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Research Methods (Revision Experiments)

The document outlines various types of experiments used in research, including laboratory, field, and natural experiments, each with distinct characteristics regarding control, ecological validity, and replicability. It provides specific examples of each type, illustrating how independent and dependent variables are manipulated or observed to establish cause-and-effect relationships. Additionally, it includes exercises and evaluation aspects to compare the different experimental methods.

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Nayab Azhar
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34 views16 pages

Research Methods (Revision Experiments)

The document outlines various types of experiments used in research, including laboratory, field, and natural experiments, each with distinct characteristics regarding control, ecological validity, and replicability. It provides specific examples of each type, illustrating how independent and dependent variables are manipulated or observed to establish cause-and-effect relationships. Additionally, it includes exercises and evaluation aspects to compare the different experimental methods.

Uploaded by

Nayab Azhar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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RESEARCH

METHODS
Experiments
Experiment
◦An experiment is a research method where the researcher
manipulates one or more variables (independent variables) to
observe their effect on another variable (dependent variable),
while controlling other factors to establish cause and effect
relationship between the variables.
◦In experiments, we aim to see how changing one thing (the
independent variable) affects something else (the dependent
variable). The key here is manipulation of variables, which
distinguishes experiments from other research methods. By
controlling extraneous variables, researchers can determine
whether the independent variable truly causes the observed effect.
Types of Experiment

Laboratory Field Natural


Experiment Experiment Experiments
Laboratory Experiment

Location:
Control: High High internal
Conducted in a
control over validity (easy to
highly controlled Strengths:
extraneous determine cause
environment
variables. and effect).
(e.g., a lab).
Potential for
demand
characteristics
Low ecological
(participants
Replicable. Limitations: validity (artificial
guess the aim of
setting).
the study and
alter their
behavior).
Laboratory Experiment
◦ Memory Test in a Controlled Environment
• Study Aim: Investigating how background noise affects memory performance.
• Procedure: Participants are split into two groups and asked to memorize a list of
words in a controlled lab setting. One group does this in silence, while the other
has loud background noise.
• Key Features:
• Independent Variable (IV): Presence or absence of background noise.
• Dependent Variable (DV): Number of words remembered.
• Control: The environment (e.g., lighting, seating, time allowed to memorize) is the
same for both groups to ensure noise is the only difference.
Field Experiment
Location: Conducted in real-world settings.
Control: Moderate control over extraneous
variables.
Strengths:
High ecological validity (natural behavior in a real
environment).
Reduced demand characteristics.
Limitations:
Lower internal validity (less control over extraneous
variables).
Ethical concerns (participants may not know they're
being studied).
Field Experiment
Investigating whether people are more
likely to help someone in need if they are
dressed formally or casually.
•Procedure: A researcher pretends to drop
some books in a busy street while dressed in
formal attire (e.g., a business suit) and in casual
clothes (e.g., jeans and a t-shirt). The
researcher observes how many people stop to
help in each scenario.
•Key Features:
•Independent Variable (IV): Type of clothing
(formal vs. casual).
•Dependent Variable (DV): Number of people
who help.
Location: Independent variable occurs
naturally (e.g., after a natural disaster or
policy change).
Control: Little to no control over the
independent variable or other variables.
Strengths:

Natural High ecological validity.

Experimen Allows study of variables that cannot be

ts
ethically or practically manipulated.
Limitations:

No control over variables, which limits


establishing cause and effect.
Not replicable.
Natural Experiment
◦Impact of a School Policy Change
• Study Aim: Investigating how a new policy banning phones in
school affects students' concentration in class.
• Procedure: A school implements a phone ban, and researchers
measure the concentration levels of students before and after the
ban. The researchers do not control the introduction of the phone
ban—it occurs naturally as part of school policy.
• Key Features:
• Independent Variable (IV): Introduction of the phone ban.
• Dependent Variable (DV): Student concentration levels.
• Control: No control over the introduction of the ban, but researchers observe
its effects.
Evaluation of the Experiment
Types
Lab Field Natural
Aspect
Experiment Experiment Experiment
Natural Setting
Controlled Lab Real – World
Location (IV occurs
Setting Environment
naturally)
High control
Moderate
Control over extraneous No control
control
Variables
Ecological
Low Low High
Validity
Replicabilit
High Moderate Low
y
Demand
Characteris High Low Low
tics
Moderate
Exercise
◦A researcher wants to investigate whether
physical exercise improves mood. Two groups
of participants are invited to a research
facility. One group is instructed to jog on a
treadmill for 30 minutes, while the other
group is asked to sit quietly for the same
amount of time. Afterward, both groups
complete a mood questionnaire.
Exercise
◦A study is conducted in a city park to see if
people are more likely to recycle when trash
bins have visible signs encouraging recycling.
Researchers place bins with signs in some
areas of the park and bins without signs in
other areas. They observe the park visitors'
recycling behavior over a week.
Exercise
◦A university introduces a mandatory online learning
module for first-year students, which requires them
to complete weekly assignments. A researcher
decides to examine whether this new policy
improves students' academic performance by
comparing the grades of first-year students before
and after the policy change. The researcher does
not influence the introduction of the new module.
Exercise
◦In an elementary school, researchers want
to test the impact of different teaching
methods on math performance. They
randomly assign some students to use
traditional textbooks, while others use an
interactive app for learning math. Both
groups are tested at the end of the semester
to compare their math scores.
Exercise
◦A researcher is interested in how people's behavior
changes when they are being watched. The
researcher installs cameras in several stores (with
permission) to observe whether people are more
likely to return items to shelves when they think
someone is watching them. The stores continue with
business as usual, and the customers are unaware
they are being observed for a study.
Exam Style Questions

Outline two features of a laboratory experiment [2]

Explain one similarity and one difference between a


laboratory experiment and a field experiment [4]

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