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Date : 6/0912o24
PRACTICAL 1
NTRODUCTION TO EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
"Psychology is a scientific study of mental
definition reflects psychology concerns withprocesses, experiences and behaviours". This
an-objective study of observable behaviour. It also
recognizes the importance of understanding mental processes
directly observed but must be inferred from behavioural and and experiences that cannot þe
Experimental method is a method of research in whichneurological
the
data.
experimenter manipulates
variables under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether any change occurs in the
chosen variables as a result of his/her manipulation.
field of psychology. It isa science of enquiry and is aExperimeptal psychology is a separate
hundred jyears old.
HISTORY OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
Experimental psychology like any other discipline had its roots in philosophy and
it emerged as an independent discipline. Among the philosophical works that gavesubsequently
a prominent
place the matter of psychological interest were those of
to
British Association. These writers dealt with problems likeDescartes, Gardener Murphy and
which was of direct relevance to an understanding of humanmemory, growth of knowledge
behaviour. Philosophers like
Locke, Berkley, Hume, Brown and others stressed on the carlier
psychology, also kmown as Laws of Association". Though thesescientific principles of
laws were based on
generalization, experience and observation, they provided psychology with the first set of
hypothesis to be experimented upon.
Later, in the mid 19h century, Charles Darwin theory helped
traditional beliefs and established itselfas psychology to come out of iis
an independent experimental science.
made to design and carry out experiments on human behaviour. The Attempts were
famous psychologist
Helmholtz gave emphasis to study speed reaction in human beings. Donders, a famous
Dutch
psychologist did important work in,this field. This was the beginning of new "Teaction Time
experiments, which is the major area of behaviour to be studied experimentally
Wundt established the first psychological laboratory in 1879 at Leipzig
followed by the development of laboratories University that was
allover the world. After this, Hermann
Ebbinghaus worked on memory and conclusions arrived by him are held even today.
Thorndike, an American psychologist came, out with his experiments on the learning
He perfomed these experiments on animals. The introduction process.
of experiments on animals in
psychology provided a strong catalyst for the growth of experimental psychology both in terms
of quantity and quality. Russian psychologist Pavlov gave direction to experimental psychology
of learning and did his experimehts on dogs. Binet, James,
among the other best known psychologist. Titchner, Watson, Skinner, etc are
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TPES OFPSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTS
The various types of psychological experiments are:
1) Exploratory experiments: These psychological experiments, are done in order to
explore the various conditions of an experiment. These experiments work on the
statement that: I wonder what will happen?
() Confirmatory experiments: These psychological experiments are used only to
confirm previously established relationships. It works on the statenent that: I ka
this will happen".
Other ways of psychological experiments are:
a. Univariate esperiments: Theseare those experiments which have
and 1dependent variable. For example -to study the effect of age only 1independent
b. Biyariate experiments: These are those experiments which have 2 on reaction time
independent and 1
dependent variable. For example-to study the effect age and fatigue
C. Multi variate experiments: These are those on reaction time
experiments which have more than 2
independent but only 1 dependent variable. For example -to study the effect of age,
fatigue, anxiety, interest on reaction time.
SCHEME OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTS
1. HYPOTHESIS: Ahypothesis is a tentative and testable statement of the possible
relationship between two or more events or variable being investigated. Thus, it is a
possible and suggested answer to the research problem. The experimenter is responsibl
to check the hypothesis. The hypothesis should be simple and be in line with
the availa
knowledge. Hypotheses are generally derived from earlier research findings, existing
theories, personal observations and experiences.
