Research methods - Chapter 7

Question 1

List 6 factors of a ‘Laboratory experiment’

Answer 1

Determinist.
Highly controlled environment.
Doesn’t necessarily have to be in a lab, just has to be highly controlled.
Researcher manipulates the Iv
Researcher records the effect of the Iv on the Dv
Direct link between Iv and Dv

Question 2

Laboratory experiment

Iv : Dv - Tick/ cross?

Answer 2

Iv - Tick

Dv - Tick

Question 3

List 4 factors of a ‘Quasi experiment’

Answer 3

Almost an experiment but not quite.
The Iv is based on existing differences between people.
No one manipulates the Iv, it just exists.
We only control the Dv.

Question 4

Quasi experiment

Iv : Dv - Tick/ cross?

Answer 4

Iv - Cross

Dv - Tick

Question 5

List 3 factors of a ‘Natural experiment’

Answer 5

The researcher takes advantage of a pre-existing independent variable.
The Iv is not brought about by the researcher, it would have happened even if the researcher was not there.
Highly ecologically valid.

Question 6

Natural experiment’

Iv : Dv - Tick/ cross?

Answer 6

Iv - Cross

Dv - Cross

Question 7

List 3 factors of a ‘Field experiment’

Answer 7

Takes part in a natural, more everyday setting.
Researcher manipulates the Iv.
Researcher records the effect of the Iv on the Dv.

Question 8

Field experiment

Iv : Dv - Tick/ cross?

Answer 8

Iv - Tick

Dv - Cross

Question 9

what does it mean if an experiment is reliable?

Answer 9

its repeatable

Question 10

what does it mean if an experiment is valid?

Answer 10

its results/findings are accurate

Question 11

what do we mean by the type of experiment?

Answer 11

its setting

Question 12

what do we mean by the design of the experiment?

Answer 12

the procedure used

Question 13

what are the 3 experimental designs?

Answer 13

independent groups
repeated measures
matched pairs

Question 14

what happens when an experimental design is ‘independent groups’

Answer 14

participants are randomly allocated to one of two or more groups
each participant therefore does one level of the IV and the performance (the DV) is compared across the two or more groups

Question 15

what happens when an experimental design is ‘repeated measures’

Answer 15

each participant takes part part in every condition of the experiment
i.e they do all levels of the IV
their performance (the DV) on both tests is compared

Question 16

what happens when an experimental design is ‘matched pairs’

Answer 16

pairs of participants are matched on key, relevant variables for the study, i.e IQ or age
one member of the pair is placed in one group and the other in the second group
performance (the DV) is compared across both groups

Question 17

define experimental group

Answer 17

the group that receives the experimental treatment, the IV

Question 18

define control group

Answer 18

the group that receives no treatment, they are the baseline

Question 19

list some of the types of extraneous/confounding variables?

Answer 19

investigator effects
indirect investigator effects
demand characteristics
social desirability bias
participant variables
situational variables
hawthorne effect

Question 20

define indirect investigator effects.

Answer 20

a cue that makes participants unconsciously aware of the aims of the study, or helps participants to work out what the researcher expects to find

Question 21

define social desirability bias.

Answer 21

distortions in the way people answer questions; they tend to answer questions in such a way that presents themselves in a better light

Question 22

define demand characteristics

Answer 22

the tendency for participants to alter their behaviour merely as a result of knowing they are being observed.

Question 23

define hawthorne effect.

Answer 23

any cues (other than the IV) from the investigator that encourages certain behaviours in a participant, and might lead to a fulfilment of the investigators expectations. 
these can occur as a consequence of the investigator interacting with the participant (direct effects)

Question 24

define situational variables.

Answer 24

the features of the research situation that may influence participants’ behaviour and so act as extraneous or confounding variables.
one example of this is order effects. Improved performance on a second task compared to a first may be due to practise rather than IV.

Question 25

define participant variables

Answer 25

any characteristic of individual participants that act as an extraneous variable when an independent groups design (where different participants are in each group) is used. These may include age, intelligence, motivation, gender etc, but they must be relevant to the task in study.

Question 26

define investigator effects.

Answer 26

there are a couple of examples of this type of variable. One is the ‘investigator experimental design effect’. the investigator may operationalise the measurement of variables in such a way that the desired result is more likely, or may limit the duration of the study for the same reason. Another is the ‘investigator loose procedure effect. this is where an investigator may not clearly specify the standardised instructions and/or procedures which leaves room for the results to be influenced by the experimenter.