Experimental method

• What does the experimental method involve?

  The manipulation of an independent variable (IV) to affect the dependent variable (DV).
• What is the aim of a research study?

  A statement of what the researcher(s) intend to find out.
• What are independent variables (IV)?

  Variables manipulated in an experiment by the researcher.
• How are dependent variables (DV) defined in an experiment?

  Measured in the experiment and caused by a change to the IV.
• What does it mean to operationalise variables?

  Ensuring that the variables are in a form that can be easily tested.
• Why should variables be defined and measurable?

  To ensure clarity and facilitate testing in the hypothesis.
• What are the types of experiments in research?

  1. Laboratory
  2. Field
  3. Quasi
  4. Natural
• What characterizes a laboratory experiment?

  It takes place in a controlled environment where variables can be managed.
• What is a strength of laboratory experiments?

  They provide a high degree of control over variables.
• What is a weakness of laboratory experiments?

  They may suffer from experimenter bias and low ecological validity.
• What defines a field experiment?

  An experiment conducted in a natural environment with controlled variables.
• What is a strength of field experiments?

  They yield more natural behaviors, leading to high ecological validity.
• What is a weakness of field experiments?

  They may raise ethical considerations and lose control over extraneous variables.
• What is a quasi-experiment?

  An experiment where the IV naturally exists and is not manipulated by the researcher.
• What is a strength of quasi-experiments?

  They can be conducted under controlled conditions, providing high internal validity.
• What is a weakness of quasi-experiments?

  They cannot randomly allocate participants, leading to potential confounding variables.
• What characterizes a natural experiment?

  An experiment where the IV occurs naturally and would happen regardless of the researcher.
• What is a strength of natural experiments?

  They provide opportunities for research that would otherwise be impossible.
• What is a weakness of natural experiments?

  They may involve rare events, making them hard to replicate and generalize.
• Why is randomization difficult in natural experiments?

  Participants cannot be easily assigned to groups, leading to confounding variables.
• What does control refer to in research?

  Control refers to the extent to which any variable is held constant or regulated by a researcher.
• What is a confounding variable?

  A confounding variable is a variable under study that varies systematically with the independent variable.
• Why can changes in the dependent variable be meaningless in the presence of a confounding variable?

  Changes in the dependent variable may be due to the confounding variable rather than the independent variable.
• What are extraneous variables?

  Extraneous variables do not act as an alternative independent variable but may affect the dependent variable.
• Why should extraneous variables be controlled if possible?

  They should be controlled because they may affect the dependent variable but not in a systematic way.
• What does mundane realism refer to?

  Mundane realism refers to how a study mirrors the real world.
• What is the significance of a lack of mundane realism in a study?

  A lack of mundane realism means the results may not be useful for understanding behavior in the real world.
• What is the point of realism in psychology research?

  The point of realism is to generalize results beyond the unique research setting to understand behavior in everyday life.
• How can contrived materials affect a study's realism?

  Contrived materials can lead to observed behavior lacking realism.
• How does the awareness of participants being studied affect realism?

  If participants are aware they are being studied, their behavior may lack realism.
• What does validity refer to in research?

  Validity refers to whether an observed effect is a genuine one.
• What is internal validity?

  Internal validity is the degree to which an observed effect was due to the experimental manipulation rather than other factors.
• What concerns are associated with internal validity?

  Internal validity concerns whether the independent variable produced the change in the dependent variable.
• What is external validity?

  External validity is the degree to which a research finding can be generalized to other settings, groups, or over time.
• What factors affect external validity?

  Factors affecting external validity include ecological validity, population validity, and historical validity.
• What is ecological validity?

  Ecological validity refers to the appropriateness of generalizing findings from one setting to another for everyday life.
• What is population validity?

  Population validity refers to whether research findings can be generalized to all people based on the sample studied.
• What is historical validity?

  Historical validity refers to how different factors affect people in various ways when a study is conducted in different years.
• What is a hypothesis?

  A precise and testable statement about the assumed relationship between variables
• Why is operationalisation important in a hypothesis?

  It makes the statement testable