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experimental ecology issues in psychology
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Developmental Research MethodsTopic 10: Experimental Ecology?
04/10/2023CEDP 321/322 Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 1
Experimental EcologyThe experiment is an interaction
between the experimenter, subjects and environment
Laboratory observation vs. external observation◦Mothers and play
Ecological validity◦How much does the context influence
the findings?
Experimenter effects
Bias in data collection◦Maskelyne and
Kinnenbrook This is a case of
the PERSONAL EQUATION
Operational definitions help this
Multiple observers
Interrater reliability
Bias in data errors• Favor own hypothesis• Morton – intelligence across races• Selection bias• Did not know he was doing this
• Sometimes its not so innocuous• Burt - manipulation of data to support his
theory. (intelligence is a result of genetic factors)
Biased interactionsExperimenters can treat various
subjects differently◦Attractive, male, female, etc.
Use scripts
◦We also bias people by hinting at what the goals of our research are. Subjects will then try to change their
behavior to match or not match our goals.
Reducing biasUse multiple experimentersBlinding
◦Blind the subject◦Blind the experimenter or both
Subject factorsProblems with interpreting results
come from subjects too.
These are huge issues and cloud the experiment in the forms of threats to validity.
Hawthorne effectA thing observed
changesLadies working at a
production plant◦ Increased
productivity in general – even when they should not have.
◦ They were reacting to being part of the study and felt special as a result – and increased productivity.
Placebo (expectancy)Just the act of taking something may
cause you to change on whatever factor it is.◦Headaches, etc.
You can control this by taking measurements BEFORE you start the placebo condition to see if they change in the placebo condition as well.◦Mixed design
You can also control for this through blinding.
Demand CharacteristicsParticipants response is
influenced by the experimental setting by themselves.
They have an idea about how to behave in a given situation◦They then match their behavior to
that idea.◦Alcohol, marijuana, etc.
Deception helps control for these.Distractors help control for these.
Cultural bias
Our bias may be the culture itself◦African Americans and psychotherapy
Rules for including minorities and women in research
ParadigmsChanging the way we see the
world allows us to ask new questions about it.
New technologiesNew discoveries.