Types of experiments

Question 1

What variables do all experiments involve ?

Answer 1

• independent variable
• dependent variable

Question 2

What is a lab experiment ?

Answer 2

• an experiment in a controlled environment
• not always in a lab (classrooms etc.)
• helps you control extraneous variables

Question 3

What is an example of a lab experiment ?

Answer 3

• Asch

Question 4

What are advantages of lab experiments ?

Answer 4

• high control over extraneous variables - more certain over results - higher internal validity
• experiment can be replicated

Question 5

What are the disadvantages of lab experiments ?

Answer 5

• lack of generalisability
• artificial
• unfamiliar environment
• can’t be generalised beyond the setting (external validity)
• play to demand characteristics

Question 6

What are field experiments ?

Answer 6

• carried out in natural setting (street, school, workplace)

Question 7

What are the advantages to field experiments ?

Answer 7

• have a higher mundane reaction because the environment is more natural
• may produce behaviour that is more authentic (high external validity)

Question 8

What are disadvantages of field experiments ?

Answer 8

• loss of some control with Ev’s
• harder to identify cause and effect between the IV and the DV
• difficult to provide an accurate representation

Question 9

What are the ethical issues with field experiments ?

Answer 9

• problem of informed consent - if you tell what is happening then the advantage of natural setting is lost
• impossible to offer the right to withdraw and debriefing

Question 10

What is a natural experiment ?

Answer 10

• uses naturally occurring events for research
• the IV is natural as is changed even if the research wasn’t happening
• this can still happen in a lab

Question 11

What are the advantages of natural experiment ?

Answer 11

• can research topics we couldn’t normally due to ethical issues (Romanian Orphan’s)
• high external validity because it involves real life issues

Question 12

What are disadvantages to natural experiment ?

Answer 12

• participants cant be randomly allocated
• hard to understand which aspect affects the IV

Question 13

What is a Quasi experiment ?

Answer 13

• happens when you cant carry out experiments
• have an IV based on a existing difference that occurs between people - the Iv is natural
• cant randomly allocate participant’s

Question 14

What in advantage of Quasi experiments ?

Answer 14

• under controlled condition (same advantages as lab)
• high internal validity
• can be replicated

Question 15

What are the disadvantages of Quasi experiments ?

Answer 15

• cant randomly allocate participants - may be confounding variables

Question 16

What is internal validity ?

Answer 16

• research is accurate within the experiment
• research cant be effected by the experimenter or demand characteristics

Question 17

What is external validity ?

Answer 17

• whether the research results are accurate and can be generalised beyond the experimental setting