Types Of Experiments

Question 1

Laboratory Experiment

Answer 1

Controlled environment
Researcher manipulates IV and records effect on DV

Question 2

Laboratory Experiment (strength)

Answer 2

High control over extraneous and confounding variables
High internal validity
Replication is more possible

Question 3

Laboratory Experiment (weaknesses)

Answer 3

Lacks generalisability
Participants may guess aims
Low mundane realism (artificial and unrealistic)

Question 4

Field Experiment

Answer 4

Natural setting
Researcher manipulates IV and records effect on DV
May include stooges (fake participants)

Question 5

Field Experiment (strengths)

Answer 5

High mundane realism
Higher validity due to authentic behaviour
High external validity

Question 6

Field Experiment (weaknesses)

Answer 6

Loss of control over CV and EV
Replication is more difficult
Ethical issues (ppts may be unaware they are being studied)

Question 7

Natural Experiment

Answer 7

Change in IV is not made by the researcher (would have occurred if the researcher wasn’t there/happened naturally)

Question 8

Natural Experiment (strengths)

Answer 8

Opportunities for research that may not be done due to ethical or practical reasons
High external validity

Question 9

Natural Experiment (weaknesses)

Answer 9

Naturally occurring events are rare
Difficult to replicate
Participants cannot be randomly allocated

Question 10

Quasi Experiment

Answer 10

IV not determined by researcher
Variables simple exist (Old and Young etc.)
IV based on natural differences between groups (age, gender, race)

Question 11

Quasi Experiment (strengths)

Answer 11

Controlled conditions
Can be replicated

Question 12

Quasi Experiment (weaknesses)

Answer 12

Cannot randomly allocate participants
IV not deliberately changed meaning cannot claim the IV caused the observed change
May have confounding variables