2, VARIABLES: Variable is an event Or condition, which can have
it is an event or condition which can be measured and which different values. Ideal
varies quantitatively. Ther
are different types of variable:
a, Ouantitative variables: These variables can be
measures in terms of magnitude.
b. Qualitative variables: These variables are categorical and
cannot be measured
against any dimension of magnitude.
c. Independent variables: It is an event or situation manipulated by
experiment to
see whether it will have an effect on some other events or situations, It is also
called experimental variable.
d. Dependent variables: It is a factor that is measured in an
experiment and
change
þecause of manipulation of independent variables (1.V). The dependent variables
(D.V) is so called because its value depends upon the value or nature of
independent variables (1.V).
e. Control variables: These are those variables that are kept under control or kent
constant to reduce error variance by adopting certain techniques. A large share of
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Cxperimenter's preliminary planning and labor is directed towards avoiding
relevant cause of variability. These variables are also known as constant or
extraneous variables. These extraneous variables may affect subject matter under
study and yield false results. There are three types of controlled or extraneous
variables:
1 Organismic variables: These variables include the subject related variable
such as age, inteligence, personality, ctc
i. Situational variables: These variables include environmental settings. Eg:
noise, temperature, ctc and the variables related to the experimental tasks.
ii. Sequential variables: The sequence related variables deal with sequence
effects. They arise when participants in experiments are required to be teste
in several conditions.
METHODS TO CONTROL EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES
Some of the important methods to control the extraneous variables are:
1. Elimination: This method is used to remove the extraneous variables from the
experimental settings. Elimination can be done by choosing the subject and the
conditions such that they become homogeneous on the variables to be kept constant. This
will help in reducing them within group variants. For example: the age factor can be
controlled by selecting subjects of the same age.
2. Method of Constancy: In this method the extraneous variabes can be made constant so
that their effect remains the same throughout the experimental settings.
3. Matching: This method is uscd to control organisnmic and background variables. In this,
the experimenter matches all the subjects to be included in the experiment on the basis of
the variables other than independent variables that can affect dependent variables.
4. Counter Balancing: It is a technique in which, the components of independent variables
(L.) are presented at random, balancing cach other like ABBA pattern.
5. Randomization: This means "random selection" in which subjects are randomly
selected from a large population to be included in the sample. Each and every unit in the
population has a chance to be selected in the sample.
ADVANTAGES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTS
Experiments are the ways by which an experimenter studies asubject on various variables of
day-to-day life. An experimenter tries to control the conditions under which an event occurs. If
he succeeds in doing so, he has certain advantages Over an observer who simply watches the
course of events without exercising any control.
The various advantages of psychological experiments are:
1. The experimenter can make the event occur when he wishes. So, he can be fully prepared
for accurate observation.
2. The experimenter can repeat his observation under the same conditions for verification.
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3. The experimenter can vary the conditions systematically and note the variations in
results.
4. The experimenter can communicate the results in such a way that others can
in the same way. understand it
LIMITATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTS
There are certain limitations in the experimental method:
1. Self fulilling prophecy: The framed hypothesis leads to
expectations on the part of the
experimenter and the observations in the study may get influenced
in such a way that the experimenter tends to favor the
by these expectations
hypothesis.
order to fulfill his expectations may tend to elicit the kind The experimenter in
of behaviour they want from
the participant.
2. Demand characteristics: The participants in
nature of research and goal of the study and then psychological Studies tend to identify the
purposively start behaving in ways that
may influence the outcome of the study. It is therefore,
necessary not to tell the
participants about the hypothesis of the experiment.
.3. Confounding: While doing a study if the experimenter is not
variables niay be combined so that the effect of one cannot be careful then bolh he
separated from the ffect
of other. This is known as confounding. It makes the
4. Reactivity: The participants in experiments and conclusions of the study doubtful.
being studied. This awareness makes them cautious surveys are usually aware that they are
and they fail to respond naturally.
Thus, it threatens the validity of the findings.
5. Experimenter's expectancies: The
should perform on the research task tendsexperimenter's expectancies about the participants
to influence the
towards the process and this could affect the participants' experimenter's behaviour
and bias the data. responses to the research task
6. Characteristics of the subject: Many of the
with dependent variable. For eg: experience ofcharacteristics of the subject may interfere
the subject, maturation level of the
subject, inotivation of the subject, attitude of the subject, etc.
In spite of the limitations, the experimental
knowledge about behaviours of the subjects.method
is the best method of gathering new
As such it can
implies empirical methods (based on facts), systematic also be referred to as a science as it
studies and skepticism. observation,,accuracy, experimental
