Practical Issues in the Design and Implementation of Research

Question 1

Sherif

Answer 1

• Field experiment so high ecological validity and mundane realism with tasks like baseball.
• Matched on sporting ability and IQ, reducing PP variables, increasing internal validity.
• Some boys said they guessed something was going on, could have altered behaviour.
• High cost of running a summer camp for 2 weeks.

Question 2

Baddeley

Answer 2

• Opp sample: all shared similar characteristics so could reduce generalisability.
• IM reduced demand characteristics as PP couldn’t guess study.
• Hearing test before to prevent extraneous variables and increase internal validity.
• Low mundane realism as recalling word list in order is not how memory works in real world.

Question 3

Raine

Answer 3

• Matched pairs with control group to remove PP variables.
• Small sample so results may not be G to wider pop.
• Brain scans are empirical, increasing validity. Also are replicable.
• Low ecological V as during the murders the PP would not be in a controlled setting.
• Cost of doing scans would have been a lot.

Question 4

Watson and Rayner

Answer 4

• Small sample.
• Albert described as ‘stoic and unemotional’ may not be representative of a normal person.
• Lab setting so extraneous variables controlled.
• Tested for phobias beforehand so can establish a clear C and E relationship.

Question 5

Bandura

Answer 5

• Matched pairs on aggression so individual difference on natural aggression will not impact on the results.
• Nursery was a natural setting.
• Large sample of 72.
• Lab setting with unusual task

Question 6

Pavlov

Answer 6

• Standardised procedures.
• CC is an empirical theory as it measured directly through behaviour.
• Research on animals may not be directly applicable to humans.
• Artificial lab setting. Metronome bell low in ecological validity.