Research Methods - Experimental Methods

Question 1

What is an independent variable

Answer 1

The variable the researcher manipulates to determine its effect on the dependent variable.

Question 2

What are experimental conditions?

Answer 2

These are different levels the independent variable can be divided into (the conditions change as it is at different levels)
E.g. testing how chocolate affects mood. Experimental conditions would be 10g of chocolate or 26g of chocolate or no chocolate

Question 3

What are control conditions used for?

Answer 3

They are used a standard to compare experimental conditions to, there may be a control condition where the IV is not manipulated e.g. no chocolate and the effect on mood

Question 4

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 4

The variable that is being measured

Question 5

What are extraneous variables?

Answer 5

Any variable other than IV that COULD effect the DV (results) e.g. sleep, diet

Question 6

What are confounding variables?

Answer 6

Variables that HAVE affected the DV (results) e.g light

Question 7

What if operationalisation?

Answer 7

When the dependent and independent variable is operationalised - the variables are defined and stated how they will be measured.
E.g. aggression means how angry or irritated a person is and this can be measured by displays of verbal or physical act of aggression in a 10 minute period

Question 8

Laboratory experiment

Answer 8

• carried out in a controlled environment
• participant randomly allocated to a condition, neither participant or researcher decides
• artificial setting

Question 9

Adv of laboratory experiments

Answer 9

• very HIGH LEVELS OF CONTROL over independent variables and dependent variable, so it’s easy to control extraneous variables
• researcher can manipulate the independent variable and easily determine a CAUSE AND EFFECT relationship between independent and dependent variable
• can EASILY BE REPLICATED by other researchers

Question 10

Disadvantage of laboratory experiments

Answer 10

• DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS may occur - can guess aim
• SOCIAL DESIRABILITY BIAS - behaving in a more positive light
• LACK OF MUNDANE REALISM - not enough ecological validity, unable to generalise the findings to real life

Question 11

What are the 4 types of experiments

Answer 11

Laboratory
Field
Natural
Quasi

Question 12

What is a field experiment?

Answer 12

• done in the real world
• independent variable is controlled
  E.g observing people in high street

Question 13

Adv of field experiments

Answer 13

• more MUNDANE REALISM and ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
• independent variable can be manipulated to easily establish the CAUSE AND EFFECT
  -LESS CHANCE OF DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS compared to lab, most wont even know they are part of an experiment

Question 14

Disadvantage of field experiments

Answer 14

• less control over extraneous variables therefore research is not valid (its not measuring what is intended)
• less control over the sample, may not be representative of the target population
• hard to replicate, unreliable

Question 15

What is a natural experiment

Answer 15

• naturally occurring independent variable
• finding people in those conditions rather than putting people in the conditions of the experiment

Question 16

Adv of natural experiment

Answer 16

• high mundane realism and ecological validity
• useful when it can be unethical for it to be in a lab or field experiment e.g. a group of naturally stressed men aged 50-60 who have high stress levels and cholesterol

Question 17

Disadvantage of natural experiments

Answer 17

• low control over extraneous variables compared to lab
• very difficult to replicate, unreliable
• difficult to determine cause and effect due to low levels of control

Question 18

What is a quasi experiment?

Answer 18

• naturally occurring independent variable
• the independent variable is a difference that already exists e.g. age, gender
  E.g. men have higher levels of testosterone than women of 50 men and women, all aged 45-50

Question 19

Adv of quasi

Answer 19

• high levels of control, extraneous variable is minimised, confident IV has caused DV
• replication is very likely due to strict controls

Question 20

Disadv of quasi

Answer 20

• lack of ecological validity, not a reflection of real life
• demand characteristics may occur, making data invalid

Question 21

What does it mean if data is invalid

Answer 21

It is not measuring what it intends to measure