Experiemental Methods [S&W]

Question 1

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of a lab experiment

Answer 1

Strengths
- Highly controlled environment, less chance of extraneous variables
- Standardised procedures/easy to replicate

Weaknesses
- Low ecological validity
- Demand characteristics

Question 2

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of a field experiment

Answer 2

Strengths
- High ecological validity
- Mundane realism is high

Weaknesses
- Difficult to replicate
- Less control over extraneous or confounding variables

Question 3

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of a Natural experiment

Answer 3

Strengths
- High ecological validity
- No active manipulation of IV because of ethical issues

Weaknesses
- Difficult to establish cause and effect due to no manipulation of IV
- Confounding variables

Question 4

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of Quasi experiments

Answer 4

Strengths
- Useful when ‘true’ experiments are unethical
- Valuable insights into real world situations

Weaknesses
- No random allocation, not a ‘true’ experiment
- Bias when no random allocation

Question 5

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of a lab enviroment

Answer 5

Strengths
- High control and can control extraneous variables
- Repeatability to ensure validity is easy

Weaknesses
- Low ecological validity
- Demand characteristics

Question 6

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of a field enviroment

Answer 6

Strengths
- High ecological validity
- Less demand characteristics

Weaknesses
- Unethical to observe without their knowledge
- Lack of control over extraneous variables

Question 7

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of conducting research online

Answer 7

Strengths
- Mass audience, high variety of data
- Cheaper to conduct

Weaknesses
- Cannot ensure participants are being truthful
- Social desirability bias/demand characteristics

Question 8

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of independent experimental design

Answer 8

Strengths
- No order effects as everyone only does one condition
- Reduced demand characteristics

Weaknesses
- Higher number of participants required
- Participant variables more of an issue

Solution
- Random allocation to spread across the differences in participants between the different conditions

Question 9

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of repeated measures design

Answer 9

Strengths
- Less participants as everyone completes every condition
- Less effects from participant variables

Weaknesses
- Order effects very likely to effect participants
- More chance of demand characteristics

Solution
- Counter balancing. One half does condition A then B, the other does B then A [ABBA]

Question 10

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of matched pair design

Answer 10

Strengths
- Reduces effects of individual differences (ppt variables)
- Less exposure to order effects

Weaknesses
- Time consuming and difficult to implement
- Ppts with no match are left from the study, even if their data is valuable

Solution
- Already minimises participants but the more variables the pairs are matched on the better the match will be.
- Best example would be identical twins

Question 11

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses for Random sampling

Answer 11

Strengths
- Bias is limited as researcher doesn’t pick the participants
- everyone has an equal chance of being selected

Weaknesses
- Time consuming to make a list of individuals in a large population
- Not necessarily the most representative as only one type of person could be selected e.g age or gender.

Question 12

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of self selected sampling

Answer 12

Strengths
- Ethical way of selection as everyone wants to do it
- Not time consuming as participants approach the researcher

Weaknesses
- Often all similar types of people, e.g extroverts
- Demand characteristics

Question 13

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of stratified sampling

Answer 13

Strengths
- Random allocation
- Very representative

Weaknesses
- Difficult to identify the sub categories
- Time consuming and requires organisation

Question 14

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of quota sampling

Answer 14

Strengths
- Convenient for the researcher as they make the final selection
- Representative

Weaknesses
- Room for bias as researcher makes final selection
- Requires organisation so is time consuming

Question 15

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of Systematic sampling

Answer 15

Strengths
- Unbiased as it is Quasi random
- Quick to carry out once frame is created

Weaknesses
- Not very flexible, people outside the nth person aren’t included even if data is useful
- No equal chance of being selected

Question 16

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of snowball sampling

Answer 16

Strengths
- Great for a very niche target population
- Easy for the researcher

Weaknesses
- Trail of contacts may suddenly end, not a large enough group of participants
- Not random as each new contact is selected by the last (bias)

Question 17

Name 2 strengths and weaknesses of opportunity sampling

Answer 17

Strengths
- Convenient and quick to carry out
- Economical

Weaknesses
- Biased, those chosen are those who look approachable/helpful
- Not representative as there may be similar types of people in that area