Types of experiments

Question 1

What is a lab experiment?

Answer 1

experiment carried out in a controlled environment where extraneous variables have been accounted for

Question 2

Example of a lab study?

Answer 2

Loftus and Palmer investigated the effects of misleading information on EWT accuracy.

Question 3

Strengths of a lab study?

Answer 3

• High internal validity, observed change in DV is due to IV
• standardised procedures means replicable
• establish cause and effect

Question 4

Weakness of Lab study?

Answer 4

• Lack ecological validity (a type of external validity) cannot be applied to real world situations
• Lack mundane realism (external validity)
• Demand characteristics

Question 5

What is a field study?

Answer 5

Experiment in a natural environment. IV is manipulated but extraneous variables are not controlled for.

Question 6

Give an example of a field experiment?

Answer 6

Bushman had a female confederate dress as either a police woman, business executive or beggar and instructed the, to give change to a male confederate for an expired parking meter.

Question 7

Strengths of Field study

Answer 7

• mundane realism due to natural setting
• behave more naturally (high ecological
• if unaware no DC shown

Question 8

Weaknesses of Field experiment?

Answer 8

• ethical issues; ppts are unaware
• lack of control of extraneous variables
• difficult to randomly assign to separate conditions

Question 9

What is a natural experiment?

Answer 9

• research takes advantage of naturally occurring variables
• researcher will simply record the change in DV between the two levels of IV

Question 10

Give an example of a natural study?

Answer 10

Rutter and Songua-Barke Romainian orphanage. Looked at development of children who have been adopted or remained in the institution.

Question 11

Strengths of natural study?

Answer 11

• allow research in areas that could not happen in controlled experiments
• high external validity
• no DC

Question 12

Weaknesses of natural studies?

Answer 12

• no control of extraneous variables or IV
• can’t really claim cause and effect relationship
• cannot be replicated to test reliability
• ## No random allocation

Question 13

What is a quasi experiment?

Answer 13

• IV does not var, it simply exists (e.g. age, gender)
• IV often innate characteristic
• cannot be randomised as IV already exists

Question 14

Give example of quasi experiment

Answer 14

• Sheridan and King were interested in gender differences affecting obedience levels.

Question 15

Strengths of Quasi experiment?

Answer 15

• Good for understanding differences between groups
• Only way to experimentally study factors that are pre-existing in ppts

Question 16

Weakness of Quasi experiments?

Answer 16

• no control of confounding variables
• no true random allocation