types of experiment

Cards (8)

  • Lab experiment- an experiment carried out in a highly controlled setting 
    • strengths and limitations
    • artificial and contrived
    • low ecological validity 
    • high interval validity - control variables ,establish cause and effect
    • easily replicated
    • demand characteristics- aware behaviour is being studied
  • Field
    • a controlled study carried outside a lab (still manipulating IV)
    • high ecological validity because they are being studied in a more natural setting- prevents artificialtiy and ensures behaviour reflects real life furthermore (likely to not be aware of being studied) (less demand characteristics)
    • less internal validity - not all variables can be controlled-makes it difficult to estbalish a cuase and effect relationship
    challenges in replication due to the lack of standardized environments.
  • natural
    • a research method in which the researcher has not directly manipulated the iv
    • Iv would vary naturally whether the researcher was interested or not   
    • for ethical and practical reasons you can’t manipulate it  
  • strength limitations natural +quasi
    • Lack of control over IV = difficult to make causal conclusions as there could be confounding variables
    • Random allocation isn’t possible meaning participants variables may differ over the two groups which could act as extraneous or confounding variables
  • strength quasi natural
    quasi - allows comparisons between types of people
    natural - enables psychologists to study 'real' problems, ecological validity-generalisable
  • Quasi 
    Iv doesn’t vary its just a set difference between people a condition which already exists