes control of a naturally occurring IV to see effect on the DV.
• High mundane realism / ecological validity
• No control over EV’s
• Difficult to replicate
• Hard to determine cause and effect

Question 10

Describe quasi-experiments.

Answer 10

• Contain a naturally occurring IV just like natural experiments
• However the IV is a difference between people that already exists (i.e. gender or age)
• Researcher examines the effect on the DV