pilot studies

Question 1

pilot study

Answer 1

a small scale version of an investigation that takes place before the real investigation is conducted. the aim is to check that procedures, materials, measuring scale etc all work. It also allows the researchers to make any necessary changes and identify issues.

Question 2

single blind procedure

Answer 2

any info that might create expectations isn’t revealed to pps until the end of the study so confounding variables such as dc’s can be controlled. they aren’t told the aim.

Question 3

double blind procedure

Answer 3

neither pps nor the researcher are told the aim of the research. often a feature of drug trials. treatment my be given to pps by someone who is independent of the study who doesn’t know which drugs are real and which are placebos. if they don’t know which pps took real drugs, expectations can’t influence ppt behaviour

Question 4

control groups and conditions

Answer 4

control groups are used as a comparison and to set a baseline. If the change in behaviour in experimental group is significantly greater than control, researcher can conclude the cause of this was the IV.
Having 2 groups is an independent design but we can also have controlled conditions in a repeated measures design- each ppt takes part twice, once in experimental once in control