Types of Experiments Flashcards
What is a laboratory (lab) experiment?
An experiment takes places in a controlled environment, where the researcher manipulated the IV and records the effect on the DV
What is a strength of laboratory experiments? (extraneous variables)
Lab experiments have high control over extraneous variables. Therefore the researcher can ensure any effects on the dependable variable is due to the manipulation of the independent variable. Allowing more certainty about demonstrating cause and effect, leading to higher internal validity
What is a limitation of a lab experiment?
Lab experiments lack generalisability. The lab environment may be artificial and not representative of everyday life. Experiments in this form may cause participants to act out of character so their behaviour may not be generalised beyond the research setting, resulting in low external validity
What is a field experiment?
A experiment that takes place in a natural setting where the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV
What is a strength of a field experiment? (mundane realism)
Field experiments have higher mundane realism than lab experiments because the environment is natural. As a result field experiments produce behaviour that is more valid and authentic.
What is a natural experiment?
An experiment where the change in the IV is not brought by the researcher but would have happened even if the researcher had not been there. The research just records the effect on the DV
What is a limitation of a field experiment?
Field experiments are more likely to lose control of extraneous variable than lab experiments. This means cause and effect between the IV and DV in field studies may be much more difficult to establish and precise replication is often not possible
What is a strength of natural experiments? (research accepted by BPS)
Natural experiments provide opportunity for research that may not otherwise be undertaken for practical or ethical reason such as studies of institutionalized romanian orphans.
What is a quasi - experiment?
A study that is almost an experiment but lacks key components. The IV had not been determined by anyone. The variables simply exist
What is a limitation of natural experiments? (occurrence of events)
Naturally occurring events may only happen very rarely, reducing the opportunities for research. This also may limit the scope for generalising findings to other similar situations
What is a strength of quasi - experiment? (high control of conditions)
Quasi - experiments are often carried out under controlled conditions and therefore share the strengths of a lab experiment. The researcher can ensure any effects on the dependable variable is due to the manipulation of the independent variable.
What is a limitation of quasi - experiments? (particpants)
Quasi - experiments cannot randomly allocate participants to conditions and therefore there may be confounding variables
