Research Methords : Types Of Experiment Flashcards
(19 cards)
What is a lab experiment
Conducted in highly controlled environments.
An experiment that takes place in a controlled environment within which the researcher manipultes the IV and records the effect on the DV, whilst maintaining strict control over EV’s
Strength of a lab experiment
High control over confounding variables and extraneous variables
This means the researcher can ensure that any affect on the DV is likely top be the result of the manipulation of the IV
Thus we can be more certain about demonstrating cause and effect relationships (high internal validity)
Another strength of a lab experiment
Replication is more possible than in other types of experiment because of the high level of control.
This ensures that new extraneous variables are not introduced when repeating an experiment.
Replication is vital to check the results of any study to see whether the finding is valid and not just a one off.
Limitation of lab experiment
Lack generalisability.
The lab environment may be artificial and not like everyday life.
Behaviour cannot be generalised beyond the research setting (low external validity)
Limitation of lab experiment
Participants may be aware that they are being studied so this may give rise to unnatural behaviour
Demand characteristics
Please u and screw u effect
Limitation of lab experiment
The tasks participants are asked to carry out in a lab experiment may not represent everyday experience
Low mundane realism
What is a field experiment
The IV is manipulated in a natural, more everyday setting.
The researcher goes to the participants’ usual rather than in a lab experiment, participants going to a researchers lab
Strength of field experiment
Higher mundane realism because the environment is more natural
Behaviour is more valid and authentic
Participants may be unaware they are being studied
Limitation of field experiment
Loss of control of CV’s and EV’s
Cause and effect between IV and DV in field studies may be difficult to establish
Precise replication is often not possible
Limitation of field experiment
Ethical issues
Participants are unaware they are being studied so cannot consent
So invasion of privacy
Natural experiment
Researcher has no control over the IV and cannot change it
Someone or something causes the IV to vary
Eg. Natural disaster or whether a child is in hospital at age 5 or 10
The IV is natural
DV is naturally occurring
Strength of natural environment
Provide opportunities for research that may not have been undertaken for practical or ethical reasons
High external validity because they involve the study of real world issues and problems as they happen
Such as the effects of a natural disaster on stress levels
Limitations of natural experiments
Naturally occurring event may happen very rarely
Reducing the opportunities for opportunities
This may limit the scope for generalising findings to other similar situations
Limitation of natural experiment
Participants may not be randomly allocated to experimental conditions
The researcher may be less sure that theIV caused a change on the DV
Quasi experiment
Have an IV based on existing differences between people eg AGE/GENDER
No one manipulates IV
IV cannot be changed however in natural IV can be changed
DV may be naturally occurring or may be devised by the experimenter and measure in a field or lab
Limitation of quasi experiment
Cannot randomly allocate participants to conditions and therefore there may be confounding variables
IV in not deliberately changed by the researcher and therefore we cannot claim that the IV has caused any observed change
