This document discusses experimental research. It defines experimental research as research that uses manipulation and controlled testing to understand causal processes. True experiments randomly assign participants to experimental and control groups and manipulate the independent variable, while quasi-experiments lack random assignment. The key steps of conducting an experiment are selecting and grouping subjects, identifying and controlling non-experimental factors, measuring outcomes, conducting a pilot study, and determining the experiment parameters.

2. Z A I N A B S H E I K H
4 0 3 2
6 T H S E M E S T E R
B . S . P S Y C H O L O G Y
D E P A R T M E N T O F P S Y C H O L O G Y
G OV T. P O S T G R A D UAT E C O L L E G E F O R
WO M E N , H A R I P U R .

3. TOPIC:
•EXPERIMENTAL
RESEARCH

4. INTRODUCTION
•Experimental research is commonly
used in sciences such as sociology and
psychology, physics, chemistry,
biology and medicine etc.

5. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
•It is a collection of research designs which uses
manipulation and controlled testing to understand
causal processes. Generally, one or more variables
are manipulated to determine their effect on a
dependent variable.

6. TYPES OF EXPERIMENT
•True Experiment
•Quasi Experiment

7. TRUE EXPERIMENT
•A true experiment occurs when the
investigator does two things:
• 1) randomly assigns participants to
groups (e.g., experimental and control)
• 2) manipulates at least one IV.

8. QUASI EXPERIMENT
•A quasi experiment is almost the same,
except now there is no random
assignment of participants to groups;
only manipulation of the IV. In order to
reach "cause and effect" conclusions
about the effect of the IV on the DV, you
must use a true experiment.

9. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
• The experimental methhod is a systematic
and scientific approach to research in which
the researcher manipulates one or more
variables, and controls and measures any
change in other variables.

10. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
•A blueprint of the procedure that
enables the researcher to test his
hypothesis by reaching valid conclusions
about relationships between
independent and dependent variables. It
refers to the conceptual framework
within which the experiment is
conducted.

11. STEPS IN CONDUCTING EXP.
RESEARCH
• Introduction
• Aims and Objectives
• Consent
• Instructions
• Tool and Equipment
• Criteria
• Variable
• Groups
• Intervention
• Manipulate and ControlVariables
• Next Sessiom

12. STEPS OF CONDUCTING AN
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
• 1. Select sample of subjects.
• 2. Group or pair subjects.
• 3. Identify and control non experimental factors.
• 4. Select or construct,and validate instruments to
measure outcomes.
• 5. Conduct pilot study.
• 6. Determine place,time, and duration of the
experiment.

13. 1. SAMPLE SELECTION
•Physicaly Fit Subjects
•Criteria
Included Criteria
Excluded Criteria

14. 2. GROUP SUBJECTS
•Control Group
•Experimental Group
•One group (the experimental, or
intervention group) is given the
intervention while the other (the control
group) is not

15. 3. REPO
•Develop Repo with subjects.

16. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
•Aware your subjects with aims and
objectives of your study.

17. CONSENT
•Before conducting experiment,take
permission from subjects.

18. INSTRUCTIONS
•Clear cut instructions should be
given.

19. CONTROL NON EXP. FACTORS
•Identify and control non
experimental factors.

20. TOOL AND EQUIPMENT
•Select or construct, and validate
instruments to measure outcomes.

21. CONDUCT EXPERIMENT
•Manipulate I.V
•Control ExtraneousVariable
•Intervention in Experimental Group
•Notice the results

22. VARIABLES
•Independent Variable
•Dependent Variable
•(number can vary from 1 to the choice
of experimentar)

23. INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
• An independent variable is the variable you have control over,
what you can choose and manipulate. It is usually what you
think will affect the dependent variable. It may be something
that is already there and is fixed, something you would like to
evaluate with respect to how it affects something else, the
dependent variable like color, kind, time.
• Example: You are interested in how stress affects heart rate in
humans. Your independent variable would be the stress and the
dependent variable would be the heart rate. You can directly
manipulate stress levels in your human subjects and measure
how those stress levels change heart rate.

24. DEPENDENT VARIABLE
• A dependent variable is what you measure in the
experiment and what is affected during the experiment.
The dependent variable responds to the independent
variable.
• Example: You are interested in how stress affects heart
rate in humans. Your independent variable would be the
stress and the dependent variable would be the heart
rate. You can directly manipulate stress levels in your
human subjects and measure how those stress levels
change heart rate.

25. THE THIRD VARIABLE
• A confounding variable, also known as a third
variable or a mediator variable, can adversely
affect the relation between the independent
variable and dependent variable. This may cause
the researcher to analyze the results incorrectly.
The results may show a false correlation between
the dependent and independent variables, leading
to an incorrect rejection of the null hypothesis.

26. MINIMIZING THE EFFECTS OF
CONFOUNDING VARIABLES
•A well-planned experimental design and
constant checks, will filter out the worst
confounding variables.

27. MANIPULATION OF VARIABLES
•Manipulate I.V.
•We can change I.V in three ways, by
changing:
•Situation/event
•Number
•Kind/Feature

28. INTERVENTION
•An intervention could include a medical or
surgical intervention, a new drug, or an
intervention to change lifestyle.
•Experimentar controls:
•Timing
•Dose
•Intensity

29. RESULTS
•Outcomes of interest are recorded
over time, and the results compared
between the two groups.

30. ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION
•If the researcher suspects that the effect
stems from a different variable than the
independent variable, further investigation is
needed to gauge the validity of the results.

31. EXAMPLE
HOW STRESS AFFECTS HEART RATE?
Your independent variable would be the
stress and the dependent variable would be
the heart rate. You can directly manipulate
stress levels in your human subjects and
measure how those stress levels change heart
rate.