Laboratory Experiments

Question 1

Experimental group

Answer 1

• group who are the subjects

Question 2

Control group

Answer 2

• group who is compared to the experimental group

Question 3

IV

Answer 3

• thing you change to measure the effects

Question 4

DV

Answer 4

• thing you measure in relation to what you’re testing

Question 5

Ecological Validity

Answer 5

• where findings are true to a natural environment

Question 6

Milgram (1974)

Answer 6

• find out whether people who harm others when told by an authority figure
• volunteers became ‘teachers’
• ‘learner’ got the answer wrong, gave an increasing level of electric shock
• electric shocks were not real
• ‘learner’ begins to shout in pain and asks ‘teacher’ to stop. The experimenter tells the teacher ‘you must continue’

Question 7

Mayo (1927)

Answer 7

• research into factors affecting workers’ productivity at Western Electric Company’s Hawthorne plant
  -5 female workers volunteered
• altered different variables such as lighting, heating, rest breaks
• output went up when conditions worsened and improved
• workers responding to the fact they were being studied

Question 8

PET analyse - Milgram (1974)

Answer 8

Practical- cheap
Ethical- debrief, learnt something of lasting value, deception, may cause harm
Theoretical- lacks ecological validity, reliable

Question 9

PET analyse - Mayo (1927)

Answer 9

Practical- quick, small sample used
Ethical- consented via volunteering,
Theoretical- objectivity, hawthorne effect