Experiments, Non- Experiments & Research

• Independent Variables


  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