Research Designs

Question 1

What are the three ‘research designs’?

Answer 1

• Independent measures
• Repeated measures
• Matched pairs

Question 2

What is independent measures?

Answer 2

Participants only take part in one condition of the experiment (requiring two separate groups).

Question 3

How does independent measures design avoid order effects to increase validity?

Answer 3

One strength of independent measures is that it avoids order effects. This is a strength because the participant will not become bored or tried in the experiment therefore increasing validity.

Question 4

Why do we reduce demand characteristics when using independent measures design?

Answer 4

One strength of independent measures is that there is less chance of demand characteristics. The participant is less likely to know the aims as they only do one condition, thus increasing validity.

Question 5

Give one weakness of independent measures design.

Answer 5

One weakness of independent measures design is that more people are needed due to separate conditions in comparison to a repeated measures design. This is a weakness as it will be more time consuming to conduct.

Question 6

Give one weakness of independent measures design.

Answer 6

One weakness of independent measures design is that there are participant variables. This is a weakness as the differences between the groups may affect the results, for example variations in age, sex or social background.

Question 7

Give the A01 for repeated measures.

Answer 7

One group of participants take part in both conditions of the experiment.

Question 8

Why is it a strength that participant variables are reduced in repeated measures?

Answer 8

One strength of repeated measures design is that it avoids participant variables, as compare scores from one condition to another for the same participant. This is a strength as it increases validity of the results.

Question 9

Is it a strength or weakness that in repeated measures design less people are needed and why is this a strength/weakness?

Answer 9

One strength of repeated measures design is that fewer people are needed, as the same people can take part in group conditions. This is a strength as it is less time consuming.

Question 10

Give one weakness of repeated measures.

Answer 10

One weakness of repeated measures is that demand characteristics are more likely as participants are involved in all conditions. This is a weakness as validity is reduced.

Question 11

Give one weakness of repeated measures.

Answer 11

One weakness of repeated measures is that order effects are more likely to occur. This is weakness as it reduces validity.

Question 12

How can we reduce the risk of order effects when using repeated measures?

Answer 12

Counter balancing.

Question 13

What is counter balancing and how does it reduce order effects?

Answer 13

Alternating the order in which participants perform in different conditions of an experiment. For example, group 1 does A then B, groups 2 does B then A to eliminate order effects.

Question 14

What is matched pairs?

Give some examples of what people can be matched on.

Answer 14

Participants are matched in each condition for characteristics that may have an effect on their performance.

IQ, age, previous test scores.

Question 15

Give one strength of using a matched pairs design.

Answer 15

Matched pairs design avoids participant variables, as compare scores from one condition to another for the same participant which increases the validity of the results.

Question 16

Give one strength of using a matched pairs design.

Answer 16

Matched pairs design avoids order effects so the participant will not become bored or tired in the experiment therefore increasing validity.

Question 17

Give one strength of using a matched pairs design.

Answer 17

Using matched pairs design is that there is less chance of demand characteristics as the participant is less likely to know the aims as they only do one condition, thus increasing validity.

Question 18

Give one weakness of a matched pair design.

Answer 18

Matched pairs design means that it may be hard to find appropriate matches for all participants which is a weakness as it may be very time consuming to do and there may still be participant variables.

Question 19

Give one weakness of a matched pairs design.

Answer 19

One weakness of matched pairs design is that it requires more participants. This is a weakness as it will be very time consuming to recruit.

Question 20

Which classic studies have you looked at in paper one which used a matched pair design in their design and what were the participants matched on?

Answer 20

Sherif (boys matched on IQ and sporting ability) and Raine (matched on age, education and family history of mental illness).

Question 21

Which classic studies have you looked at in paper one which used an independent measures design in their design?

Answer 21

Baddeley as p’s only completed 1 of the 4 word lists.