EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
We studied Introspection method and Observation method used in
psychology of learning. But these methods lack scientific objectivity and validity.
Experimental method is the most scientific and objective method of studying
behaviour. It is the method, which is responsible for assigning the status of
Science to Psychology.
Let us learn more about this Experimental method.
In 1879, William Wundt established the first psychological laboratory at Leipzing
in Germany. Since then, experimental method in psychology has become
popular, Experimental method consists of actions performed under pre-arranged
or rigidly controlled conditions.
Here the emphasis is on experimentation. Experimentation is where the
investigator controls the educative factors to which a group of children are
subjected during the period of inquiry and the investigation observes the
resulting achievement.
J. W. Best describes, “Experimental research is the description and
analysis of what will be, or what will occur under carefully controlled
conditions.”
Basic concepts /essentials of experimental method
a. Experiments are always conducted in laboratory. Hence the laboratory is
essential.
b. Psychological experiments performed in this method essentially require two
people; the experimenter or group of experimenters who perform the
experiments and the other is the subject or subjects on whom the experiment is
performed.
c. The key factor in this method is the controlling of conditions or variables.
The term ‘Variable‘ means that which can be varied or changed.
By controlling the variables we can eliminate the irrelevant conditions and
isolate the relevant ones. We thus become able to observe the causal
relationship between the phenomena keeping all other conditions almost
constant. Let us understand this by an example. If we try to study the effect of
intelligence on academic achievement by the experimental method, we will need
to determine the causative relation between the two phenomena (variables)-
i.e. intelligence and academic achievement. One of these variables, the effect of
which we want to study will be called the independent variable and the other
the dependent variable. Thus the independent variable stands for cause and the
dependent variable is the effect of the cause. Other conditions like study-habits,
sex, socio-economic conditions, parental education, home environment, health,
past learning, memory etc. which exercise a good impact upon one‘s
achievement, besides one‘s intelligence, are termed “interviewing variables”. In
Experimentation, all such interviewing variables are to be controlled, i.e. they
are to be made constant or equalized and the effect of only one independent
variable e.g. intelligence (in the present case), on one or more dependent
variable is studied. The interviewing variables made constant, are hence called
as controlled variables.
Steps in the experimental method
1. Raising a problem:
In any experiment the first steps is to identify a problem. For example it has
been observed that the students cheat in the examinations. To stop this, it
many recommend strict supervision. But it has also been seen that even when
there is strict supervision there is cheating, hence there crops up the problem of
cheating under strict supervision or relaxed supervision. This problem may lead
to experimentation.
2. Formulation of a hypothesis:
The next step in experimental method is the formulation of a hypothesis that
“Strict supervision may lead to less copying in the examination as compared to
the relaxed supervision. “This hypothesis is now to be tested by experiment.
3. Making a distinction between Independent and Dependent
variables:
In the example given above, the cheating behaviour of the students will be
dependent variable while the nature of supervision will be the independent
variable. It is because by changing the supervision the cheating behaviour is
expected change. In the present experiment we manipulate the conditions of
supervision in order to discover the ways in which they determine the
dependent variable that is the cheating behaviour. We may observe the effect of
supervision in the experimental situation and also the effect of relaxed
supervision under similar conditions and with the same group of students.
4. Controlling the situational variables:
The experiment will not give valid results unless the situational variables are
controlled. If the experiment is conducted with different set of students who
have been trained in a different manner of have a different value system then
the results will be different in comparison to those who have been subjected to
experiment earlier. Similarly the other conditions like the person who is
supervising the place of supervision etc. have to be controlled. This means that
all those conditions, which might affect the dependent variable, are to be
controlled. Since, in any experiment there are numerous conditions which are
needed to be controlled, it is many a time difficult to do so. Hence we take
recourse to various types of experimental designs, which we have described
earlier.
5. Analysis of the Results:
Once the experiment is concluded the results are analysed. In our example we
may apply simple percentages to find out in which type of supervision a higher
percentage of students have copied. Many a times we apply more sophisticated
statistics to analyse the results.
6. Verification of Hypothesis:
The last step in the experimental method is the verification of the hypothesis,
which we have earlier framed. The result of the experiment exhibits whether the
hypothesis is accepted or refuted. We may find that strict supervision leads to
less copying. In that case we may conclude that our hypothesis is accepted. If
the results are otherwise then our conclusion will be that the hypothesis is
refuted.
Experimental Designs:
Experimental method is the most precise, planned, systematic and controlled
method of studying behaviour. It uses a
systematic procedure called as experimental design. The term experimenta
l design has two different meanings-one is the experimental design which
represents the six basic steps we have referred above which are followed in an
experiment. The second meaning of experimental design is selecting an
appropriate statistical procedure. Experimental design provides important
guidelines to the researcher to carry out his research study. Experimental
design ensures adequate controls by avoiding irrelevant causes of variability.
The layout of a design depends on the type of the problem the investigator
wants to investigate. No one design solves all the problems of a research study.
A variety of experimental designs have been developed by researchers in recent
years. These designs differ as these are dependent upon:
a) The nature of problem
b) The situation
c) The subjects and their availability.
Merits of experimental method
Experimental method being most precise and scientific has following merits:
1. Experimental method is the most systematic method or getting reliable
data.
2. Experimental method enables accurate observations due to controlled
conditions.
3. It allows us to establish cause effect relationship between different
phenomena.
4. The results obtained are valid and reliable.
5. The findings of the experimental method are verifiable by other
experiments under identical conditions.
6. It helps to protect from the subjective opinions. Hence it provides objective
information about the problem.
7. It provides adequate information about the problem.
8. In experimental method, experiments are conducted under vigorously
controlled conditions. The experimenter can control the application and
withdrawal of independent variables.
9. Experimental method increases ones knowledge or psychological facts in
child psychology, social and abnormal psychology.
It is rightly said the experimental method has made psychology a science.
Demerits of the method
Experimental method suffers from various following demerits:
1. Experimental method is a costly and time consuming method as it requires
a laboratory and apparatus to conduct it properly.
2. Experiments are conducted in artificially determined pattern of behaviour.
In real life situation it is quite different.
3. It needs specialized knowledge and therefore every teacher cannot be
expected to conduct the experiment.
4. The scope is limited. All problems of psychology cannot be studied by this
method as we cannot perform experiments for all the problems that may come
up in the diverse subject matter of psychology.
5. Accurate measurements, in case of human beings, are never possible.
6. It is difficult to always control the independent variable. Therefore it is not
possible to create desired conditions in laboratory.
7. It is not possible to reach certainty in matters of social science s including
educational psychology.
