Research Methods - The Experimental and Non-Experimental Methods Flashcards
What is an experiment?
A study that investigates a cause and effect relationship, by comparing the effect of an independent variable on a dependent variable in groups of different levels of the independent variable.
What is a laboratory experiment?
A procedure staged in an artificial, highly controlled environment. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a laboratory, but it does have to be well controlled. The researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV.
What are the strengths of a laboratory experiment?
- There is high control over extraneous variables so the researcher can ensure that the changes in IV caused the effect on the DV. Therefore, the study demonstrates cause and effect (a high internal validity).
- Replication is more possible than in other types of experiment because of the high level of control (ensures new extraneous variables are not introduced when repeating an experiment). This is important to check that the results are valid and not just one-off.
What are the weaknesses of a laboratory experiment?
- Considered reductionist because it isolates only the variables under consideration, ignoring other variables.
- May lack generalisability because the lab environment is artificial and not like everyday life (participants might behave in unusual ways). This means their behaviour can’t be generalised beyond the research setting (low external - ecological - validity).
- Participants are usually aware that they are being tested in a lab so they might behave unnaturally (demand characteristics).
- The tasks participants carry out in a lab might not represent real-life experience (low mundane realism).
What is a field experiment?
A procedure staged in a naturalistic environment. The researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV.
What are the strengths of a field experiment?
- Have higher mundane realism than lab experiments because the environment is more natural.
- Produces behaviour that is more valid and authentic, especially as participants might not know they are being studied (high external validity).
What are the weaknesses of a field experiment?
- Field experiments have less control over extraneous variables. This means cause and effect between the IV and DV is much harder to establish and replication is often not possible.
- There are ethical issues. If the participants don’t know they’re being studied, they cannot give their consent and so the research might invade their privacy.
What is a natural experiment?
A study that examines a naturally occurring variable in a real-life situation. The researcher takes advantage of an existing change and does not manipulate the IV.
What are the strengths of a natural experiment?
- The IV is naturally occuring and not manipulated.
- Allows research to take place that might not be ethical or practical otherwise.
- High external validity because they involve the study of real-life issues and problems as they happen.
What are the weaknesses of a natural experiment?
- Extraneous variables are difficult to control, and may also be confounding variables, reducing the internal validity of the experiment.
- A naturally occuring event might happen very rarely, reducing the opportunities for research. This also means that there is less scope for generalising findings to other situations.
- Participants can’t be randomly allocated to experimental conditions, which means the researcher might be less sure that the IV affects the DV.
What is a quasi experiment?
A study that examines an existing difference between people, where the independent variable can’t be manipulated and randomly allocated to groups because it’s a personal characteristic of the participants.
What are the strengths of a quasi experiment?
- They are the only way to study the effect of an IV that is a fixed personal characteristic of the participants (they enable researchers to study variables that can’t be studied in a lab or field experiment).
- Often carried out under controlled conditions and therefore share the same strengths as a lab experiment.
- Less chance for bias as there’s no manipulation by the researcher.
What are the weaknesses of a quasi experiment?
- Participants cannot be randomly allocated to the experimental conditions and therefore there might be confounding variables (e.g. participant variables).
- Reduces internal validity, making it harder to establish cause and effect.
What is an overt observation?
When participants are aware of being studied.
What is a covert observation?
When participants are unaware of being watched.
What is a participant observation?
When the researcher becomes part of the group they are studying.
What is a non-participant observation?
When the researcher remains separated from the group.
What is a controlled observation?
When there is some control/maniupulation of variables, including control of extraneous variables.
What is a naturalistic observation?
When the experiment takes place where the target behaviour would normally occur.
What are the advantages of an overt observation?
- more ethically acceptable
- participants have given their consent to be studied
- they have the right to withdraw if they wish
What are the disadvantages of a overt observation?
- demand characteristics
- knowledge of being studied influences behaviour
- reduces the validity of the findings
What are the advantages of a covert observation?
- demand characteristics reduced
- participants do not know they are being watched so their behaviour will be more natural, increasing the validity
What are the disadvantages of a covert observation?
- ethically questionable
- people may not want their behaviour recorded, even in public
- participants’ right to privacy may be affected
What are the advantages of a participant observation?
- can lead to greater insight
- researcher experiences the situation as the participants do
- this enhances the validity of the findings
What are the disadvantages of a participant observation?
- possible loss of objectivity
- the researcher may identify too strongly with those they are studying
- this threatens the validity and objectivity of the findings
What are the advantages of a non-participant observation?
- more objective
- researcher maintains an objective distance so there’s less chance of bias
- may increase the validity of the findings
What are the disadvantages of a non-participant observation?
- loss of insight
- researcher may be too far removed from those they are studying
- may reduce the validity of the findings
What are the advantages of a controlled observation?
- can be replicated
- more easily repeated due to standardised procedures
- findings can be checked to see if they occur again
What are the disadvantages of a controlled observation?
- may have low external validity
- behaviour may be contrived as a result of the setting
- findings cannot be applied to everyday experience
What are the advantages of a naturalistic observation?
- high external validity
- in a natural context, behaviour is likely to be more spontaneous
- more generalisable to everyday life