Types of Experiment

Question 1

What is a laboratory experiment?

Answer 1

Research conducted in a highly controlled, artificial environment.
・uses standardised procedures

Question 2

What are the strengths of a laboratory experiment? (3)

Answer 2

・good internal validity
・high degree of control means cause and effect can be established
・most scientific

Question 3

What are the weaknesses of a laboratory experiment? (4)

Answer 3

・lacks external validity
・low mundane realism
・lacks generalisability
・increases demand characteristics

Question 4

What is a field experiment?

Answer 4

Research conducted in a natural setting, but the researcher still manipulates the IV.
・real life context.

Question 5

What are the strengths of a field experiment? (2)

Answer 5

・no influence of demand characteristics
・generalisable, high external validity

Question 6

What are the weaknesses of a field experiment? (3)

Answer 6

・ethical issues (no informed consent)
・less control over extraneous variables = internal validity is affected
・precise replication is not possible

Question 7

What are natural experiments?

Answer 7

Research conducted where the IV is naturally occurring.

Question 8

What are the strengths of a natural experiment? (2)

Answer 8

・provides opportunities for research otherwise not undertaken for ethical concerns
・high external validity

Question 9

What are the weaknesses of a natural experiment? (3)

Answer 9

・often unpredictable = hard to replicate
・extraneous variables threaten internal validity
・individual differences can affect results

Question 10

What is a quasi experiment?

Answer 10

A type of natural experiment, where the IV pre-exists within the participant.

Question 11

What are the strengths of a quasi experiment?

Answer 11

controlled conditions = same strength as laboratory experiment

Question 12

What are the weaknesses of a quasi experiment? (1)

Answer 12

・cannot claim IV has caused any observed change