Laboratory Experiments

• What is the purpose of lab experiments in a controlled environment?

  To manipulate variables and test hypotheses
• What does manipulating variables in lab experiments allow researchers to do?

  It allows researchers to determine cause-and-effect relationships
• What are the key components of scientific procedures in lab experiments?

  • Aim
  • Independent Variable (IV)
  • Dependent Variable (DV)
  • Hypothesis
• What type of data is collected in lab experiments?

  Quantitative data
• How is quantitative data typically presented?

  In numbers, tables, and graphs
• What is the role of specialized equipment in lab experiments?

  To test variables accurately
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of manipulating variables in lab experiments?

  Strengths:

  • Reliable results can be repeated
  • Researcher can control extraneous variables

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Lacks validity due to controlled conditions
  • Participants may behave unnaturally
  • Demand characteristics may affect results
• Why is reliability important in lab experiments?

  It ensures that results can be repeated consistently
• What does it mean when a study lacks validity?

  It means that the results may not accurately reflect real-world behavior
• How do extraneous variables impact the results of a lab experiment?

  They can introduce bias and affect the outcome
• What are demand characteristics in the context of lab experiments?


  They are cues that inform participants about the expected behavior in the study
• What happens to participants' behavior when they know they are being tested?

  It may become invalid due to awareness of the researcher's expectations