Advantages and Disadvantages of Experiment Types

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  • Created by: 10ELIROB
  • Created on: 27-04-16 17:08

Advantages and Disadvantages of Experiment Types

Advantages

  • Laboratory- effects of confounding and extraneous variables can be controlled.
  • Laboratory- The experiments should be easily replicable because of the strict conditions and controls.
  • Laboratory- Causal relationships are easy to establish due to the minimisation of extraneous variables.
  • Field- Can measure causal relationships by manipulating IV ,but can be difficult.
  • Field- Ecologically valid because less artificial than laboratory experiments.
  • Field- Demand characteristics are more easily avoidable because participants might not know that they are in a study, also if participants are in their natural environments they will behave more naturally.
  • Natural- Ethical- study non-manipulated variables, which would be unethical to manipulate.
  • Natural- Demand Characteristics-behaviour more natural- participants might not know they're in a study.
  • Natural- Less artificial than Laboratory experiments, so have ecological validity.
  • Quasi- Carried out under controlled conditions
  • Quasi- Generalizable and have ecological validity

Disadvantages

  • Laboratory- Artificial, hence lack ecological validity
  • Laboratory- Demand characteristics may have an effect as participants may behave how they think the researchers want them to.
  • Laboratory-deception is sometimes used, therefore they can be unethical
  • Field- Less control as extraneous variables may be more likely to have an effect on the results
  • Field- Participants who didn't give consent to take part may experience distress and can't be debriefed, so unethical.
  • Natural- Causal relationships are hard to establish because there is no manipulation of the IV and other variables could be having an effect.
  • Natural- deception is sometimes used, making informed consent difficult, thus it can be unethical.
  • Natural- community might be identifiable, so confidentially might be compromised.
  • Quasi- Can't randomly allocate participants to each condition- extraneous variables may have an affect on the results.
  • Quasi- Hard to establish causal relationships because the IV isn't being directly manipulated.

Evaluation

Laboratory experiment only one lacking ecological validity, but best for establishing causal relationships. Quasi experments have losts of ecological validity, but because of the IV not being manipulated, causal relationships are really difficult to establish.

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