Research Methods

• Strengths of lab experiments


  - High control over extraneous variables (cause and effect established)

  - Highly controlled so replicable and findings can be replicated
• Weaknesses of lab experiments


  - Demand characteristics

  - Lacks generalisability (Artificial environment)

  - Researcher Bias
• Field Experiment


  Conducted in real life setting

  IV is still manipulated and DV still measured
• Strength of Field


  - High ecological validity

  - Less demand characteristics
• Weakness of Natural experiment


  - Limits generalisation

  - No randomly allocated conditions
• Weakness of Field


  - Less control over extraneous variables

  - Hard to replicate

  - Ethical issues with privacy and anonymity
• Natural Experiment


  Naturally occurring IV used and Ps cannot be randomly allocated
• Strengths of Natural experiment


  - High external validity

  - Able to investigate unethical/ impractical research
• Quasi Experiment


  IV just a difference between people that just exist
• Strength of Quasi experiment


  - Share same strength of lab
• Weakness of Quasi experiment


  - Demand characteristics

  - No random allocations and so confounding variables