Sperry methodological issues

research methods and techniques

types of data

ethical considerations

validity

reliability

sample bias

ethnocentrism

Quasi experiment - good for situations where the IV can not be manipulated

controlled conditions e.g. screen

Used observation within it (observed doing different tasks and recorded responses)

entirely qualitative which gives context to the data (reactions to the visual or the tactile tasks)(verbal responses relating to tasks)

quantitative data would have stated how many of the participants identifies the object

No distress

no deception

protection from harm

informed consent

ability to withdraw

not given debrief as they knew the aim

demand characteristics - knowing of the aims

not ecologically valid (in real world you are not asked to cover one eye)(you use whole visual field) but was okay because Sperry was aware he was studying such a specific area

standardised procedures so could easily be replicated (same time for each image/word shown, same screen)

Not reliable - people had surgery at different times

very small sample (11 people)

2 of which had the procedure a bit of time before the study and the other 9 had it recently

very specific conditions to get the sample

Yes:

No:

sample was small so hard to generalise

Sperry knew it was a very specific condition

only from one place

Done in lab conditions

Didn't get quantitative - more scientific to have that

but could be distressing for the participants to know their brains work differently to normal

participants could change their responses

has ecological validity as uses people with corpus collusm split

mundane realism

Internal validity - done in controlled environment (standardise and structures)

Not all people had the splitting procedure at the same time before the study

There were some exceptions with a small sample so harder to generalise

The image was always presented for 1/10th of a second

always had an eye covered

only American people

lacks generalisability - population validity

physiology for every brain is the same so shouldn't really make a difference

How you are brought up could affect your brain (childhood trauma affects brain development)