Research Methods

• What is the main principle of a laboratory experiment?


  The experimenter has full control over what happens in the experiment
• What are environmental factors in a lab experiment?


  Factors like noise, temperature, and instructions given to participants
• What is the independent variable in an experiment?


  The factor that is changed between conditions
• What is the dependent variable in an experiment?


  The variable that is measured to see the effect of the independent variable
• How might changing the color of light in a room affect an experiment?

  It could influence the recall of numbers
• What is a key advantage of lab experiments?


  They allow for a confident suggestion of a cause and effect relationship
• What does high internal validity in lab experiments mean?


  What they have measured is true and due to the independent variable
• What is ecological validity?


  The extent to which findings can be generalized to real-world settings
• What is mundane realism?


  The extent to which tasks used in an experiment resemble real-world tasks
• What are demand characteristics?


  When participants change their behavior because they know they are in an experiment
• What is a field experiment?


  An experiment conducted in a real-world setting
• What is a strength of field experiments?


  They have increased external validity due to naturalistic behavior
• What is mundane realism in field experiments?


  The tasks used are more likely to be real-world tasks
• What is a weakness of field experiments?


  Lack of control over extraneous variables
• What are extraneous variables?


  Variables that may change the measurement of the dependent variable
• What is a natural experiment?


  An experiment where the independent variable has already occurred naturally
• What is a strength of natural experiments?


  They allow research in areas that could not be studied otherwise
• What is a weakness of natural experiments?


  Researchers have no control over the experiment
• What is a quasi-experiment?


  An experiment where participants cannot be randomly assigned to conditions
• What is a strength of quasi-experiments?


  They are the only way to study certain factors
• What is a weakness of quasi-experiments?


  Differences in groups may go beyond group membership
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of laboratory experiments?

  Strengths:

  • High internal validity
  • High replicability
  • Clear cause and effect relationships

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Low external validity
  • Lack of ecological validity
  • Demand characteristics
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of field experiments?


  Strengths:

  • Increased external validity
  • Higher ecological validity
  • More naturalistic behavior

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Lack of control over extraneous variables
  • Reduced internal validity
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of natural experiments?


  Strengths:

  • Research in ethically sensitive areas
  • High external validity

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • No control over variables
  • Cannot replicate easily
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of quasi-experiments?


  Strengths:

  • Only way to study certain factors

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Confounding variables may exist
• What is the purpose of the tutorial videos mentioned in the study material?


  To cover the AS and A-level research methods sections with examples and exam tips
• Who can access the tutorial videos on psych boost?

  Patrons at the neuron level and above
• What is the role of patrons in the development of the research methods unit?


  Their support allows the creator to teach part-time and produce content
• What is the final topic discussed in the video?

  Observations