types of experiments

    Cards (12)

    • what are the 4 types of experiments?
      Lab experiment, Quasi-experiment, Natural experiment, Field experiment
    • what is a lab experiment?
      • in a lab under carefully controlled settings, attempting to eliminate extraneous varibles
      • participants are aware
      • random allocation is possible
    • what are the strengths of a lab experiment?
      Control, precision, replication is possible, and ability to establish cause and effect relationships.
    • what are the weaknesses of a lab experiment?
      lack generalisability (artificial/not like normal life) and demand characteristics are more likely to occur
    • what is a field experiment?
      An experiment conducted in a real-world setting, outside of a laboratory.
    • in a field study you can still manipulate the IV but participants are often unaware, random allocation is not possible.
    • what are strengths of a field study?
      • has high mundane realism because the environment is natural
      • valid and authentic
    • what are some weaknesses of a field experiment?
      • loss of control of EV + CV —> cause and effect is harder to establish
      • unethical —> participants are unaware that they are being studied so they cannot give consent
    • what is a natural experiment?
      An observational study where the assignment of participants to different groups is determined by nature or other factors outside of the researcher's control.
    • random allocation is not possible during a natural experiment
    • what are some strengths of a natural experiment?
      • provide opportunities for research that may not otherwise be undertaken
      • have high external validity —> study of real-world problems as they happen
    • what are some weaknesses of a natural experiment?
      • naturally occurring event may only happen rarely
      • participants may not be randomly allocated to experimental conditions, less knowledge of effects of IV on DV