Experimental designs

• What is meant by experimental designs in psychology?

  It refers to how participants are organised across the conditions.
• What is often confused with experimental designs?

  Experimental methods such as field and lab experiments are often confused with experimental designs.
• What is an independent groups design?


  It is a design where each participant takes part in only one condition.
• How are participants randomly allocated in an independent groups design?

  The researcher has no impact on which participants go in which group, which reduces bias.
• What is a repeated measures design?


  It is a design where each participant takes part in both conditions.
• What is a matched pairs design?

  It is a design where participants are matched on variables considered relevant, and each participant takes part in one condition.
• How is a matched pairs design conducted?

  Researchers recruit a group of participants and match them on specific variables, such as age or IQ.
• What is an example of matching in a matched pairs design?


  If there is an A grade female student for the morning condition, another A grade female student is found for the afternoon condition.
• What happens to one of the pair in a matched pairs design?

  One of the pair goes into condition A, and the other goes into condition B.
• What is the sensible limit of variables to restrict in a matched pairs design?

  Variables such as age or IQ are considered relevant for matching.