Evaluation of experimental methods (AO3)
Natural experiments
Strengths
Point Natural experiments are extremely high in __________________ validity
This is because the research takes place in a ______________ setting and the ____
occurs naturally and is therefore not manipulated. The natural setting also means
Explain
participants are less likely to change their behaviour and show ____________
characteristics.
Natural experiments are useful to investigate concepts that it would be
Point
________________
This means to directly
that the behaviour of the manipulate for the purpose
___________________ of research.
is more likely to reflect
Elaborate
their natural behaviour.
This is because the researcher does not _______________ the IV and therefore does
Explain
not break the ethical guideline of protection from harm.
This means that participants are not placed at any additional harm for the purpose of
Elaborate
the research yet the research can still be used to aid our understanding.
Weaknesses
Point However, natural experiments are low in ______________ validity.
Point This ismay
There because they
also be are conductedissues
_____________ in natural
whenenvironments meaning
conducting natural the
experiments.
Explain researcher has to little to no control over __________________ variables and the
This is_______
because,isasnot
they are conducted
isolated in natural
and carefully environments, the
manipulated.
Explain
__________________ may be unaware that they are part of an experiment.
This means that it is difficult to establish ________________ as we cannot be
Elaborate
Elaborate certainThis
thatmeans that that
the change participants
in the ________are notto
is due given theand
the IV opportunity
not other to provide
extraneous
_____________ consent andvariablesmay not have been willing to participate.
Extension task:
Compare field experiments with natural experiments
Field and natural experiments are both higher in ________________ validity than laboratory
experiments because...
However, ______________ experiments are the highest in ecological validity because the IV is
WORD BANK: Internal ecological causality DV unethical informed
extraneous ethical demand manipulate participant (x2) natural IV (x2)
_____________ occurring whereas in a ______________ experiment the IV is still manipulated by
the researcher. Therefore the results of ____________ experiments are more likely to represent
_______ life.
Natural experiments
Strengths
Point Natural experiments are extremely high in __________________ validity
This is because the research takes place in a ______________ setting and the ____
occurs naturally and is therefore not manipulated. The natural setting also means
Explain
participants are less likely to change their behaviour and show ____________
characteristics.
Natural experiments are useful to investigate concepts that it would be
Point
________________
This means to directly
that the behaviour of the manipulate for the purpose
___________________ of research.
is more likely to reflect
Elaborate
their natural behaviour.
This is because the researcher does not _______________ the IV and therefore does
Explain
not break the ethical guideline of protection from harm.
This means that participants are not placed at any additional harm for the purpose of
Elaborate
the research yet the research can still be used to aid our understanding.
Weaknesses
Point However, natural experiments are low in ______________ validity.
Point This ismay
There because they
also be are conductedissues
_____________ in natural
whenenvironments meaning
conducting natural the
experiments.
Explain researcher has to little to no control over __________________ variables and the
This is_______
because,isasnot
they are conducted
isolated in natural
and carefully environments, the
manipulated.
Explain
__________________ may be unaware that they are part of an experiment.
This means that it is difficult to establish ________________ as we cannot be
Elaborate
Elaborate certainThis
thatmeans that that
the change participants
in the ________are notto
is due given theand
the IV opportunity
not other to provide
extraneous
_____________ consent andvariablesmay not have been willing to participate.
Extension task:
Compare field experiments with natural experiments
Field and natural experiments are both higher in ________________ validity than laboratory
experiments because...
However, ______________ experiments are the highest in ecological validity because the IV is
WORD BANK: Internal ecological causality DV unethical informed
extraneous ethical demand manipulate participant (x2) natural IV (x2)
_____________ occurring whereas in a ______________ experiment the IV is still manipulated by
the researcher. Therefore the results of ____________ experiments are more likely to represent
_______ life.
