Moray Evaluation

Moray Evaluation

Lab Experiment Method

Moray conducted a lab experiment which is high in control. This means that the research is easy to replicate, The study was extremely high in control as standardised procedures were used. For example, all of the passages that were read to the participants were all recorded by one male speaker, reading in a steady monotone at about 130-150 words per minute. Also, the participants were given four prose passages to shadow for practice, and the loudness was the same level for all participants, at 60 decibels above the participant’s threshold. Therefore, cause and effect can be inferred more confidently, further increasing internal validity. However, laboratory experiments tend to be low in ecological validity, due to the artificial setting. For example, directing attention to one form of information and rejecting everything using earphones does not reflect how selective attention occurs in real life (with no headphones). This, therefore, limits the ability to apply findings to real life in relation to attention.. 

Independent Measures Design 

Moray used an independent measures design in experiment 3, where participants experienced 1 of the 2 conditions of the independent variable (whether digits were inserted into 1 or 2 messages, and whether participants were told they would be asked questions about just the shadowed message or told to remember the digits heard). This reduces order effects, such as boredom, as participants only have to complete the task once. This therefore increases the internal validity of the study, as those extraneous variables are eliminated, so the number of digits correctly recalled would be as a result of the independent variables. However, the design creates a problem of individual differences, such as hearing ability, memory ability and concentration. This means that the researcher is less able to compare the number of digits correctly recalled between conditions. This may suggest that any differences due to the questions or the insertion of digits could be due to differences in hearing ability, memory ability and concentration.

Repeated measures design 

Moray used a repeated measures design in experiments 1 and 2, where participants experienced all of the conditions of the independent variable. This is an advantage because individual differences, such as hearing ability and cognitive skill levels are not a problem. Therefore, the ability to infer cause and effect is increased. For example, the increase in word recognition in the shadowed condition is due to attention directed to this rather than due to other factors. However, the repeated measures design has a problem of order effects. For example in experiment 2, by the later trials participants may have adjusted to shadowing the passage of light fiction and listened to both ears rather than shadowing. Therefore, the results are less valid as the behavioral attention may not be natural.  

Ecological Validity

Moray’s research was low in ecological validity, due to the artificial setting. For example, directing attention to one form of information and rejecting everything using earphones does not reflect how selective attention occurs in real life (with…