Types of Experiment

• What are laboratory experiments defined by?

  High level of control over all variables in the study
• What environmental factors are controlled in laboratory experiments?

  Noise and temperature
• How is the independent variable (IV) treated in laboratory experiments?

  The IV is manipulated by the researcher
• What is measured in laboratory experiments?

  Changes in the dependent variable (DV)
• What are the pros and cons of laboratory experiments?

  Pros:

  • Cause and effect relationship between IV and DV
  • High internal validity
  • Easily replicated

  
  

  Cons:

  • Lacks ecological validity
  • Lacks mundane realism
  • Behavior altered due to demand characteristics
• What defines field experiments?

  Conducting the experiment in naturalistic settings
• What are the pros and cons of field experiments?


  Pros:

  • Higher ecological validity
  • Mundane realism
  • No demand characteristics

  
  

  Cons:

  • No control over extraneous variables
  • Change in DV due to participant variables
  • Reduces internal validity
• What are natural experiments characterized by?

  Two levels of independent variables occurring in the real world
• What is an example of a natural experiment?

  A natural disaster event
• How is the independent variable (IV) treated in natural experiments?

  The IV is not changed by the researcher
• What are the pros and cons of natural experiments?


  Pros:

  • Ethical
  • Allows for research in areas that wouldn’t usually happen
  • High external validity
  • No demand characteristics

  
  

  Cons:

  • Extraneous variables cannot be controlled
  • No cause and effect relationship
  • Cannot be replicated as these are rare events
• What defines a quasi-experiment?

  It contains a naturally occurring independent variable
• What does the researcher examine in a quasi-experiment?

  The effect of a naturally occurring variable on the dependent variable (DV)