Method of Control

Question 1

What is standardisation?

Answer 1

• Refers to ways in which procedures/ materials within an investigation are kept the same for all ppts.

Question 2

What is the purpose of standardised instructions?

Answer 2

• Explain the procedures of the study relevant to participants/ describe exactly what participants are expected to do.
• Include a check of understanding of instructions.
• Inform ppts that they will be debriefed at the end of the study.
• Remind them that they have the right to withdraw from the study at any point.
• Give the ppts the opportunity to ask you any questions about what they are about to do

Question 3

What is randomisation?

Answer 3

• Refers to the use of chance to minimise the researcher’s influence on the design/ materials/ procedures of the investigation

Question 4

What can randomisation be used for?

Answer 4

• To select the order of words on a list so that the position of each word is not decided by the experimenter.
• The order that the ppts complete each condition of an experiment

Question 5

What are the benefits of randomisation?

Answer 5

• Eliminates investigator effect/bias because the investigator has no control over which stimulus is used in each conditions or what order the ppt complete the conditions in.