types of experiment Flashcards
lab experiments
definition
experiments in a highly controlled environment
Asch’s conformity study (1951)
lab experiments
strengths
high internal validity
easily replicable
lab experiments
weaknesses
low external validity
demand characteristics
field experiments
definition
experiments in a natural, everday setting
Pilavin et al (1969) - subway samaritan
field experiments
strengths
high external validity
higher mundane realism
field experiments
weaknesses
low internal validity
possible ethical issues
natural experiments
definition
the IV varies due to a naturally occuring event
unintetional, unplanned IVs
Rutter et al. (2011) - romanian orphans
natural experiments
strengths
high external validity
allows for research that may not have previously been possible (ethics, etc)
natural experiments
weakensses
difficult to replicate
can have low internal validity
quasi experiements
definition
the IV cannot be manipulated by the researcher
intentional, planned IVs that can’t be randomly assigned
Baron-Cohen et al. (1986) - children with and without diagnoses
quasi experiments
strengths
can have high internal validity
can be easily replicable
quasi experiments
weaknesses
possible confounding variables
can’t truly establish cause and effect between IV and DV
