Types of Experiments

Question 1

What is experiment validity?

Answer 1

The extent to which something is true

Question 2

What is internal validity? What factors influence internal validity?

Answer 2

• The extent to which the IV affects the DV
• Extraneous variables lower internal validity
• Needs high control to maintain
• Mundane realism mirrors real world to keep validity

Question 3

What is external validity? What are the three types?

Answer 3

• The extent to which findings can be generalised
• Ecological (generalised to other surroundings)
• Population (generalised to other people)
• Temporal (generalised to other time periods)

Question 4

What are the 4 types of experiment?

Answer 4

• Lab experiment
• Field experiment
• Natural experiment
• Quasi experiment

Question 5

What is a lab experiment?

Answer 5

• Researchers control IV
• DV is measured
• Completed in an artificial environment

Question 6

What are the strengths of lab experiments?

Answer 6

• High control
• Cause + effect relationships established
• High internal validity

Question 7

What are the weaknesses nof lab experiments?

Answer 7

• Low ecological validity
• Participants know they are being studied
• Not like real life

Question 8

What are field experiments?

Answer 8

• Researcher manipulates IV
• DV is measured
• Conducted in a natural setting
• Participants do not know they are taking part in a study

Question 9

What is the strength of a field experiment?

Answer 9

It is natural, therefore participants behave normally

Question 10

What are the weaknesses of field experiments?

Answer 10

• Unrealistic if IV/DV are operationalised unrealistically
• Difficult to control extraneous variables
• Unethical if participants don’t know they are in an experiment

Question 11

What are natural experiments?

Answer 11

• IV varies naturally
• DV is measured
• Conducted in a natural setting with no influence

Question 12

What ae the strengths of natural experiments?

Answer 12

• Allows research where IV cannot be manipulated for ethical/practical reasons
• Psychologists can study real problems
• High ecological validity

Question 13

What are quasi experiments?

Answer 13

• IV varies naturally
• DV is measured
• The IV used is a difference between people, e.g gender

Question 14

What is the strength to quasi experiments?

Answer 14

Allows for accurate comparisons between people

Question 15

What are the weaknesses of quasi experiments?

Answer 15

• Cannot randomly allocate participants to conditions
• No cause + effect relationships
• Participants may be aware they are being studied