Laboratory

Cards (27)

  • What type of experiments are carried out in an artificial but tightly controlled environment?
    Laboratory experiments
  • What is manipulated by the researcher in a laboratory experiment?
    The independent variable (IV)
  • What is measured in a laboratory experiment?
    The effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable
  • In a laboratory experiment, what groups are typically involved?
    An experimental group and a control group
  • Why are extraneous variables controlled in laboratory experiments?
    To ensure that no other variables affect the findings
  • Who conducted an experiment on the effects of prison on the behavior of guards and prisoners?
    Zimbardo
  • What was Milgram's experiment focused on?
    Obedience to an authority figure
  • What did Bandura's experiment investigate?
    The effects of role models on aggressive behavior
  • What are the theoretical advantages of laboratory experiments according to positivists?
    • High reliability due to standardized procedures
    • Cause and effect conclusions can be drawn
    • Internal validity is high
    • Scientific laws and predictions can be generated
  • What increases reliability in laboratory experiments?
    Standardized procedures
  • How does high reliability benefit laboratory experiments?
    It allows studies to be easily repeated to test for consistency of results
  • In Milgram's original study, what was consistent among participants?
    All participants asked the same questions to the learners
  • What is a confounding variable?
    A variable that was not controlled for and affects the internal validity of the study
  • What effect can demand characteristics have on a study?
    They can influence participants' behavior
  • What is the Hawthorne effect?
    When participants change their behavior because they know they are being studied
  • How do interpretivists view the cause and effect conclusions drawn from laboratory experiments?
    They claim human behavior cannot be explained solely in terms of cause and effect
  • What is a practical advantage of laboratory experiments?
    They are easier to set up than other types of experiments
  • What is a limitation of laboratory experiments regarding ethical considerations?
    It is not always ethical to create distressing life events in a lab
  • What are the theoretical disadvantages of laboratory experiments according to interpretivists?
    • Low ecological validity due to artificial settings
    • Internal validity lowered by the Hawthorne effect
    • Experimenter effects can bias results
    • Human behavior cannot be fully explained through experimentation
  • Why do interpretivists argue that laboratory experiments are not representative?
    Because they often have small sample sizes
  • What is a challenge in studying society in a laboratory setting?
    The complexity of real-world situations makes it difficult to control all variables
  • Why is it difficult to study large-scale social phenomena in a lab?
    Because it is impossible to control all the variables affecting behavior
  • What ethical issues can arise from laboratory experiments?
    Creating psychological harm such as stress and anxiety
  • What happened to one participant in Zimbardo's study?
    One prisoner participant had to be released due to severe depression
  • Why did Milgram use deception in his study?
    To prevent demand characteristics and ensure valid results
  • What justification did Milgram provide for using deception in his study?
    The benefits of the findings to society outweighed the costs
  • What are the key ethical considerations in laboratory experiments?
    • Avoiding psychological harm
    • Ensuring informed consent
    • Debriefing participants
    • Minimizing deception