Experiments

Question 1

What is the purpose of an experiment

Answer 1

To establish a cause and effect relationship between two variables

Question 2

What are the 3 types of varbiles that you should consider

Answer 2

-independent variable
-dependent variables
-extraneous variables

Question 3

What is a independent variable

Answer 3

It’s manipulated by the researcher. We can identify it as it creates different conditions

Question 4

What is the dependent variable

Answer 4

It’s the variable that is measured. The do and in will be measured the same way in all iv conditions

Question 5

What is the extraneous variable

Answer 5

If it isn’t controlled then it can effect the results

Question 6

How do you operationalise the independent variable

Answer 6

Knowing precisely how the variable was manipulated and stating the conditions

Question 7

How do you operationalise the dependent variable

Answer 7

Measure it accurately and give the units used

Question 8

What are control conditions

Answer 8

Is where no manipulations have been made and is usually used to gain a baseline measure

Question 9

What is an experimental condition

Answer 9

A condition where the IV has been manipulated to suggest a cause and effect

Question 10

What are the 3 types of experimental methods

Answer 10

-lab experiments
-field experiments
-quasi experiment

Question 11

What is a lab experiment

Answer 11

An experiment that is conducted in a highly controlled environment which is artificial. The researcher directly manipulates the IV while keeping any other factors under close control. This allows them to observe a change in do as a direct cause of the IV

Question 12

What is a field experiment

Answer 12

It is conducted in a natural environment. The IV is still manipulated but in a naturally occurring environment. The participants are unaware that the study is taking place

Question 13

What is a quasi experiment

Answer 13

The researcher makes use of an existing IV and therefore doesn’t manipulate the IV. Research can’t randomly assign participants to a condition

Question 14

What are the strengths of a lab experiment

Answer 14

• high levels of control mean there are no extraneous variables. Therefore clear cause and effect relationship between iv and even can be found
• high levels of controlling also mean the study can be easily manipulated, increasing internal reliability

Question 15

What are the weaknesses of a lab experiment

Answer 15

-artificial setting bears little resemblance to real life. Therefor lacking ecological validity meaning the findings can’t be generalised
-participant are brought into a lab experiment purposefully which could lead to demand characteristics or evaluation apprehension. Decreasing internal validity

Question 16

What are the strengths of field experiments

Answer 16

• likely to get behaviours which resemble real life and therefore can be generalised and this leads to high ecological validity
• low chance of demand characteristics. Therefore increased ability to determine cause and effect and suggesting high internal validity

Question 17

What is a weakness of field experiments

Answer 17

• low levels of control means lots of extraneous variables. This means that cause and effect is difficult to establish reducing internal validity
• difficult to replicate so can’t confirm that findings are reliable

Question 18

What is the strengths of quasi experiment

Answer 18

• the researcher can use a IV that would otherwise be unethical to manipulate . This allows use to gather more insight which leads to develop practical applications
• often done in a lab environment which allows high control over extraneous variables. Therefore you are able to determine the cause and effect

Question 19

What are the weaknesses of a quasi experiment

Answer 19

• the if is naturally occurring as participants will naturally belong to one condition or another. Therefore research can’t randomly allocate conditions to people.
• some Ivs are not frequently occurring. Therefore it can take time to fully test the effects of something

Question 20

What are the three types of experimental designs.

Answer 20

D stand for divide the participants
- independent measures
- repeated measures
- matched pairs /participants

Question 21

What are independent measures

Answer 21

Participants are randomly allocated one of the experimental conditions

Question 22

What is the strength of independent measures

Answer 22

No risk of order effect

Question 23

What is the weakness of independent measures

Answer 23

• high risk of individual measures
• inefficient use of participants as each person is only used once

Question 24

What are repeated measures

Answer 24

Participants take part in all the experimental conditions

Question 25

What are the strengths of repeated measures

Answer 25

-no risk of individual differences
- efficient use of participants as the same people are used more than once

Question 26

What are the weaknesses of repeated measures

Answer 26

-high risk of order effects
-more prone to demand characteristics

Question 27

What is matched pairs/ participants

Answer 27

Researcher allocates participants to each group carefully to ensure that the groups match in terms of key characteristics

Question 28

What are the strengths of matched pairs / participants

Answer 28

• reduced risk of Individual differences
  -no risk of order effects

Question 29

What is the weakness of matched pairs/ participants

Answer 29

-very difficult to put in place, having to measure and identify suitable criteria

Question 30

What is an order effect

Answer 30

Can occur when participants experience multiple conditions and their performance beyond the first condition is influenced as they have done it before . They could either perform better due to practice or become bored or fatigued so score lower

Question 31

What is counterbalancing

Answer 31

When tasks are presented in different orders to prevent order effects influencing the results

Question 32

What are the four types of extraneous variables

Answer 32

-situational variables
-participant variables
-experimenter variable
- expectation effect

Question 33

What are situational variables

Answer 33

Anything environmental that could affect participants behaviour

Question 34

How do you control situational variables

Answer 34

Keep the environment as similar as possible for all participants

Question 35

What are participant variables

Answer 35

Any differences between the participants that isn’t accounted for in the iv

Question 36

How do you control participât variables

Answer 36

• large sample size to minimise participant variables
• random allocation of group
• use repeated measures however this can lead to order effects so counterbalancing may have to be used
• matched pairs

Question 37

What are experimental variables

Answer 37

The research may unconsciously convey to the participants how they should behave. This can lead to demand characteristics such as changing behaviour to please the experimenter. Wanting to appear as normal or they may be Adair’s or being assessed so they may be affected by evaluation apprehension

Question 38

What is the expectation effect

Answer 38

When the researcher is so deeply committed to achieving a particular outcome they lead to a self- fulling prophecy.

Question 39

How do you control the expectation effect

Answer 39

Give the same standardised instructions so there is less possibility that the investigator can communicate expectations. Also it means that the only difference in the study is the iv

Question 40

What is a pilot study and what is the purpose of conducting them

Answer 40

A small scale trial of the research that is run before the real thing. It helps the researcher to identify potential problems in the study that could lead to extraneous variables.