Experiment

• Control Techniques


  Methods used to infer manipulation of independent variables caused effect observed in dependent variable
• Control Techniques


  1. Control of Experimental Design Flaws

  2. Control of Human Flaws

  3. Control of Treatment Flaws
• Randomization


  • Random Selection
  • Random Assignment
• Matching


  • Dividing participants into groups based on one or more variables
• Matching Techniques


  1. Holding Variables Constant

  2. Building Extraneous Variable Into Experimental Design

  3. Matching by equating participants
• Baseline


  Measurement of related variables before an experiment conducted
• Carry-over effect


  Having been tested under one condition affects how participants behave in another condition
• Counter-Balancing (ABBA TECHNIQUE)


  Plan the order of treatment given to participants in a Within-Subjects Design
• Single-Blind Technique


  Respondents do not know who belongs to the control group and the experimental group
• Deception


  Providing respondents with misleading information to hide actual research objective
• Double Blind Technique


  Neither the individuals nor the researchers know who belongs to the control group and the experimental group
• Control Group


  Foundational point (benchmark) for which to compare the experimental group against
• Placebo


  A substance with no known medical effects, used to control for the placebo effect
• The placebo effect occurs when the placebo, which cannot on its own merit have any affect, does in fact have the same or similar effect as the experimental variable or procedure
• Methods of Identifying Cause

  1. Method of Agreement

  2. Method of Difference

  3. Joint Methods Of Agreement And Difference

  4. Method Of Concomitant Variation
• Experimental Psychology


  Objective observation of phenomena which are made to occur in a strictly controlled situation in which one or more factors are varied and the others are kept constant
• Objective Observation


  • Ability of researcher to measure and record behaviour in a systematic and precise manner using a reliable standard to avoid subjective measurement
  • Accepting the possibility that mistakes can occur
  • Attempt to identify where the mistakes are likely to occur
  • Take the necessary steps to avoid the errors
• Phenomena that are made to occur


  Experimenter is manipulating the conditions that cause a certain effect to identify cause-and-effect relationships
• Strictly controlled situation


  Need to eliminate the influence of variables other than those manipulated by the experimenter
• One or more factors are varied and the others are kept constant

  Constancy refers to controlling or eliminating the influence of all variables except the one (or ones) of interest<|>Variation refers to the independent variable being varied along a defined range
• Commonly used experimental designs

  • Within Subject Design
  • Between Subject Design
  • Factorial Design