INTRODUCTION
Experimental research has had a long tradition in psychology and education. The usage of experimental approaches over the past 40 years had been influenced by developments in research practices. The experimental method formally surfaced in educational psychology around the turn of the century, with the classic studies by Thorndike and Woodworth on transfer (Cronbach, 1957). Experimental research is commonly used in sciences such as psychology, medicine, sociology, biology, and so on. It is a collection of research designs which is based on a methodology that meets three criteria: random assignment, the feature being tested and appropriate measures. To explain it further, random assignment refers to other entities that are randomly assigned to different treatment groups, experimental control are all the features of the treatments that are identical and lastly, dependent measures are known as the appropriate measures which are appropriate for testing the research hypothesis. The researcher will then manipulate, controls and measures one or more variables to determine their effect on a dependent variable.
We all need to remember that the researcher cannot use pre-existing large or small classes, because doing so, would violate the criterion of random assignment. This violation if often called self-selection which is a serious methodological flaw in experimental research. Note that the term self-selection does not imply to respondents that have decided to be part
As the psychology is a subject of science, experiment is important part of this subject. Before
3- How would you make it an experimental (rather than correlational) study (it might help to be specific here as well and define the two types of studies in your
A) Mr. Gualtieri cannot draw a conclusion about a cause-and-effect relationship from the evidence he has because he would be too quick to determine the factors that are affecting the students’ learning, development, and behavior (Ormrod, 2014, p.11). Instead of worrying about the cause-and- effect relationship from the evidence, Mr. Gualtieri should scrutinize the research report carefully; therefore, he must answer two questions. First, he must determine if he separated and controlled variables that might have an influence on the outcome. Second, he must ask if he has ruled out other possible explanations for his results? (Ormrod, 2014, p.11). If Mr. Gualtieri’s answers to both these questions are yes, then he should be able to draw a conclusion about the cause-and-effect relationship. Unfortunately, “yes” is not the answer to the two questions. This software program may not lead itself to experimental manipulation and tight control of other potentially influential variables because it is considered as a quasi-experimental study (Ormrod, 2014, p.10). Some of these influential variables that cannot be
In most cases, scholars view research as large samples of subjects that are either participating in either two groups. Most research studies are considered as an experimental group whereby a treatment, independent variable (IV), or intervention is presented or a control group in which such interventions are not presented (Alberto & Troutman, 2016). Based on case study level C, Case 2, the independent variable is the treatment that is needed to change Rachel’s attitude in class. In the group designs, there is involvement of many subjects with each having an averaged performance, Dependent Variable which is comparable in the evaluation of experimental control. Therefore, Dependent variable in Rachel’s case is her behavior.
Describe the experimental method, state its advantages and disadvantages, and distinguish between independent and dependent variables.
Describe the experimental method, state its advantages and disadvantages, and distinguish between independent and dependent variables.
Box 3.2: Why do it this way? is especially relevant, as it considers an important advantage of the experimental method. Chapter 6: No experiments are discussed in this chapter, however, the essay question requires you to discuss the value of experiments. Consider if there are certain aspects of human behaviour and/or performance that cannot be meaningfully investigated using experiments. What are the alternative methods of studying behaviour? Sections 2 and 3 of Chapter 6 are relevant in this respect.
Keselman, H. J., Huberty, C. J., Lix, L. M., Olejnik, S., Cribbie, R. A., Donahue, B.... & Levin, J. R. (1998). Statistical practices of educational researchers: An analysis of their ANOVA, MANOVA, and ANCOVA analyses. Review of Educational Research, 68(3), 350-386.
Instructions: This is a group activity that you will start in class and complete at home. For each of the following, note, whether the research design used is an experiment, a quasi-experiment, or a correlational approach and why. If a study is an experiment, identify the independent variable and the dependent variable. Please type your answers in complete sentences.
Experimental research concentrates on how and why something happens. It is the evaluation of how an independent variable (a manipulated factor) affects a dependent variable (an observed factor). The outcome can be affected by a number of elements; obtaining random and representative samples of the study population, experimenter bias and extraneous variables.
Throughout this course I have learned many things about research at an introductory level. Research is a critical part of all of our lives in many ways. God blesses each of us with a degree of common sense and we all learn from observing others even as babies, we learned behaviors and skills by observing our parents. Walking through experiences throughout life teach us a lot we need to know as well but sometimes we have to take a better approach when we need to learn about certain things. Many of us know that what works in some situations or with certain individuals doesn’t always work or is the safest option for another situation. Controlled and precisely organized study allows scientists to compare and examine contrasting methods and concepts, also helps them to discover various approaches and be able to learn from individual’s behaviors and experiences. I will act as the case study throughout this paper in order to observe what I have learned about.
The validity of this quasi-experimental research article would be contamination and endogens change. The reason of this statement is because in this experiment the researchers had to change the treatments of the individuals several times to see their reaction when it came to the special education students. One change they did was that students were taught in pairs to see if their reaction was better when they were with someone or when they were alone. For the contamination group what the researchers did was that they were aware of the students behavior when they change the treatment and they were able to control their
A debate rages in psychology. It is not one of the usual kind, dwelling on a specific aspect of the mind or a new drug, but a controversy dealing with the very foundations of psychology. The issue is determining how psychologists should treat patients and on what psychologists base their choices. Some feel that they must be empirically-supported treatments, treatments backed by hard data and scientifically supported. Others feel that this standard for treatments is much too confining for the complex field of psychology and that many good treatments cannot be backed by hard data. The American Psychological Association President Task Force on Evidence-Based Treatment came out with a plan for psychology that effectively maintains a high
Psychological research describes investigations psychologists undertake in order to review and analyse a specific hypothesis, (a theory about the relationship between defined variables). Research allows theories to be confirmed, amended or rejected and often leads to further research as requirements evolve. Psychological research can take many forms, from laboratory based experiments to non-invasive viewing of subjects in their own environment. This research can take place using human or non-human subjects and the analysed results applied to human behaviour or experience within many disciplines including, education, legal or occupational.
Quasi-experimental research, which was once considered ‘flawed’ and less superior to true experimental research, has become increasingly popular over the last three to four decades in many areas, especially the social sciences (Coolican, 2014, p. 121). It differs from true experimental research design in the way that quasi-experimental research doesn’t involve random assignment of participants to groups and often has less control over the independent variable (Follmer Greenhoot, 2003, p. 94; Coolican, 2014, p. 121). An