Experiments Flashcards
(16 cards)
What are the two types of experiments?
Lab experiments
Field experiments
What are Lab experiments?
Variables are manipulated and highly controlled by the researchers which can determine cause and effect of a study.
Where do Labs take place?
Artificial settings such as a Lab, structured classroom, etc.
What makes Lab studies reliable?
standardised procedure, set timings and everything kept the same for every participant, which makes the study very replicable to test for reliability.
What data is gathered from Lab experiments?
quantitative data such as scores on a memory test
What are two examples of Lab experiments?
- Milgram
- Baddeley
What are two strengths of lab experiments?
- Variables are controlled, increasing validity (C+E) and reliability (standardised)
- Can gain cause and effect, meaning we can determine the relationship between variables due to no EVs.
Why is there low ecological validity in Lab experiments?
because it is a structured environment and not a realistic one, like a park, so the findings are not reflective of how participants may respond to a scenario when they are not being studied.
Why are lab experiments high in demand characteristics?
because participants know they are being studied so will want to perform to what they think the researcher wants. This is a weakness as it is not reflective of their genuine behaviour and decreases the validity of the results.
What is a field experiment?
An experiment where a researcher has control over the IV to see if the results on the DV determine cause and effect. There is less control due to being conducted in real-life settings, so there are extraneous variables.
Why are field studies harder to replicate?
They are not standardised, there is not control over the timings, etc, making it harder to test for reliability.
Why are field studies high in ecological validity?
The studies are conducted in natural settings such as a park, etc, making the responses of the participants more representative of their natural behaviour.
Why do field experiments have reduced demand characteristics?
Participants often don’t know they’re being studied, so their reactions to a study e.g., a confederate, are not altered by the wants of the researcher, making the findings more valid.
How do we gain cause and effect in Field studies?
The researcher has control over the IV and DV.
However, there is less control over EVs
Why are field studies low in reliabilty?
They are not standardised as there are Extraneous Variables. This means we cannot replicate the study exactly to test for reliability.
Why are EVs a weakness in field experiments?
We cannot directly guarantee that the IV caused the DV as there are other variables that couldn’t be controlled, meaning the results may lack validity.
