Types of Experiment

Question 1

What are the 4 types of Experiment?

Answer 1

1. Laboratory
2. Field
3. Quasi
4. Natural

Question 1

What happens in Laboratory Experiment?
[3]

Answer 1

• An experiment that takes place in a controlled environment
• Researcher manipulates IV and records effect on DV
• Maintains strict control of extraneous variable

Question 2

What happens in Field Experiment?
[2]

Answer 2

• An experiment conducted in a more natural environment
• Researcher manipulates the IV and records effect on DV

Question 3

What happens in Quasi Experiment?

Answer 3

The IV is a pre-existing difference between people (a characteristic like age, gender, or mental health condition).

Participants cannot be randomly assigned to conditions because the IV is naturally occurring.

Often takes place in controlled settings (e.g., a lab).

🧠 Example:
Comparing memory recall in people with and without brain damage.

Question 4

What happens in Natural Experiment?

Answer 4

The IV is a naturally occurring event or situation, not manipulated by anyone (including the researcher).

Often takes place in real-world settings, but can be in a lab too.

Participants are already in existing groups due to the event/situation.

🧠 Example:
Studying the effects of a natural disaster (like a flood) on stress levels.

Question 5

What is Strengths of Lab?
[2]

Answer 5

• High degree of control - experimenter controls all variables, so more likely to establish cause and effect
• Replication - researchers can repeat experiments and check results

Question 6

What are Limitations of Lab?
[2]

Answer 6

• Demand Characteristics - participants could know they’re being tested
• Low ecological validity - high degree of control, so artificial situation

Question 7

What is Strengths of Field?
[2]

Answer 7

• High ecological validity - more representative of real world
• Less demand characteristics

Question 8

What are the Limitations of Field?
[2]

Answer 8

• Ethical Considerations - invasion of privacy and no informed consent
• Loss of control - less easy to replicate

Question 9

What are the strengths of Quasi experiment?

Answer 9

• High internal validity - usually done in lab conditions
• High level of control and replicability

Question 10

What are the Limitations of Quasi experiment?
[2]

Answer 10

• Can’t randomly allocate participants - confounding variables may be present.
• Less external validity - environment is artificial and unfamiliar so results can’t be generalised beyond setting

Question 11

What is the strengths of Natural experiment?
[2]

Answer 11

• Provides oppurtunities - that may have been impossible otherwise due to ethical/practical issues
• High external validity - you’re dealing with real life issues

Question 12

What are the Limitations of Natural Experiment?
[2]

Answer 12

• Natural occuring events may be rare - so experiment is less replicable, and hard to generalise findings
• Very difficult to randomise participants into groups so confounding/extraneous variables become a problem

Question 13

What does ecological validity mean?

Answer 13

How easy it is to generalise findings of a study into real life

Question 14

Is the environment of the quasi study controlled?

Answer 14

Yes