1. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Experimental and Pre (Quasi) Experimental Designs

2. Basic Issues in Experimental Design Manipulation of the Independent Variable Selection of the Dependent Variable Assignment of subjects (or other test units) Control over extraneous variables

3. Manipulation of the Independent Variable In a classical experiment, the researcher measures the condition of the subjects – both treatment and control groups - on the dependent variable and then “manipulates” the independent variable for the “treatment group” while not “manipulating” that variable for the “control” group, and then “re-measures the dependent variable for both groups while controlling “all other variables”.

4. Laboratory vs Field Experiments Artificial – Low Realism Few Extraneous Variables High Control Low Cost Short Duration Subjects Aware of Participation Natural – High Realism Many Extraneous Variables Low Control High Cost Long Duration Subjects Aware of Participation

5. “ONE-SHOT” CASE STUDY T1T2T3 XO Where: X = Treatment O = Observation

6. How good is this research design? Scientifically it is not good at all –However, that the classical case studies in all of the social sciences have contributed more to those discipline’s knowledge than any other design First – much of the pioneer work that shaped the social sciences was accomplished before the advent of sophisticated research designs Second –research is always the enterprise of individuals and individual skill can “substitute” for sophisticated design controls Third – research designs which require sophisticated controls are limited to different kinds of inquires

7. “ONE-GROUP” PRETEST - POSTTEST T1T2T3 OXO

8. “STATIC GROUP” COMPARISON T1T2T3 XO O

9. “PRETEST - POSTTEST” CONTROL GROUP DESIGN T1T2T3 TrtOXO CtrlOO

10. Posttest-Only Control Group T1T2T3 OXO O

11. “SOLOMON” FOUR - GROUP DESIGN T1T2T3 OXO OO XO O

12. More Complex Experimental Designs Completely randomized designs Randomized block design Factorial design Latin square design

13. Experimental Conditions Double Blind experiment – neither “observer” nor the “subjects” know whether the subject are in the treatment or control groups or receiving a placebo. Placebo effect – One experimental group is given the “treatment” that is being tested while another “treatment” group receives a “treatment” but one that is, by design, “benign” in its effect.

14. Extraneous Variables HistoryMaturationTestingInstrumentationSelectionMortality

15. History – specific events in the environment between the before and after measurement that are beyond the experimenter’s control e.g. a major employer closes its plant in a test market area Maturation – subjects change during the course of the experiment e.g. subjects become tired

16. Extraneous variables (cont -2) Testing – the before measurement alerts subject to the nature of the experiment –e.g. questionnaire about traditional role of women triggers enhanced awareness of women in the experiment Instrumentation – changes in measuring instrument result in response bias –e.g. new questions about women are interpreted differently than earlier questions

17. Extraneous variables (cont -3) Selection – sample selection error occurs because of differential selection of comparison groups –e.g. control and experimental groups are assigned self-selecting groups based on preference for soft drinks Mortality – sample attrition, some subjects withdraw from experiment –e.g. subjects in one group of students withdraw from school

18. Control for Extraneous Variation Eliminate Extraneous Variables Hold Conditions Constant Randomization Matching Subjects

19. Demand Characteristics Design procedures that “hint” to subjects about the experimenter’s hypothesis –Guinea Pig effect – when subjects exhibit behavior that they feel is expected of them –Hawthorne effect – causes people to perform differently just because they know they are experimental subjects

20. Problems of Internal Validity DesignHistoryMaturationTestingInstrumentationSelectionMortality One shot design 00NRNR00 One group pre/post test design 000000 Static group design X?XX00 Posttest Control Group only XXXXXX Pre/Post Control Group design XXXXXX Solomon Four Group design XXXXXX 0 = weakness X = factor controlled ? = possible concern NR = not relevant

21. Ethical Issues Harm “Unfair benefit” PrivacyConfidentialityDeception Not using debriefing