Research methods - design Flashcards
What is an independent groups design?
Using different participants for each condition of the experiment. Participants only take part in one condition.
What is repeated measures design?
Using the same participants for each condition of the experiment. Participants take part in both conditions.
What is matched pairs design?
Using different but matched participants for each condition of the experiment. Participants take part in one condition, matched on similar characteristics that may affect the DV.
What are demand characteristics?
Participants being aware of what the aim or expected results are, and what this implies for how participants are expected to behave. This may make them change their behaviour, which affects the validity of the results.
What are investigator effects?
Any behaviour of the researcher including interaction with participants eg. selection of participants, leading questions and bias in interpretation of results that could affect the results.
How can investigator effects be reduced?
Randomisation
Participants to groups, tasks A or B and order of questions.
How can order effects be reduced?
Counterbalancing - for repeated measures design only.
Half of each group take part in condition 1 first and the other half do condition 2 first.
What are the strengths of independent measures design?
No order effects
Less chance of demand characteristics
What are the weaknesses of independent measures design?
Participant variables - differ between participants
Number of participants - need more
What are the strengths of repeated measures design?
Participant variables - fully controlled
Number of participants - fewer needed
What are the weaknesses of repeated measures design?
Possible order effects (boredom, practice)
More chance of demand characteristics
What are the strengths of matched pairs design?
No order effects
Less chance of demand characteristics
Participant variables - some are controlled
What are the weaknesses of matched pairs design?
Participant variables - some won’t be controlled
Number of participants - may be difficult to match them
