Psychology Research Methods - Experimental Design Worksheet

Experimental Design Strengths (AO3) Limitations (AO3) Dealing with limitation

Independent groups  Randomly allocate
Participants are randomly allocated to participants to conditions
one condition of the IV. One group using random techniques.
undergoes one condition and the other
group undergoes the other.

Example:
Group A revises to silence and then does
a test
Group B revises to music and then does a
test.

Repeated measures  The main way that order
Participants take part in both conditions effects are dealt with is
of the IV. using counter balancing.

Example:
Condition 1: All participants revise with
the TV on and do a test
Condition 2: The same participants revise
with no TV and does a test.

Matched pairs  Restrict the number of
Participants are matched based on variables to match on to
similarities or key characteristics (eg make it easier.
similar ages, gender, intelligence)  Conduct a pilot study to
believed to have an influence on the DV. consider key variables
One of the pair is then randomly that might be important
allocated to condition A and the other B
when matching.
and undertake different conditions of the
IV.