Experimental Design

Question 1

What are the 3 types of experimental design?

Answer 1

Independent Groups
Matched Pairs
Repeated Measures

Question 2

What are order effects?

Answer 2

When the order in which the participants perform the conditions affect their performance

Question 3

What are participant variables?

Answer 3

When the difference in results of conditions is due to different people doing it rather than the IV

Question 4

What is counterbalancing?

Answer 4

When half the participants does condition A first then B and the other half do the other way around

Question 5

What is the independent groups experimental design?

Answer 5

When different participants are used in each of the conditions so the participants are independent from one another and are randomly allocated to the different groups

Question 6

What are the pros of independent groups?

Answer 6

+ No order effects

+ Low chance of demand characteristics

+ Same task/material can be used in both conditions (participants always new to the condition)

Question 7

What is the repeated measures experimental design?

Answer 7

When each participants is tested in all the conditions of the experiments

Question 8

What are the pros of repeated measures?

Answer 8

+ No participants variables (same people)+ Less participants needed = less time consuming

Question 9

What is the matched pairs experimental design?

Answer 9

Different participants are used in all of the conditions however, the participants in the 2 groups are matched on characteristics important for that study

Question 10

What are the pros of matched pairs?

Answer 10

+ Less risk of order effects
+ Less risk of demand characteristics
+ Participants variable unlikely as they have been closely matched

Question 11

What are the cons of independent groups?

Answer 11

• More participants needed
• Chance of participant variables

Question 12

What are the cons of repeated measures?

Answer 12

• Order effects likely to be seen
• More likely to have demand characteristics
• Takes more time - participants have to do every condition

Question 13

What are the cons of matched pairs?

Answer 13

• Need a lot more participants than repeated measures
• Matching process is time-consuming