Understanding Research Methods
Experiments
Laboratory Experiment:
➔ Investigation that takes place in a controlled environment where researchers stage the conditions
➔ Aim= to discover the cause and the effect between variables by controlling extraneous variables
➔ Useful: for studying behaviour that isn't affected by the artificial environment
➔ Most scientific of the research methods= because of the high levels of control
➔ Cause and effect can be established between the IV and the DV because they are being controlled
➔ Conducted in an unnatural environment
➔ Participants= may display demand characteristics
➔ Reductionist= only isolates some variables/ others are ignored
Field Experiment:
➔ IV manipulated by the researcher/ DV= measured
➔ Control over extraneous variables < Higher in a laboratory= naturalistic environment= unpredictable
➔ Useful for studying behaviour that needs to be seen/ tested in a natural environment
➔ Conducted in a natural setting
➔ There is cause and effect between IV and DV= Some extraneous variables can be controlled
➔ Not all extraneous variables can be controlled
➔ Participants may not have had informed consent
Natural Experiment:
➔ Occurs a real life environment
➔ Generally opportunist= they make use of unique/ naturally occurring situations
➔ IV= naturally occurring/ not manipulated
➔ Environment= real and naturalistic
➔ Not possible to randomly allocate participants to conditions of the IV= participant variables can
influence the findings
➔ Extraneous variables= difficult to control
Interviews
➔ Non experimental method= research method
➔ Used to gain self reported info (beliefs/ opinions/ attitudes) directly from participants by asking
questions
➔ Researchers then analyse their answers
➔ Can be done face to face/ over the phone
➔ Gather info on a person beliefs/ feelings which is difficult to do in a experiment
Experiments
Laboratory Experiment:
➔ Investigation that takes place in a controlled environment where researchers stage the conditions
➔ Aim= to discover the cause and the effect between variables by controlling extraneous variables
➔ Useful: for studying behaviour that isn't affected by the artificial environment
➔ Most scientific of the research methods= because of the high levels of control
➔ Cause and effect can be established between the IV and the DV because they are being controlled
➔ Conducted in an unnatural environment
➔ Participants= may display demand characteristics
➔ Reductionist= only isolates some variables/ others are ignored
Field Experiment:
➔ IV manipulated by the researcher/ DV= measured
➔ Control over extraneous variables < Higher in a laboratory= naturalistic environment= unpredictable
➔ Useful for studying behaviour that needs to be seen/ tested in a natural environment
➔ Conducted in a natural setting
➔ There is cause and effect between IV and DV= Some extraneous variables can be controlled
➔ Not all extraneous variables can be controlled
➔ Participants may not have had informed consent
Natural Experiment:
➔ Occurs a real life environment
➔ Generally opportunist= they make use of unique/ naturally occurring situations
➔ IV= naturally occurring/ not manipulated
➔ Environment= real and naturalistic
➔ Not possible to randomly allocate participants to conditions of the IV= participant variables can
influence the findings
➔ Extraneous variables= difficult to control
Interviews
➔ Non experimental method= research method
➔ Used to gain self reported info (beliefs/ opinions/ attitudes) directly from participants by asking
questions
➔ Researchers then analyse their answers
➔ Can be done face to face/ over the phone
➔ Gather info on a person beliefs/ feelings which is difficult to do in a experiment
