Research Methods: Experimental Methods - Lab Field Natural Quasi

Question 1

Where do Lab experiments take place?

Answer 1

A highly controlled environment

Question 2

What variable is manipulated in a lab experiment?

Answer 2

Independent variable

Question 3

Why does the researcher manipulate the independent variable in a lab experiment?

Answer 3

To measure the effect on the dependent variable

Question 4

One strength of a lab experiment is high levels of control over extraneous variables, why is this?

Answer 4

It is carried out in an artificial environment (contextualise in the exam answer)

Question 5

If a lab experiment is carried out in an artificial environment, why is this a strength?

Answer 5

There is high control over extraneous variables

Question 6

Why are lab experiments high in reliability?

Answer 6

Due to the control, the experiment can be easily repeated in the same conditions to check for consistent results

Question 7

If the lab experiment can be easily repeated in the same conditions to check for consistent results, what does this mean?

Answer 7

It is high in reliability

Question 8

Why are lab experiments low in ecological validity?

Answer 8

They are carried out in an artificial environment (contextualise in an exam)

Question 9

What type of validity is lowered if a lab experiment lacks ecological validity?

Answer 9

External Validity

Question 10

If a lab experiment is carried out in an artificial environment, what validity is lowered?

Answer 10

Ecological validity

Question 11

Why is a lab experiment prone to demand characteristics?

Answer 11

The participants may change their natural behaviour based on the clues given off by the researcher which can help or hinder the researcher, which reduces internal validity

Question 12

When the participants change their natural behaviour based on the clues given off by the researcher in a lab experiment, what is meant by this?

Answer 12

Demand characteristics

Question 13

What type of experiment takes place in a natural environment e.g. an office or a school, but the researcher manipulates the IV?

Answer 13

Field experiment

Question 14

What is a Field experiment?

Answer 14

An experiment that place in a natural environment such as an office or a school where the researcher manipulates the IV and measures the DV

Question 15

Which experimental method takes place in PPTs natural environment whereby the researcher manipulate the IV and measure the DV?

Answer 15

Field experiment

Question 16

What type of experimental method was Lorenz’s study?

Answer 16

Field experiment

Question 17

Why might a field experiment be less prone to demand characteristics?

Answer 17

PPTs might not know they are being watched; therefore they are less likely to guess clues and change their natural behaviour

Question 18

Identify a strength of a field experiment

Answer 18

Less prone to demand characteristics

OR

High ecological validity

Question 19

Why has a field experiment been praised for high internal validity?

Answer 19

PPTs might not know they are being watched, therefore less likely to guess clues and change their natural behaviour, increasing the internal validity

Question 20

Field experiments have been praised for high external validity - why is this?

Answer 20

It is based in a real life setting therefore easier to generalise the findings beyond the setting of the study to other similar settings.

Question 21

Why does a field experiment have high ecological validity?

Answer 21

It is based in a real life setting therefore easier to generalise the findings beyond the setting of the study to other similar settings, increasing the external validity

Question 22

Why might a field experiment be low in reliability?

Answer 22

As it’s carried out in natural environment, it is difficult to repeat the study with the exact same conditions and check for consistency in results

Question 23

Why might it be difficult to replicate a field experiment?

Answer 23

The environment is natural to the PPTs, it is difficult to repeat the study with the exact same conditions and check for consistency in results

Question 24

Why has a field experiment been criticised for being unethical?

Answer 24

Lack of informed consent as people are unaware of being studied so wouldn’t have given their consent

Question 25

Other than low in reliability - what other problems are their with a field experiments?

Answer 25

Ethical issues

Question 26

What is a natural experiment?

Answer 26

Where the researcher takes advantage of a naturally occurring IV (EVENT)

Question 27

In what type of experimental method does the researcher take advantage of the naturally occurring IV?

Answer 27

Natural experiment

Question 28

A researcher measured the stress levels in local residents of a town before an earthquake and following the earthquake

What type of experimental method was used in this study? (1m)

Answer 28

Natural experiment

Question 29

What experimental method was used in Rutter’s study on Romanian orphans?

Answer 29

Natural experiment

Question 30

Why might natural experiments have high external validity?

Answer 30

They are often based in real life settings and therefore it is easier to generalise the findings beyond the setting of the study to other similar settings

Question 31

Why do natural experiments contribute to wider psychological understanding of human behaviour?

Answer 31

Natural experiments provide opportunities for research that may not otherwise be undertaken for practical / ethical reasons

Question 32

Are natural experiments reliable?

Answer 32

No - Events may only happen rarely which limits opportunities for research - meaning it is unlikely you can repeat the study and check for consistency in results

Question 33

Why are natural experiments unreliable?

Answer 33

Events may only happen rarely which limits opportunities for research - meaning it is unlikely you can repeat the study and check for consistency in results

Question 34

In a natural experiment, researchers have high control over extraneous variables.

TRUE / FALSE

Answer 34

False

Question 35

Why might researchers have little control over extraneous variables in a field experiment?

Answer 35

As it’s a natural experiment, taking place in a natural environment, difficult to establish cause and effect between IV and DV

Question 36

Why have natural experiments been criticised for lacking internal validity?

Answer 36

As it’s a natural experiment, taking place in a natural environment, difficult to establish cause and effect between IV and DV - lowering the internal validity.

Question 37

Define a quasi experiment

Answer 37

An experiment which has an IV based on an existing individual difference between people (characteristic), which is not manipulated by the researcher

Question 38

Age / Gender

These are examples of an existing individual difference between people which the researcher has not manipulated.

TRUE / FALSE

Answer 38

True

Question 39

A researcher compared the heart rate of people with a phobia of a spider to the heart rate of people without a phobia when showed a picture of a spider.

What type of experimental method was used in this study? (1m)

Answer 39

Quasi (1m)

Question 40

Identify a weakness of a quasi experiment

Answer 40

Sample bias - The sample being studied might have unique characteristics - making it difficult to generalise findings to target population, decreasing the external validity

Question 41

Why might a quasi experiment suffer from sample bias?

Answer 41

The sample being studied might have unique characteristics - making it difficult to generalise findings to target population, decreasing the external validity

Question 42

Why might a quasi experiment be criticised for low external validity?

Answer 42

The sample being studied might have unique characteristics - making it difficult to generalise findings to target population, decreasing the external validity