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Research methods in psychology
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Lecture notes on research methods in psychology for first years students.
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Independent groups: In an independent groups design, two distinct groups of participantstake part in two different experimental conditions.
One advantage is that order effects are avoided. (when participants become aware of or
bored with an experimental procedure).
2. Since participants only participate in one condition of the experiment, they are less likely
to pick up on cues, which reduces the likelihood of demand characteristics.
Limitations:
1. Individual differences between groups, also known as "participant variables," may have
an impact on the outcomes (what if one group contains individuals with naturally higher IQs
than individuals in the other group?). To account for this, random assignment is used.
2. For this experimental design, more participants are required.
Repeated groups: In a repeated measures design, each participant is given the opportunity
to experience both conditions.
Strengths:
1. Because everyone participates in both conditions, participant variable issues are
avoided. Because they are maintained constant under both conditions, it makes no
difference if they have different IQs or memory capacities.
2. Because the same group is used repeatedly, this experimental design needs fewer
participants.
Limitations:
1. Order effects are very likely to happen; participants might get bored, conscious of goals,
or exhausted if they perform a task twice.
They would need to use counterbalancing to adjust for this.
2. Since participants were exposed to both experiment conditions, they are more likely to
exhibit demand characteristics because they may pick up on cues or understand the
experiment's purpose.
3. The researcher must make sure that the test materials for conditions 1 and 2 are distinct.
For instance, they would be unable to use the same list of words in both conditions of a
memory test. They must use a different set of words to account for this, making sure that
the difficulty level is the same while doing so.
Order effects management: counterbalancing
By having half of the participants participate in condition A, then condition B, and the other
half participate in condition A, then condition B, counterbalancing is an attempt to control
order effects.
Pairs of participants are first matched based on one or more key variables in a matched
pairs design. (i.e. IQ). Next, one member is put in condition A while the other is put in
condition B.
Strengths:
1. The concern over participant variables is significantly diminished.
2. Effects of order are completely avoided.
3. Demand traits are less probable.
Limitations: 1. Unless two people are identical twins, it is pretty difficult to match them
exactly on every trait; even then, it is typically just a matter of physical similarities.
2. Finding many people who are such close matches takes a lot of time.
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