Pilot Studies

Question 1

Pilot Study:

Answer 1

A small scale version of an investigation that takes place before the real investigation is conducted. The aim is to check that procedures, materials, measuring scales work and to allow the researcher to make changes or modifications if necessary.

Question 2

Aims:

Answer 2

1. May involve a handful of participants rather than the total number in order to ‘road-test’ the procedure.
2. Pilot studies can be used in self-report methods like questionnaires or interviews, to remove or reword ambiguous questions.
3. In observational studies, a pilot study provides a way of checking coding systems.

Question 3

Single-blind procedure:

Answer 3

1. The participants sometimes not be told the aim of the study.
2. They may not know the condition of the experiment they are in or whether there is another condition.
3. Done to control for the confounding effects of demand characteristics.

Question 4

Double-blind procedure:

Answer 4

1. Neither the researcher nor the participants is aware of the aims of the investigation (3rd party).
2. Important feature of drug trials. Treatment may be administered to patients by someone who is independent of the investigation and who does not know which drugs are real or placebo.

Question 5

Control Groups and Conditions:

Answer 5

1. The group that receives the drug is experimental group and the group that receives the placebo is the control.
2. Used for the purpose of comparison.
3. If the change in behaviour of the EG was significantly greater than the CG, then the researcher can conclude that the cause of this effect was the control variable.
4. Assuming all other possible confounding variables have remained constant.