Research methods :)

• what is an experiment


  way of conducting research in a controlled way
• what is laboratory experiment

  • conducted in a highly controlled environment
  • controls all relevant variables except one key variable
  • conducted in artificial setting
• strengths of laboratory experiment

  • confounding variables limited
  • experiment can be replicated to check validity
  • can establish casual relationship - effect won't be from confounding variables --> high internal validity
• weakness of laboratory experiment

  • artificial setting so artificial behaviour - low external validity
  • demand characteristics - participants are aware they are in an experiment so their behaviour may be unnatural
  • low mundane realism - asked to carry out experiments that don't represent daily life
  • ethics - deception used so no informed consent
• what is field research

  • IV is manipulated in a natural everyday setting
  • researcher goes to participant's usual environment - not in a lab
  • key variable still altered to measure effect
• strengths of field experiments

  • can establish casual relationships
  • high external validity - experiment is more natural
  • demand characteristics avoided as participants are unaware
  • valid + authentic behaviour
  • higher mundane realism
• weakness of field experiments

  • confounding variables are more likely
  • hard to establish casual relationship
  • ethical issues - no informed consent + invasion of privacy
• what is a natural experiment

  • researcher looks at how IV, which isn't manipulated, affects DV
  • IV is not manipulated as a natural event is measured
  • participants are allocated to conditions randomly
• strengths of natural experiments

  • opportunity to research things that otherwise cannot be researched due to practical or ethical issues
  • high ecological validity - behaviour is natural
  • less demand characteristics
• weakness of natural experiment

  • cannot establish casual relationship as IV is not being manipulated so confounding variables may be possible
  • ethics - deception used so informed consent is hard + confidentiality may be compromised if community is identifiable
  • naturally occurring events are rare - reduces research opportunity
  • low external validity - cannot generalise to other situations
• what is quasi experiment

  • has an IV on an existing difference between people e.g. gender
  • IV cannot be changed
  • DV may be naturally occurring or devised by researcher
• strength of quasi experiment

  • carried out in controlled conditions - can be replicated
  • high ecological validity - can generalise results to real life
• weakness of quasi experiment

  • cannot randomly allocate participants - confounding variables can affect results
  • hard to establish casual relationship as IV is not directly manipulated
• ecological validity vs external validity

  • ecological validity - whether studies can be generalised to real world settings of what is being measured
  • external validity - whether studies can be established to other contexts
• Case studies 


  • Intensive descriptions of a single individual or case
  • Allow researchers to analyse unusual cases in a lot of detail
• Strength of case studies 


  • Rich data - researchers have the opportunity to study rare phenomena in a lot of detail
  • Unique cases - can challenge existing ideas and theories, and suggest ideas for future research
• Limitations of case studies 


  • Casual relationships - cause and effect of a relationship cannot be established
  • Generalisation - only studying a single case makes generalising the results extremely difficult
  • Ethics - informed consent can be difficult to obtain in some cases
• Content analysis 


  • Involves assessing behaviours, words or concepts
  • Research method used to analyse secondary data and data that was already collected. Involves splitting the data into assigned categories
• Strengths of content analysis 


  • Inexpensive
  • Ethics - may be fewer ethical issues as participants aren't directly involved
• Limitations of content analysis 


  • Data analysis - analysing data can be time consuming
  • Subjectivity - interpretation and categorising data can be subjective