Locations of Experiments Flashcards
Laboratory
In an artificial environment where the researcher has a high level of control over the main aspects of the situation in order to establish cause and effect.
Field
Usually, in the natural environment of the participants. The researcher manipulates the IV but has little control over other aspects of the situation.
Online
Via social networking, email, questionnaires.
Features of a Lab Experiment:
-Artificial
-Participants know they are being studied
An Example of a Lab Experiment:
Loftus and Palmer (1974)- Loftus and Palmer investigated the effects of leading questions upon estimations of speed. Participants were shown short video clips of car accidents and then asked a critical question involving one of the following verbs; smashed, hit, collided, bumped and contacted.
‘About how fast were the cars going when they _________ into each other?’
Demand Characteristics
As participants are aware they are being studied, they change their behavior and as a result, we cannot be sure if the behavior they show in the study is their ‘real’ or ‘true’ behavior.
Features of a Field Experiment:
-The researcher measures the DV whilst manipulating the IV.
-Less controlled by the researcher as it takes place in a natural environment.
-Carried out in an everyday location.
-The IV is still manipulated by the researcher.
An Example of a Field Experiment:
Bickmann (1974)- tested the effects of perceived authority on obedience. Confederates of Bickmann dressed either in a jacket and tie, a milkman’s uniform or as a guard. They made requests to passers-by such as asking them to pick up litter or give someone money for a parking meter.
Participants obeyed the most when the confederate was dressed as a guard. This suggests that we are more likely to obey someone who looks like they have authority than someone who does not.
Quasi Experiments (Natural Experiment)
-IV varies naturally (no manipulation). The researcher does not manipulate the IV directly.
-Used when unethical or impractical to manipulate the variable tested.
-There is no random allocation by the researcher.
-The DV can be tested in a lab.
Quasi Experiments (Difference Studies)
-IV varies naturally (no manipulation). The difference simply exists between people so it is not actually seen as a ‘true’ IV.
-Used when the researcher is interested in a difference that already exists e.g. gender, mental health disorders, age.
-There is no random allocation by the researcher.
-The DV can be tested in a lab.
Features of a Quasi Experiment:
-Naturally occurring IV or differences.
-Used in a study that cannot practically or ethically be manipulated.
-No random allocation to conditions by the researcher.
-Can be conducted in a lab.
Mundane Realism
The extent to which the findings of the study can be applied to real life, in terms of whether the tasks the participants perform are realistic and everyday tasks.
Ecological Validity
The extent to which findings of the study can be applied in the ‘real world’, e.g. do the findings reflect other environments/situations outside of the experiment?
Online Experiments (Strengths)
-Recruit large number of participants, worldwide, quickly via email or specialized online communications.
-Large sample at low cost as participants do not need to be paid for turning up and researchers do not need to be paid to give instructions or carry out a study.
-Access to various online groups to study social processes, e.g. social influences.
Online Experiments (Weaknesses)
-Participants who take part in online experiments may be very similar e.g., young, stressed, extroverted.
-Anyone can conduct research online and publish it online so there may be questions over the quality of some online experiments.
-May be more ethical issues as online the researcher cannot monitor the participants behavior closely.
