PYSC 224: Experimental Psychology

Lecture 4b
Controlling Extraneous Variables
Controlling Extraneous Variables

• Basic Control Techniques

• Controlling Participant effects
• Controlling Experimenter effects
 Basic Control Techniques

• Discovering problems with internal validity after

you have conducted a study is too late

• A poorly designed study cannot be fixed later on

• Extraneous variables cause changes in scores that
have nothing to do with the effect of the
independent variable/ treatment
 Basic Control Techniques
• 1. Randomization
• This technique “equates groups of participants by ensuring
every member an equal chance of being assigned to any
group” (Christensen, 2007, pg. 264)

• The most important and basic of all the control methods

• Only technique for controlling unknown sources of
variation

• Any extraneous variables, are distributed amongst the

groups
• It allows internal validity to be established
 Basic Control Techniques
2. Matching

• Using one of variety techniques to equating

participants on one or more variables (Christensen,
2007) that can confound an experiment

• Variables on which participants are matched

are controlled because constancy of influence is
attained

• E.g.- matching participants on intelligence

means the level of intelligence is held constant
 Basic Control Techniques

• Matching can be done by a) holding variables

constant
• Controls for extraneous variable(s) by holding
them constant for all groups
• Participants in all the group will have the same
degree or type of extraneous variable
• Example- When studying the effect of group
cohesion on conformity, gender needs to be
controlled
 Basic Control Techniques

• Matching can also be done by:

• b) building the extraneous variables into the
research design
• The extraneous variable is included in the study
as an independent variable

• c) equating participants on the extraneous

variable such as IQ, age, gender etc.
 Basic Control Techniques
3. Counterbalancing
• Used to control sequencing effects resulting from
repeated measures of the dependent variable
• When participants in an experiment serve in each
of the several experimental conditions

• The various treatments of the experiment are

assigned in a different order for different
participants to reduce the sequencing effect
 Basic Control Techniques
• Can be complete counterbalancing or partial
counterbalancing

• Complete balancing provides every possible

ordering of treatment and assigns at least one
subject to each ordering

• It is practical for experiments with a small

number of treatments and participants

• Example- Six participants who are receiving 3

levels of an independent variable
 Basic Control Techniques
Subjects Treatment Order
1 1, 2, 3
2 1, 3, 2

• 3 2, 1, 3
4 2, 3, 1
5 3, 1, 2
6 3, 2, 1
 Basic Control Techniques
Partial Balancing
Subjects Treatment Order
1,2,3,4 1, 2, 3

• 5,6,7,8 1, 3, 2
9,10,11,12 2, 1, 3
13,14,15,16 2, 3, 1
17,18,19,20 3, 1, 2
21,22,23,24 3, 2, 1
Controlling Participant effects
Controlling Participant effects
1. Deception

• Participants think that the experiment is studying

one thing when in fact it is studying something
else

• The experimenter provides participants with a

hypothesis that is unrelated to the real
hypothesis
• E.g.- Milgram’s obedience experiment, Asch’s
conformity experiment
Controlling Participant effects

• 2. Single blind technique

• Participants do not know to which group they
have been assigned

• They may know about the goal of the experiment,

but do not know which group they are in
Controlling Participant effects

3. Test Unwitting participants

• Participants would not know that they are being

observed for an experiment
• They will not be aware that they are in a study
and will not alter their behaviour

• E.g- observing consumer behaviour in a

supermarket using a hidden camera
Controlling Experimenter Effects
 Controlling Experimenter effects
1. Double Blind technique
• Neither the experimenter nor the participants is
aware of the treatment administered to the
participants

• Keeps the experimenter from unconsciously

influencing participants

• Someone else administers the treatment (e.g.

pills) so the experimenter does not know who was
administered what
 Controlling Experimenter Effects

2. Use well-trained experimenters

• Use well-trained experimenters in order to control
experimenter effects

• Train experimenters to behave consistently with

all participants irrespective of the group they are
in
 Controlling Experimenter Effects

3. Control of recording errors

• Misrecording of data can be minimized if the

observer remains aware of the necessity to
making careful observations in order to obtain
accurate data

• Multiple observers or data recorders could also be

used
 Controlling Experimenter Effects

4. Consistency of instructions
• Where possible instructions given to participants
can be automate as well as the recording of their
responses for consistency

5.Controlling experimenter attributes

• Use the same experimenter in all the conditions