Experimental Designs

Question 1

Independent Group Design

Answer 1

2 separate groups experience 2 separate conditions of the experiment

Question 2

Independent Group Design (strengths)

Answer 2

Order effects are not a problem
Participants are less likely to guess aims and cause demand characteristics

Question 3

Independent Group Design (weaknesses)

Answer 3

Participants are not the same in terms of their variables
Less economical than repeated measures

Question 4

Repeated Measure Design

Answer 4

All participants experience both conditions of the experiment

Question 5

Repeated Measure Design (strength)

Answer 5

Performance may improve due to practice
Fewer participants needed
Participants variables are controlled

Question 6

Repeated Measure Design (weaknesses)

Answer 6

Participants could become bored or fatigued which will reduce performances
More likely to guess aims of the study which will cause demand characteristics

Question 7

Matched Pair Design

Answer 7

Participants are paired together based on variables
One from each pair is allocated to a different condition of the experiment

Question 8

Matched Pair Design (strength)

Answer 8

Order effects and demand characteristics are less of a problem
Participants are more similar to each other (comparison)

Question 9

Matched Pair Design (weaknesses)

Answer 9

Participants can never be matched exactly
Less economical as matching is time consuming and expensive

Question 10

Random Allocation

Answer 10

Used in Independent Group Design
Each participant has the same chance of being in one condition as any other

Question 11

Counterbalancing

Answer 11

Used to control the effects of order in repeated measure design (half does the conditions in one order. Other half in the reverse order)