Unit 9 - Research Methods Flashcards
What are the 4 types of different types of experiments?
laboratory
field
quasi
natural
What is a laboratory experiment?
takes place in a controlled environment
not necessarily in lab
researchers manipulates IV and records effect on DV
very determinist
What is a field experiment?
takes place in a natural, everyday setting
researcher manipulates IV and records the effect on DV
What is a quasi experiment?
the IV is based on an existing difference between people e.g age
no-one manipulates the IV
What is a natural experiment?
researchers takes advantage of a pre-existing IV
the Iv is not brought about by researcher, it would of happened if the researcher was not there
What is an example of lab study?
Milgram’s
What are the strengths of a lab study?
easy to replicate as standardized procedure
control of extraneous and independent variables
What are the limitations of a lab study?
the fakeness of setting may cause unnatural behaviour , that does not reflect real life - low ecological validity
demand characteristics or researcher may bias the results and become confounding variables
What are the strengths of a field study?
behaviour is most likely to reflect real life because of its natural setting - high ecological validity
less likelihood of demand characteristics to affect results as participants might not know they are being studied.
What are the limitations of a field study?
there is less control over extraneous variables that might bias the results. This makes it harder for another researcher to replicate the study in the same way
What are the strengths of a natural study?
behavior is most likely to reflect real life because of its natural setting - high ecological validity
there is less likelihood of demand characteristics affecting results, as participants might not know they are being studied
can be used in situations in which it would be ethically unacceptable to manipulate the IV e.g researching stress
What are the limitations of a natural study?
they may be more expensive and time consuming compared to lab
there is no control over extraneous variables that might bias the results. Makes it difficult to replicate the same again
Def for ecological validity
the degree to which investigation represents real-life experiences
Def for demand characteristics
the clues in an experiment that lead the participants to think they know what the researcher is looking for
Def for independent variable
variable that the researcher manipulates - changes
Def for dependent variable
variable the researcher measures - stays the same
Def for extraneous variable
all variables, which are not independent variables, but could affect the DV of the experiment
Def for confounding variable
variables that affect the results (DV), apart from IV.
Def for random allocation
randomly allocating participants to IV conditions means that all participants have an equal chance of taking part in each condition
Def of aims
a statement of what the researcher intends to find out in a research study
Def of hypothesis
a precise and testable statement about the assumed relationship between variables
Def of operationalise
making sure that variables are in a form that can be easily tested
Def of standardised procedures
a set of procedures that are the same for all participants in order to be able to repeat the study
Def of directional hypothesis
states the direction of the prediction
