Research Methods

Definition: An experiment that is carried out in an environment (not nescesserily a lab.) in which all the variables are highly controlled.

Advantages:

• High reliability (they can be repeated).
• High level of control
• Establish cause-effect relationships.
• Produce empirical data (easy to collate)

Disadvantages:

• You may get demand charctersists.
• Social desirabitity.
• Often a lot of infastructure, time & money involved.
• Low mundane realism & Ecological validity.

Examples:

• Milgram - Obediance        Zimbardo - Stanford Prison         Albert Bandura - Bobo Doll

Definition: An experiment conducted in a more natural environment ; the IV is still manipulated.

Advantages:

• The data collected is more likely to represent real life behaviours.
• People often do not know they are being researched; no demand charcteristics and social desirability.

Disadvantages:

• Less control of extranous variables.
• Greater ethical problems than Lab.