Manipulated by the experimenter to produce different treatment conditions in an experiment
Experiments
1. Method used by scientists to study causation
2. Almost single-handedly responsible for the knowledge that is the basis for our modern way of life
The presence of confounded variables makes experiments difficult to interpret
Within-subjects design
Same group of subjects tested under multiple treatment conditions
Confounded Variables
Other unintended differences among conditions that can influence the dependent variable
Quasi-experimental
Researchers examine subjects in real-world situations who have self-selected into specific conditions
Pure Research
Motivated primarily by the curiosity of the researcher to find out how things work and establish building blocks or basic concepts
Between-subjects design
Different group of subjects tested under each treatment condition of the experiment
Dependent Variables
Reflect the subject's behavior and what the experiment measures
Applied Research
Motivated by an attempt to directly use the building blocks of basic research to answer specific questions addressing human and animal problems
It is impossible to tell how much of the effect on the dependent variable was caused by the independent variable and how much was caused by the confounded variable
