Methodology in Studies & Experimental Designs

Question 1

repeated-measures design

Answer 1

each participant is involved in every condition of the experiment (control and experimental)
strengths:
- each participant is compared to themself
- fewer participants are required
weaknesses:
- confounding variables are more prevalent because of the order effect
- demand characteristics
- hard to have constant materials (especially in memory experiments)

Question 2

independent samples design

Answer 2

participants are randomly allocated to the conditions of the experiment
strengths:
- order effects are controlled
- demand characteristics are controlled
- materials can be reused
weaknesses:
- participant variability (participants are not compared to themselves)

Question 3

matched pairs design

Answer 3

participants are semi-randomly allocated to the conditions within the experiment (allocation is based on a pre-test)
          strengths:
- participant variability controlled
- order effects controlled
- demand characteristics controlled
          weaknesses:
- many characteristics not accounted for could affect the results
- more participants are required

Question 4

2 x 2 factorial design

Answer 4

two independent variables tested at two levels (Schachter and Singer)
strengths:
- higher ecological validity
- efficient (they don’t have to do two experiments)
weaknesses:
- complex design
- not always clear what is affecting behavior

Question 5

order effects

Answer 5

when the order participants go in effects their behavior

Question 6

order effects

Answer 6

when the order participants go in affects their behavior

Question 7

counter-balancing

Answer 7

(repeated measures design) some participants have condition A followed by B and others have B followed by A

Question 8

double-blind control

Answer 8

neither researchers nor participants are aware of the treatment being received

Question 9

pilot study

Answer 9

small scale study performed before the full version in order to identify some of the limitations before the actual experimentation

Question 10

placebo

Answer 10

substance used to combat the placebo effect (when the act of taking a drug is what affects the behavior as opposed to the drug itself)

Question 11

pretest posttest design

Answer 11

quasi-experiment in which participants are studied before and after the actual experiment

Question 12

single-blind control

Answer 12

participants are unaware what treatment they are receiving