Techniques

Manipulate a variable to to see if it produces a change on a second variable

Allows researchers to detect cause-and-effect relationships.

Can only be used when it is practical and ethical for the researcher to manipulate the antecedent conditions.

Researcher very carefully observes and records some behavior or phenomenon

Allows researchers to observe behavior in the setting in which it normally occurs rather than the artificial and limited setting of the laboratory

Without the controlled conditions of the laboratory, conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships cannot be drawn,behavior can only be described, not explained.

Involves an in-depth descriptive record, kept by an outside observer, of an individual or group of individuals

Useful when researchers want to get a detailed contextual view of an individual's life or of a particular phenomena

Without the controlled conditions of the laboratory, conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships cannot be drawn. Behavior can only be described, not explained.

Designed to determine the degree and direction of relationship between two or more variables or measures of behavior.

Can be used to determine if there is a relationship between two variables without having to directly manipulate those variables

It does not tell researchers whether or not the relationship is causal

Does not involve direct observation by a researcher,rather inferences about behavior are made from data collected via interviews or questionnaires

Useful when researchers are interested in collecting data on aspects of behavior that are difficult to observe directly

It relies on a self-report method of data collection