Experimental Designs Flashcards
(17 cards)
What is the definition of experimental design?
The different ways in which participants can be organised in relation to the experimental conditions.
Define independent groups design
An independent groups design is when two separate groups of participants experience two different conditions of the experiment.
What happens when there are two different levels of the independent variable?
It means that all participants experience one level of the IV only.
Give an example to show how an independent groups design would work.
For example, one group of participants (group one) experience condition A which is the experimental condition (one level of the IV).
A different group of participants (group 2) experience condition B, which is the control condition.
What is a repeated measures design?
A repeated measures design is when all participants experience both conditions of the experiment.
Give an example of how a repeated measures design would work
Each participant would experience condition A, which is the experimental condition,
They would then later be tested again in condition B, the control condition.
How would experiments generate their findings from using a repeated measures design?
They would compare to see if there was a difference between the two mean scores.
What is a matched pairs design?
Participants are paired together on a variable or variables relevant to the experiment.
Give an example of how you match pairs in a matched pairs design
When studying memory IQ and recall may affect each other, therefore would you make pairs where they have similar IQ’s starting the top two with the highest IQ.
What do you do once pairs are matched in a matched pairs design?
One participants from each pair are allocated to a different condition of the experiment.
Why is a matched pairs design used?
It is an attempt to control for the confounding variables of participant variables.
What is the major issue with independent groups design?
Participants in different groups may vary significantly in terms of participants variables which can affect the results.
How can participant variables impact the validity of research findings in independent groups?
Mean differences between groups on the dependent variable may be due to participant variables rather than the independent variable, therefore acting as confounding variables.
What method do researchers use to address issues with participant variables in independent groups design?
Random allocation
Why are independent groups designs considered less economical than repeated measures design?
They reduce twice as many participants to achieve equivalent data, leading to increased time and cost for recruitment.
What is a key strength using independent groups design?
Order effects are not a problem, unlike in repeated measures design.
Why are participants less likely to guess the aims of the study in independent groups design?
Each participant only contributes a single result,m limiting exposure to the experimental conditions.
