Experimental Research

Design
Experimental Research
• Experimental research is a study that strictly adheres to a scientific
research design.
• It includes a hypothesis, a variable that can be manipulated by the
researcher, and variables that can be measured, calculated and
compared.
• Most importantly, experimental research is completed in a controlled
environment.
Characteristics of Experimental Research
Variables
Experimental research contains
• Dependent variable
• Independent variable
• Extraneous variables

Setting
• Contrived Setting (Artificial)
• Non contrived Setting (Natural)
Data Collection Methods in Experimental Research

1. Observational Study
2. Simulation
3. Surveys
Factors affecting the validity of experiements
1. History Effects
• Certain events or factors that have an impact on the independent variable–
dependent variable relationship might unexpectedly occur while the experiment
is in progress, and this history of events would confound the cause‐and effect
relationship between the two variables, thus affecting the internal validity.

• For example, let us say a bakery is studying the effects of adding to its bread a
new ingredient that is expected to children health.
• > the bread is given to childern for 6 months
• > During the experiment, a flu virus hits the city
• > Flu contaminated the cause-and‐ effect relationship
2.Maturation Effect
• Cause‐and‐effect inferences can also be contaminated by the effects of the passage of
time – another uncontrollable variable. Such contamination effects are denoted
maturation effects.
• The maturation effects are a function of the processes – both biological and
psychological – operating within the respondents as a result of the passage of time.

• Worker efficiency and technology

• > A new technology introduced

• > Workers effeciency measured over time.
• > The increased effeciency may be due to the new technology
3. Testing Effect
• Frequently, to test the effects of a treatment, subjects are given what is
called a pretest. That is, first a measure of the dependent variable is
taken (the pretest), then the treatment is given, and after that a second
measure of the dependent variable is taken (the posttest).

• The difference between the posttest and the pretest scores is then
attributed to the treatment. However, the exposure of participants to
the pretest may affect both the internal and external validity of the
findings.
4. Selection Bias Effect
• Another threat to both the internal and external validity of our findings is
the selection of participants. In a lab setting, the types of participants
selected for the experiment may be very different from the types of
employees recruited by organizations.

• For example, students in a university might be allotted a task that is

manipulated to study the effects on their performance. The findings from
this experiment cannot be generalized, however, to the real world of work,
where the employees and the nature of the jobs are both quite different.
Thus, subject selection poses a threat to external validity.
 Disadvantages of Experimental Research Design
 It is highly prone to human error due to its dependency on variable control which may not be properly
implemented.
 It is a time-consuming process.
 It is expensive. 
 It is very risky and may have ethical complications that cannot be ignored.
 Experimental research results are not descriptive.
 Response bias can also be supplied by the subject of the conversation.
 Human responses in experimental research can be difficult to measure
TYPES OF EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
a. Quasi-experimental designs
Some studies expose an experimental group to a treatment and measure its effects.
Such an experimental design is the weakest of all designs, and it does not measure the true cause‐
and‐effect relationship. This is so because there is no comparison between groups, nor any
recording of the status of the dependent variable as it was prior to the experimental treatment and
how it changed after the treatment. In the absence of such control, the study is of no scientific value
in determining cause‐and‐effect relationships.
Hence, such a design is referred to as a quasi‐experimental design.
b. True-experimental designs
Experimental designs that include both the treatment and control groups and record information
both before and after the experimental group is exposed to the treatment are known as ex post facto
experimental designs.
Task for Class
• Design a social experiment in a group and perform with mates.

• Identify experimenter
• Variables
• Explain results
• Compare with desire results