A | B |
Experiment | Focuses on cause and effect in a controlled situation |
Case study | Study of someone over time |
Naturalistic observation | Watching 'participants' going about their normal business |
Interviews | Involves questioning |
Surveys | Lists of questions participants can answer on their own |
Milgram Obedience Studies | Study of authority using 'electric shocks' and volunteers |
Strength of an experiment | It's a controlled situation |
Strength of a survey | It can be completed anonymously |
Weakness of an experiment | It can be unrealistic |
Strength of naturalistic observation | People are in their natural environment |
Weakness of a case study | It can be too generalistic |
Strength of a case study | It show development (e.g. language) |
Weakness of naturalistic observation | Participants can change their behavior if they know |
Weakness of an interview | Participants can lie |
Zimbardo Prison Study | He took Milgram's study of authority and expanded it to test the effects of role playing |
Watson Conditions of Fear | He causes a small baby to fear all white furry objects |
Strength of an interview | You can change questions as you go |
Weakness of a survey | People may not send them back |
Correlational study | Gives you an idea about the relationship between two variables, but no more |
Empirical evidence | Evidence derived from observation |