AQA A Level Psychology - Research Methods

AQA A Level Psychology - Research Methods describe a lab experiment - Answer ️️ -an experiment done in a controlled setting, in which the IV is directly manipulated and EVs are controlled what are the strengths of a lab experiment - Answer ️️ -cause and effect can be established, high control = high internal validity what are the weaknesses of a lab experiment - Answer ️️ -lack realism = unnatural behaviour = low ecological validity, demand characteristics = low internal validity describe a field experiment - Answer ️️ -study done in a real life setting, IV is directly manipulated and the EVs are controlled what are the strengths of a field experiment - Answer ️️ -high ecological validity = generalisable, establish cause and effect what are the weaknesses of a field experiment - Answer ️️ -less control of EVs and CVs = low internal validity, expensive and time consuming E.G. travel to setting describe a natural experiment - Answer ️️ -IV is not directly manipulated as it is naturally occurring and capitalised on what are the strengths of a natural experiment - Answer ️️ -high ecological validity as it is in a real world setting what are the weaknesses of a natural experiment - Answer ️️ -naturally occurring events may be rare, participants cant be randomly assigned = PVs, describe a quasi experiment - Answer ️️ -IV is naturally occurring, participants are already in their conditions, can be in lab setting what are the strengths of a quasi experiment - Answer ️️ -controlled setting = environmental EVs controlled what are the weaknesses of a quasi experiment - Answer ️️ -participants are not randomly assigned = participants EVs are not controlled Describe repeated measures design - Answer ️️ -same participants in each condition what are the strengths of a repeated measures design - Answer ️️ -PVs are kept consistent, fewer participants are needed = cheap what are the weaknesses of a repeated measures design - Answer ️️ -order effects may be an issue. demand characteristics describe an independent groups design - Answer ️️ -different participants in each condition what are the strengths of an independant groups design - Answer ️️ -reduced order effects, reduced demand characteristics what are the weaknesses of an independant groups design - Answer ️️ -PVs, more participants needed = expensive describe a matched pairs design - Answer ️️ -different but similar participants in each condition. participants are matched on relevant PVs affective the IV and then randomly assigned to each condition. what are the strengths of a matched pairs design - Answer ️️ -PVs are kept more constant than IGD, order effects and demand characteristics are decreased what are the weaknesses of a matched pairs design - Answer ️️ -PVs never perfectly matched, time consuming and difficult and more participants needed = expensive define an open question - Answer ️️ -response given in own words what are the strengths of open questions - Answer ️️ -rich data is gained, increase in validity of conclusions as participants done have to pick best fitting answer what is the weaknesses of open questions - Answer ️️ -qualitative data is produced which decreases the chance for objective analysis