Experimental Designs

Independent Groups

• Recruit a group of participants
• Divide them into 2 groups
• One group does condition 1, the second group does condition 2
• Measure the DV for each group
• Compare the results from the 2 groups

Strengths:

• No order effects
• Can be used when repeated measures is inappropriate

Weaknesses:

• Too much variation between groups, there may be important individual differences
• This may affect the DV measurements making it look as if the IV has had an effect when it hasn't
• Need twice the number of participants than a repeated measures

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