U2: experimental methods and designs

Question 1

Define experimental method

Answer 1

A research approach that involves manipulating an independent variable (IV) to observe its effect on a dependent variable (DV).

Question 2

Name the 4 experimental methods

Answer 2

Lab
Field
Natural
Quasi

Question 3

Define lab experiment

Answer 3

Conducted in a controlled environment where the researcher manipulates the IV.

Question 4

Give an example of a lab environment

Answer 4

lab, classroom, office

Question 5

Define field experiment

Answer 5

Conducted in a natural setting where the researcher manipulates the IV.

Question 6

Define natural experiment

Answer 6

The IV is naturally occurring, and the researcher does not manipulate it

Question 7

Give an example of Natural experiment

Answer 7

anywhere, where the behaviour is natural to that environment i.e., classroom- students learning information

Question 8

Define Quasi experiment

Answer 8

The IV is a pre-existing characteristic (e.g., age, phobia) that cannot be manipulated

Question 9

What i meant by ecological validity

Answer 9

The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to real-life settings.

Question 10

Which experimental method has high ecological validity

Answer 10

natural

Question 11

Which experimental method has low ecological validity?

Answer 11

Lab

Question 12

Define demand characteristics

Answer 12

When participants change their behavior because they are aware of being studied.

Question 13

Which experimental method are you more likely to have demand characteristics

Answer 13

Lab

Question 14

Which experimental method are you less likely to have demand characteristics

Answer 14

field and natural

Question 15

What is meant by experimental designs

Answer 15

Refers to how participants are allocated to different conditions in an experiment.

Question 16

What is the difference between experimental method and experimental design

Answer 16

Method: Environment
Design: how ppts are allocated

Question 17

Name the experimental designs

Answer 17

independent groups
repeated measures

Question 18

What is meant by independent groups design

Answer 18

Participants take part in only one condition of the experiment.

Question 19

How do you conduct a independent groups design

Answer 19

Recruit participants and split them into equal-sized groups.
Allocate each group to a different condition.

Question 20

What is a strength of independent groups design

Answer 20

Avoids order effects like practice or fatigue.

Question 21

What is a weakness of independent groups design

Answer 21

Potential participant differences between groups.

Question 22

What is meant by repeated measures?

Answer 22

Participants take part in all conditions of the experiment.

Question 23

How do you conduct a repeated measures design

Answer 23

Participants complete one condition, then after a sufficient time lapse, complete the other condition.
Tasks should differ but be matched in difficulty.

Question 24

What is a strength of repeated measures?

Answer 24

Controls for participant differences.

Question 25

What is a weakness of repeated measures?

Answer 25

May lead to order effects

Question 26

What is meant by order effects

Answer 26

When participants become tired/ bored or get better at the task after doing multiple conditions

Question 27

what two effects are there in order effects

Answer 27

practice effect
fatigue effect

Question 28

What is meant by practice effect

Answer 28

Participants improve in the second condition due to familiarity with the task.

Question 29

what is meant by fatigue effect?

Answer 29

Performance worsens in the second condition due to tiredness.

Question 30

What is meant by controls in research?

Answer 30

Strategies used to minimize issues with experimental designs and prevent extraneous variables from becoming confounding variables.

Question 31

By controlling research, how does this improve the study

Answer 31

Increase internal validity.

Question 32

What two ways can we control research?

Answer 32

Random allocation
Counterbalancing

Question 33

What is meant by random allocation?

Answer 33

Ensures participants have an equal chance of being in any condition, reducing bias.

Question 34

How would random allocation be used in research?

Answer 34

Write participant names on equal-sized papers, place them in a hat, and randomly assign them to conditions.

Question 35

What is meant by counterbalancing?

Answer 35

Reduces order effects by having half the participants complete conditions in one order and the other half in the reverse order.

Question 36

Does counterbalancing eliminate order effects?

Answer 36

Order effects are distributed rather than eliminated.