research methods: 2

Question 1

what’s an independent groups design?

Answer 1

where different ppts are used in each condition

Question 2

strengths of an independent groups design?

Answer 2

there’s no order effects because ppts only take part in 1 condition

Question 3

limitations of independent groups design

Answer 3

researcher can’t control the effects of the ppt variables so there’s potential error because of individual differences
isn’t economical because more ppts are needed
(dealt with by random distribution to conditions)

Question 4

what’s a repeated measures design?

Answer 4

where the same ppts are used in both conditions

Question 5

strengths of repeated measures deign?

Answer 5

ppts variables won’t impact results

more economical as less ppts are used

Question 6

limitations of repeated measures design

Answer 6

could lead to problems with order effects and ppts performing differently in each condition (dealt with counterbalencing)
may work out the aims and change their behaviour (dealt with a cover story)

Question 7

what’s a matched pairs design?

Answer 7

where ppts are paired on key characteristics that will effect the results of an experiment e.g. memory, IQ

Question 8

strengths of matches pairs design?

Answer 8

no order effects because they only do 1 condition

ppt variables are reduced

Question 9

limitations of a matched pairs design?

Answer 9

difficult/time consuming to match ppts (dealt with by restricting the number of key variables to make it easier)
not possible to eliminate/control all ppt variables because individual differences are complex

Question 10

what’s a lab experiment?

Answer 10

an experiment conducted in a special environment where variables are carefully controlled

Question 11

strengths of a lab experiment?

Answer 11

high control over extraneous variables to establish a cause and effect relationship
results can be repeated

Question 12

limitations of a lab experiment?

Answer 12

low in ecological validity as artificial environments don’t represent real life so we can’t generalise findings
demand characteristics could be a problem so behaviour may be unnatural
low in mundane realism

Question 13

what’s a field experiment?

Answer 13

an experiment conducted in a natural environment but the IV is still manipulated

Question 14

strengths of a field experiment?

Answer 14

high ecological validity because it’s in a natural setting and can be generalised
high mundane realism because the experiment reflects real life so behaviour is more authentic

Question 15

limitations of a field experiment?

Answer 15

less control of EV’s
more difficult to establish cause and effect
difficult to replicate because there may be a different set of EV’s
ethical issues - may be an invasion of privacy if no concent

Question 16

what’s a natural experiment?

Answer 16

where the IV occurs naturally e.g. age, gender

and is measured in a lab or natural environment

Question 17

strengths of a natural experiment?

Answer 17

allows the researcher to study things that cannot be ethically manipulated from a lab (effects of abuse, brain damage)
high ecological validity/mundane realism because they involve the study of real life issues so it can be generalised to real life

Question 18

limitations of natural experiments?

Answer 18

opportunities to study are rare
if it’s a unique event we can’t generalise findings
no control over co-founding variables and little control over allocation of participants to conditions

Question 19

what’s a quasi experiment?

Answer 19

where the IV is based on an existing difference between people such as age or height

Question 20

strengths of quasi experiments?

Answer 20

often carried out in labs so high control over extraneous variables means results can be replicated

Question 21

limitations of quasi experiments?

Answer 21

cannot randomly allocate participants to conditions

suffer from co-founding variables