🌟 Experimental Research Method – Complete and Detailed Explanation in Simple English

🔬 What is Experimental Research in Psychology?

In psychology, experimental research is a method used to find out what causes what. It helps
psychologists discover cause-and-effect relationships between things, which are called
variables.

For example, a psychologist might want to know: “Does getting more sleep improve memory?”
In this case:

 The thing that is changed (like sleep time) is called the independent variable (IV).
 The thing that is measured (like memory) is called the dependent variable (DV).

In experimental research:

 The psychologist changes or manipulates one variable (IV).

 Then they observe and measure the effect this change has on another variable (DV).
 To make sure that other factors don’t interfere, the researcher tries to control other
variables. These extra factors are called extraneous variables, and they must be kept the
same for all participants.

This way, the researcher can be more confident that the independent variable really caused the
change in the dependent variable.

📋 Major Features of Experimental Research

Here are some important features that make experimental research special:

1. Independent Variable (IV):

o This is the variable that is changed or controlled by the experimenter.
o The experimenter decides its different levels (e.g., high, low, present, absent).
2. Dependent Variable (DV):
o This is the variable that is measured to see what effect the IV had on it.
o It is the outcome of the experiment.
3. Experimental Group:
o This group of participants receives the treatment or the change (IV).
 4. Control Group:
o This group does not receive the treatment. It is used to compare what happens
when the IV is not applied.
5. Control over Extraneous Variables:
o Researchers try to keep everything else the same to make sure the IV is the only
reason the DV changes.
o This is done by:
 Holding constant (keeping things the same).
 Randomizing effects (using chance to assign participants).
6. Goal of Experimental Research:
o To manipulate the IV and see how it changes the DV.
o To establish a causal relationship, meaning one thing causes another.

✅ Basic Characteristics of Experimental Design

One of the most important things in an experiment is random assignment. This means:

 Each person has an equal chance to be placed in any group (like the experimental or
control group).
 This helps avoid bias and makes the groups similar.
 It can be done using:
o A random number table.
o Flipping a coin.
o Any method that gives equal chances to each person.

Because of random assignment and control of variables, experimental designs can show cause-
and-effect relationships more clearly than other types of research.

🔎 What is an Operational Definition?

An operational definition means clearly explaining how something will be measured or

changed in the study.

For example:
  If you are studying memory, you need to say exactly how you will measure it. Will you
check how many words a person remembers from a list? That becomes your operational
definition.
 For depression, you might use a score on the Beck Depression Inventory (a type of
survey).
 For arousal, you might measure changes in the skin’s electrical conductivity (galvanic
skin response).

The operational definition must be so clear and detailed that someone else can do the same
experiment again and get similar results. This helps with replication, which is a big part of
scientific research.

🔗 Correlational Research: Major Features

Correlational research is another way to study relationships between variables, but it is not
experimental. Here's how it is different:

 No variables are changed or controlled.

 Instead, the researcher simply measures two or more variables and sees if there is a
connection between them.
 It helps answer questions like: “Do people who sleep more also have better moods?” But
it does not prove that one causes the other.

⚠️Important: Just because two things happen together does not mean one causes the other.
That’s why correlational research cannot show causality.

🔄 Directionality of Effect Problem

This problem happens when it’s unclear which variable is causing the other.

Let’s look at an example:

 If students who attend class more often get better grades, is it because:
o Attending class helps them learn more?
o Or are students who already do well just more likely to attend class?

Another example:
  If children who watch violent TV shows are more aggressive, is it because:
o TV violence makes them aggressive?
o Or are aggressive kids more attracted to violent shows?

This confusion is called the directionality problem because we don’t know the direction of the
cause.

🧩 Third Variable Problem

This problem happens when there is a third variable affecting both things being studied.

For example:

 There might be a positive link between:

o Number of churches and crime rate.
o But maybe this is because of a third variable: population. A bigger population
means more churches and more crime.

Other examples:

 Class attendance and GPA might both be affected by student motivation.

 Ice cream consumption and drownings might both increase during summer, which is
the third variable.

This shows how correlation doesn’t equal causation.

🛠️Key Features and Measurement Considerations

Experimental studies are carefully planned. Here are key things to keep in mind:

1. Manipulation of Variables:
o The researcher intentionally changes the IV to see what happens to the DV.
2. Control Group:
o A group that does not get the IV.
o Used to compare what happens with and without the treatment.
3. Random Assignment:
o Participants are placed into groups by chance.
o Helps remove bias and makes the groups similar.
 4. Validity and Reliability:
o Internal Validity: Making sure the change in the DV really came from the IV
and not something else.
o Reliability: If someone else does the study the same way, they should get similar
results.

🧪 Types of Experimental Studies

1. Laboratory Experiments:
o Done in a controlled environment, like a lab.
o Example: Studying sleep deprivation by controlling who sleeps and who doesn’t,
and then measuring memory.
2. Field Experiments:
o Done in real-life settings.
o Example: Changing the music volume in a restaurant and watching how it affects
customer behavior.
3. Quasi-Experiments:
o Similar to true experiments but no random assignment.
o Example: Studying students’ performance before and after a new teaching
method.
4. Natural Experiments:
o The independent variable happens on its own.
o Example: Studying how survivors’ mental health changes before and after a
natural disaster.

🔬 Famous Experimental Studies

1. Stanford Prison Experiment (1971):

o Students were assigned roles as “guards” or “prisoners.”
o It showed how people’s behavior changes based on roles and power.
o It caused serious emotional stress and raised ethical concerns.
2. Milgram Experiment (1960s):
o People were told to give shocks to others.
o Showed that people obey authority even when it causes harm.
3. Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment (1961):
o Children watched adults hit a toy doll.
o Then the children copied the behavior.
 o Proved the power of social learning.

📐 Common Study Designs in Experimental Psychology

1. Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design:

o Measure DV before and after IV.
o One group gets the treatment, the other does not.
2. Posttest-Only Control Group Design:
o Measure DV only after the IV.
o Groups compared based on post-treatment results.
3. Repeated Measures Design:
o Same people get all treatments.
o DV measured after each treatment.
4. Matched-Pairs Design:
o Participants matched on things like age or IQ.
o Then placed in different groups to compare effects.
5. Factorial Design:
o Tests two or more IVs together.
o Shows how combinations of variables affect the DV.
6. Within-Subjects Design:
o Same people are used in all conditions.
o Makes comparisons within the same participants.
7. ABAB Design (Reversal Design):
o Alternates between no treatment (A) and treatment (B).
o Helps show if behavior changes with and without treatment.
8. Solomon Four-Group Design:
o Combines pretest and posttest with multiple groups.
o Checks if the pretest itself influences results.
9. Sequential Experiments Design:
o Experiments are done one after another.
o Each new experiment builds on the last one.

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