Lesson 4 (evaluate experimental methods)

Question 1

Laboratory strengths

Answer 1

Most scientific of all ecperimental methods, high control over extraneous variables

Direct control of the IV. The IV can be manipulated and the DV can be directly measured. Both IV and DV can be operationalised. (optimises internal validity)

High internal validity: Consistency within the procedures, standardised procedures allows for replication

Question 2

Laboratory strengths

Answer 2

Objective: emprical research findings - based on facts not interpretation, no room for bias when analysing results

Cause and effect can be established - the IV had direct effect on the DV

Question 3

Laboratory weakness

Answer 3

Low external validity: Envoronment is artificial, not reflective of where/how behaviour being studies would occur in real life (low mundane realism). Cannot be generalised to everyday behaviours.

Question 4

Laboratory weakness

Answer 4

Demand charactaristics: Participants know they’re taking part in an experiment and may try to guess the aim. This can unconsciously change behaviour so they behave in a way they think the researcher wants them to. Can invalidate results

Question 5

Field strengths

Answer 5

Good internal reliability: Consistency within procedures, standardised procedures allow for replication, however theres less control over the environment

Insight into everyday behaviour in real life settings. Environment tends to be more realistic (high mundane realism), so have good ecological validity.

Question 6

Field strengths

Answer 6

Less likely to be affected by demand characteristics as participants dont know they are taking part in research, so less likely to adapt behaviour accordingly.

A cause and effect relationship can be established - the IV had effected the dv.
HOWEVER, this can be affected by the lack or control of situational variables, which can become confounding.

Question 7

Field weaknesses

Answer 7

Cause and effect relationships are harder to establish as theres less control over situational variables.

Will be diffucult to replicate so the research will have lower expernal replicate unlike lab experiments where the exact conditions can be replicated.

Question 8

Quasai strengths

Answer 8

Conducted when ethically or practically an IV cant be manipulated - the IV can still be measured, and cause and effect can be inferred

Internal reliability: consistency within the procedures. Standardised procedures allow for replication, however there is less control over environment and participant variables (IV)

Question 9

Quasai strength

Answer 9

Insight into naturally occuring phenomenon that woukd be unethical to manipulate, and therefore, high in mundane realism and ecological validity.

Question 10

Quasai weakness

Answer 10

although cause and effect established, results may be low in internal validity as theres limited control over confounding variables such as environmental and participant variables.

Participants arent randomly allocated into groups, therefore isnt a true experiment