Types of experiment

Question 1

What are the 3 types of experiments?

Answer 1

• Lab
• Field
• Natural

Question 2

What is a lab experiment?

Answer 2

An experiment that is done under a highly controlled environment

Question 3

Strengths of Lab Experiments

Answer 3

• Easy to replicate
• High control = cause & effect
• Variables can be measured accurately with tools made available in lab setting

Question 4

Weaknesses of Lab Experiments

Answer 4

• Lacks Ecological Validity
• High risk of demand characteristics
• Risk of experimenter bias

Question 5

What is a Field Experiment?

Answer 5

An experiment where the IV is manipulated in a more natural setting

Question 6

Strengths of Field experiment

Answer 6

• High Ecological Validity

- Demand characteristics less of an issue as PPs act more natural

Question 7

Weaknesses of Field Experiments

Answer 7

• Lack of informed consent
• Precise replication of the natural environment is difficult
• More likely to have sample bias as PPs often not randomly allocated to experimental conditions.

Question 8

What are Natural Experiments?

Answer 8

Studies where the experimenter cannot control the IV so the DV is simply measured and judged as an effect of the IV.

Question 9

Strengths of Natural Experiments

Answer 9

• High ecological validity
• Demand characteristics aren’t an issue
• Can be used in situations where it’d be ethically unacceptable to manipulate the IV - e.g., stress.

Question 10

Weaknesses of Field Experiments?

Answer 10

• More expensive
• Time-consuming
• No control over extraneous variables that may bias the results

Question 11

What is the IV?

Answer 11

• The thing that we change/manipulate.

- There can be some naturally occurring IVs.

Question 12

What is the DV?

Answer 12

• The thing that you measure.

- In a successful experiment, changes in the IV should cause changes in the DV.