lab experiments are conducted in a tightly controlled environment. The experimenter deliberately manipulates the independent variable
Evaluation of lab experiments
S - high control over extraneous variables, leading to high internal validity
S - high control means they are reliable as they can be replicated with similar results
W - artificial environments lead to low ecological validity
Field experiments
field experiments are conducted in more natural environments. The experimenter deliberately manipulates the independent variable
Evaluation of field experiments
S - high ecological validity
S - reduced demand characteristics
W - low control over extraneous variables
Quasi experiments
quasi experiments have an independent variable that is based on an existing difference between people (for example, age or gender)
quasi experiments can be conducted in tightly controlled environments. The experimenter does not manipulate the independent variable, it simply pre-exists
Evaluation of quasi experiments
S - high control over extraneous variables, leading to high internal validity (when done in a lab setting)
W - low control over confounding variables
Natural experiments
these are not true experiments because there is no manipulation of the independent variable
natural experiments are conducted in a natural environments. The experimenter has no control over the independent variable (this is the defining feature of a natural experiment)
