Experimental Design - RM

Question 1

What is a repeated measures design?

Answer 1

Where you use the SAME participants in each condition of the experiment so that every participant experiences BOTH conditions.

Question 2

What is one strength of a repeated measures design?

Answer 2

There are no participant variables as the person in both conditions has the same characteristics. This controls an important cofounding variable.

Question 3

What is one weakness of a repeated measures design?

Answer 3

Order effects are a problem. Participants may do better or worse when doing a similar task due to practice or fatigue.

Question 4

What is an independent groups design?

Answer 4

Using DIFFERENT participants in each condition of the experiment so that a participant only experiences ONE conditions. These participants can be RANDOMLY ALLOCATED to each of the condition.

Question 5

What is one strength of an independent groups design?

Answer 5

There are no order effects, participants are only tested once so they can’t practise or become bored or tired. This controls an important cofounding variable.

Question 6

What is one weakness of an independent groups design?

Answer 6

Participant variables, participants are in the two groups are different and they are acting as extraneous variables. This can reduce the validity of the study.

Question 7

What is a matched pair design?

Answer 7

Using DIFFERENT, but SIMILAR. participants in each condition of the experiment so that an effort is made to MATCH THE PARTICIPANTS in EACH CONDITION based on important variables such as sex, age ability etc.

Question 8

What is one strength of a matched pair design?

Answer 8

No order effects. Participants are only tested once so no practice or fatigue effects. This enhances validity of the results.

Question 9

What is one weakness of matched pair design?

Answer 9

Matching is not perfect. Matching is time consuming and can’t control all relevant variables. Cannot address all participant variables.