Experiment - the main method of obtaining knowledge in psychology. It consists in creation of an experimental situation with the purpose of studying any given phenomenon.
Instruction
1. Unlike observation, the experimenter is actively included in a research. He creates any given conditions in which the studied phenomenon will be shown most brightly. Manipulation of various factors during the experiment aims to monitor the happening changes in behavior of an object of a research. By means of an experiment it is possible to state existence or lack of relationships of cause and effect.
2. On a way of the organization distinguish laboratory and natural experiments. For a laboratory experiment completely all conditions are created artificially, the special equipment is usually used. Mental processes, such as feelings, perception become a research object often. The laboratory experiment assumes strict observance of all conditions, minimizing influence of collateral variables.
3. Exact scientific data are result of a laboratory experiment. However many do not recognize objectivity of the data obtained in such way, speaking about discrepancy of laboratory conditions with vital. This moment does a laboratory experiment less and less popular, as well as labor input of its carrying out.
4. The natural experiment does not demand so many restrictions, it is conducted in the context of real life. Examinees are not always informed on course of an experiment for an exception of socially desirable behavior. Shortcomings are the complexity of control and a possibility of unpredictable influences of third-party variables.
5. On the nature of influence on the examinee mark out the stating and forming experiments. In the second case at examinees any properties develop during the experiment. In the first there is diagnostics of an initial condition of an object.
6. Variables in an experiment can be dependent, independent and additional. Independent variables can change the experimenter, dependent change after independent. For example, presence of the stranger at an experiment attracts changes in behavior of the examinee.
7. Additional variables – the stimulation of the examinee including external and internal factors. The experimenter tries to minimize these variables, having provided purity of an experiment. Such experiment at which only the independent variable changes is considered ideal. Dependent it is controlled, and all additional influences are excluded.