Psychology · Year 12

Active learning ideas

Experimental Methods and Design

Research methods are the 'how' of psychology. This topic introduces the different types of experiments, laboratory, field, natural, and quasi, and the designs used to carry them out. Students learn the vital skills of operationalising variables, controlling for extraneous factors, and choosing between independent groups, repeated measures, and matched pairs designs.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• AQA 4.2.3.1 Experimental methods
• AQA 4.2.3.2 Experimental design

• 25–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Collaborative Problem-Solving
• 50 min · Small Groups

Collaborative Problem-Solving: Design a Study

Give groups a research question (e.g., 'Does music help you study?'). They must decide on the experimental method, design, and variables, then present their plan to the class for a 'peer review' of their controls.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of laboratory versus field experiments?

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Simulation Game
• 35 min · Whole Class

Simulation Game: Order Effects

Run a simple repeated measures experiment (e.g., a memory test with and without noise). Half the class does 'noise' first, the other half does 'quiet' first. Use the results to explain why counterbalancing is necessary to control for order effects.

How do researchers control for extraneous and confounding variables?

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Hypothesis Writing

Provide students with several research scenarios. In pairs, they must write one directional and one non-directional hypothesis for each, ensuring all variables are fully operationalised.

What is the difference between independent groups, repeated measures, and matched pairs designs?

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• A natural experiment is the same as a field experiment.

  Clarify that in a field experiment, the researcher still manipulates the IV, but in a natural experiment, the IV changes on its own (e.g., a new law or a natural disaster). Comparing 'who changes the IV' helps students distinguish between the two.

• Extraneous and confounding variables are the same thing.

  Explain that extraneous variables are 'nuisance' variables that might affect the DV, while a confounding variable is one that *definitely* varied systematically with the IV, ruining the results. Using a 'broken experiment' example helps students see the difference.

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Methods used in this brief

• Collaborative Problem-Solving
• Simulation Game
• Think-Pair-Share