Experimental and non-experimental methods
Non experimental methods
(Qualitative research)
Interviews
Observation
Case studies
Survey
Experimental methods
Field experiment
Laboratory experiments
Natural experiments
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Often new research
High ecological value
Weaknsesses
Very difficult to replicate
Interviews
Structured interview
Semistructured interview
Unstructured interview
Examples of studies
Observations
Pulinkala, Ivan
Research in Dance Education
Tulis, Maria
Teaching and Teacher Education
Subtopic
Surveys
Link to Social Psychology---->
Field experiments
Holfing’s hospital study on obedience
The Piliavin and Rodin Subway Experiment
Natural experiments
Hodges and Tizard's attachment research
The Tiffany Field experiment
Interviews
Grunschel, Carola; Patrzek, Justine; Fries, Stefan
European Journal of Psychology of Education
Jacobsen, Alice Juel
Ethnography and Education
Case studies
Harlow - Phineas Gage
Breuer & Freud - Anna O
Laboratory experiments
Milgram’s experiment on obedience
Loftus and Palmer's car crash study.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strenghts
No demand characteristics
High ecological value
Weaknesses
Researcher bias
No control
Difficult to extract useful, reliable information
Observation is basically what you do in field experiments. These two overlap all the time and are difficult to separate.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Good ecological value
Weaknesses
Little control
Difficult to replicate
Laboratory experiments should be used when you want to find the cause and effect relationship.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Finds cause and effect
A lot of controll
Easy to replicate
Weaknesses
Low ecological value
Case studies are a lot like natural experiments only that the participant is questioned more than made to go through experiments, and listened to rather than observed.
Interviews are like surveys, but a lot more detailed and in depth, but with fewer participants.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Large domain
Cost and time effective
Often easy to compare and read information
Weaknesses
Response bias
Difficult to make good questions
Natural experiments occur, they are usually conducted if possible.
Field experiments are conducted when you want to have a good ecological value. That is, when you want to make sure that people would actually react a certain way. (Otherwise, it is usually better to do a laboratory experiment) (You could also say that it is when the researcher comes to you, and not the other way around)
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Easy to analyze
More relaxed
Gain personal information
Weaknsesses
Low ecological value
Social desirability bias
Difficult to analyze
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
High ecological value
Multiple participants interacting
Weaknesses
Researcher bias
May be difficult to make ethical
Difficult to document