Quasi Experiments Flashcards
What are the two kinds of quasi experiments?
Those with an IV- natural experiments
Those with no IV- difference studies
What are natural experiments?
When it is not possible, for ethical or practical reasons, to manipulate an IV
What are difference studies?
The independent variable is actually not something that varies at all, it is a condition that exists
Why can researchers not draw a cause and effect conclusion from quasi experiments?
Manipulation of IV
Random allocation
Unique characteristics of participants
What is manipulation of the IV?
The lack of control over the IV means we cannot say for certain that the change in the DV was caused by the IV (eg confounding variables)
What is random allocation?
This is not possible in quasi experiments, this means there may be biases in the different groups of participants
What are unique characteristics of participants?
This means findings cannot be generalised to other groups of people (low population validity)
