7.1.4.3 Natural Experiments

• What are natural experiments?

  Observations of real-life scenarios
• What is a challenge of natural experiments in establishing cause and effect?

  Lack of control over variables makes it challenging
• What is a benefit of natural experiments regarding ethical concerns?

  Minimal ethical concerns due to no artificial setting
• What ethical advantage do natural experiments have?

  No artificial manipulation is needed
• What type of studies can natural experiments conduct?

  Large-scale studies
• What is a disadvantage related to sampling in natural experiments?

  Populations may not be representative
• What is a key feature of natural experiments regarding variable control?

  No direct manipulation or control
• Where do natural experiments typically occur?

  In a real-world environment
• Why is it difficult to establish cause-and-effect in natural experiments?

  Due to lack of control over variables
• Is a control group always needed in natural experiments?

  No, not always needed
• How do natural experiments differ from laboratory experiments?

  Researchers don't manipulate variables directly
• Why is it easier to establish cause-and-effect in laboratory experiments?

  Because of direct manipulation and control
• What are natural experiments?

  Experiments occurring in real-life situations
• What do natural experiments provide insights into?

  Real-world situations
• What is a key ethical consideration in laboratory experiments?

  Potential ethical concerns due to manipulation
• How do researchers analyze data in natural experiments?

  By measuring and analyzing variables as they occur
• Compare the features of natural and laboratory experiments.

  Natural Experiments:

  • No direct manipulation or control
  • Real-world environment
  • Participants unaware of study
  • Few ethical concerns
  • Difficult cause-and-effect inference

  
  

  Laboratory Experiments:

  • Direct manipulation and control
  • Controlled environment
  • Participants aware of study
  • Potential ethical concerns
  • Easier cause-and-effect inference
• What is a limitation regarding the repeatability of natural experiments?

  Scenarios may not recur
• Why is high ecological validity an advantage of natural experiments?

  They reflect real-life situations accurately
• What type of settings can quasi-experiments occur in?

  Natural or lab settings
• Why can't researchers control variables in natural experiments?

  Because they occur in real-life situations
• How does the ease of inferring cause-and-effect in quasi-experiments compare to natural experiments?

  Easier to infer cause-and-effect
• How do participants typically feel about being studied in natural experiments?

  They are typically unaware
• What are the main differences between natural experiments and quasi-experiments?

  • Natural experiments: No manipulation, not always a control group, difficult cause-and-effect.
  • Quasi-experiments: Researcher assigns participants, requires a control group, easier cause-and-effect.
• How do researchers assign participants in quasi-experiments?

  Based on existing characteristics
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of natural experiments?

  Advantages:

  • High ecological validity
  • Ethical considerations
  • Large-scale studies
  • Relevance to practical issues

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Lack of control over variables
  • Difficulty in establishing cause and effect
  • Potential for sampling bias
  • Limited repeatability of scenarios
• Why is establishing cause and effect difficult in natural experiments?

  There is no controlled setting
• Why are the scenarios in natural experiments considered natural?

  They occur spontaneously without researcher intervention