General Flashcards
(9 cards)
What are the 4 types of experiment?
Lab Experiments
Field Experiments
Natural Experiments
Quasi Experiments
Define lab experiments
researcher manipulates the IV and randomly assigns participants to the two IV conditions. The IV takes place in an artificial setting and participants are aware they are part of a study
Outline the strengths and limitations of lab experiments.
Strengths:
high levels of control therefore replicable
measured as accurately as possible
Limitations:
can lead to demand characteristics
lacks ecological validity
Define field experiments.
done in everyday environment of participants and the researcher still randomly allocates conditions of the IV.
Outline the strengths and limitations of field experiments.
Strengths:
high ecological validity
reasonable internal and external validity
Limitations:
can’t control extraneous variables
ethical problems of consent
more difficult to replicate
Define natural experiments.
study the effect of an independent variable which has not been planned or manipulated. the IV has occured because of a naturally occuring event
Outline the strengths and limitations of natural experiments.
Strengths:
high ecological validity
demand characteristics not a problem
Limitations:
can’t randomly allocate participants to conditions so can lead to sample bias
ethical issues due to a lack of informed consent
Define quasi experiments.
can’t randomly allocate participants because the IV occurs due to a pre-existing variable in the individual. there is no control condition so it’s usually a comparison between the two conditions
Outline the strengths and limitations of quasi experiments.
Strengths:
high external validity than most experiments
useful when it’s unethical to manipulate the IV
Limitations:
confounding environment variables are more likely
have to wait for the IV to occur
less internal validity because participants are aware they are being studied
