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Approaches and Research Methods

Strengths & Weaknesses of Experiment Types


STRENGTHS more control of the experiment More ethical as it is easy to get consent WEAKNESSES Lacks ecological validity not in natural setting High demand characteristics as they can see what is expected of them

Strengths & Weaknesses of Experiment Types


STRENGTHS Higher ecological validity Lower demand characteristics
Piliavin

WEAKNESSES Can be unethical: difficult to get consent e.g. Piliavin Experimenter has less control

Strengths & Weaknesses of Experiment Types


STRENGTHS Higher ecological validity as there is no tempering with the IV WEAKNESSES Difficult to repeat as the IV is naturally occurring

Design of the Experiment


STRENGTHS Less demand characteristics as they will not learn conditions WEAKNESSES More difficult to compare as there could be several reasons such as gender etc.

Design of the Experiment


STRENGTHS More accurate and easy to compare the results Costs less than getting twice as many participants WEAKNESSES Demand characteristics: participants may become familiar with what is expected

Design of the Experiment


STRENGTHS Less demand characteristics as the study wont be learnt over time WEAKNESSES Using different participants in same condition not as accurate as originally thought to be

Appropriate Hypothesis

Alternate hypothesis
Testable statement that proposes the expected outcome of the study Suggests significant difference between results of the two conditions

Null hypothesis
Findings not consequences of predicted effect but due to chance

Two-tailed hypothesis
Predict that the outcome could fall in one of two directions

One-tailed hypothesis
Predict that the outcome will fall in one direction

Operationalising a Hypothesis
Hypothesis should contain a clear statement of the IV and the DV as well as the word significant and an indication as to whether it is onetailed, two-tailed or null. People in a village will post a significantly greater number of apparently mislaid letters than people in a city [example]

The Procedure

IV if looking for differences between 2 people, you need 2 groups of participants. This is the variable that CHANGES DV this has an effect on the materials used to measure this variable. This is the variable that is MEASURED Controls ensure extraneous variables are controlled as far as possible (particularly for simple things such as age, gender etc.) Ethical guidelines ensure the study follows for participants:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Consent No deception Right to withdraw Prevention from Harm Confidentiality Debreifing

A step by step procedure of what participants will be doing is ideal

The Procedure continued...

Ethical guidelines ensure the study follows for participants:


1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Consent No deception Right to withdraw Prevention from harm Confidentiality Debriefing

A step by step procedure of what participants will be doing is ideal

Decide on a Sample
STRENGTHS Varied selection of participants WEAKNESSES Can be ethnocentric (biased towards experimenters cultural influence)

Available Participants

Decide on a Sample
STRENGTHS Completely fair Mixture of participants WEAKNESSES No theory behind how sample is chosen

An equal chance of being chosen

Decide on a Sample
STRENGTHS Ethically sound
Informed consent received

WEAKNESSES Not always a varied sample


Participants may have time Participants may be more motivated

Volunteers

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