Conducting experiments with humans
Experiments are studies involving intervention by the researcher beyond that required for measurement. The usual intervention is to manipulate some variable in a setting and observe how it affects the subjects being studied (e.g., people or physical entities). The researcher manipulates the independent or explanatory variable and then observes whether the hypothesized dependent variable is affected by the intervention.
Discuss what essential characteristics distinguish a true experiment from other research designs.
Evaluate what ethical problems you see in conducting experiments with humans. Experiments are studies involving intervention by the researcher beyond that required for measurement. The usual intervention is to manipulate some variable in a setting and observe how it affects the subjects being studied (e.g., people or physical entities). The researcher manipulates the independent or explanatory variable and then observes whether the hypothesized dependent variable is affected by the intervention. What essential characteristics distinguish a true experiment from other research designs? What ethical problems do you see in conducting experiments with humans?
Sample Answer
Essential characteristics of a true experiment
A true experiment is a research design that has the following essential characteristics:
- Random assignment: The participants are randomly assigned to the experimental group or the control group. This ensures that the two groups are as similar as possible at the beginning of the experiment.
- Manipulation of the independent variable: The researcher manipulates the independent variable, which is the variable that the researcher is interested in studying. The researcher changes the level of the independent variable and then observes how this affects the dependent variable.
- Controlled conditions: The experiment is conducted in controlled conditions, which means that the researcher tries to control for all of the other variables that could affect the dependent variable. This is done to ensure that the only difference between the experimental group and the control group is the level of the independent variable.