strengths- cause and effect can be assumed, high internal validity, easy to replicate and check reliability

limitations- artificial, difficult to generalise, low ecological validity, demand characteristics reducing internal validity

conducted in highly controlled environment where extraneous variables controlled and IV manipulated by experimenter

strengths- high ecological validity, generalisable to similar settings, less demand characteristics as unaware of experiment

limitations- less control over extraneous variables, low internal validity, ethical issues:deception

carried out in real world setting, IV manipulated by experimenter

strengths- high external validity as studies real life problems as they happen, enables research of behaviours not ethical to manipulate

limitations- low opportunities for research, no control over extraneous variables so low internal validity and cause and effect cannot be established

researcher does not manipulate IV so no random allocation of groups. researcher makes use of naturally occurring IV

strengths- allows study of variables impossible to manipulate, lab= control of variables and cause/effect established

limitations- not possible to randomly allocate ptpts to conditions so higher risk of cofounding variables

IV based on existing difference between people eg.age/gender. cannot manipulate these variables or randomly allocate ptpts to conditions. conducted in controlled settings

ptpts know being observed and the purpose behind observation

limitation- lower ecological validity and possible demand characteristics

strength- ptpts don't know being observed so natural behaviours observed

observer remains separate from those they are studying and records behaviour in a more objective manner than a ptpt observer

limitation- ptpts know being observed and may influence behaviour

conditions standardised by researcher. may be carried out in lab and variables are manipulated

researcher observes situation and records what happens but does not manipulate any factors

The interviewer has a topic of interest they want to discuss with the interviewee, no set list of questions, instead an open conversation about the topic, which allows the interviewer to ask questions specific to the interviewee and gain further information

limitations- The interviewer has to be responsive to the participant and ready to come up with suitable questions on the spot. Every interview will be different, making comparisons difficult. The interviewer will need specific training to ensure that questions, whilst responsive, aren't leading or show bias

strengths- able to build a rapport with the interviewee allowing for more honest answers thus increasing validity. Interesting answers can be followed up for more information as there is not a prescribed list of questions

strengths- interviewer does not need to have intensive training to ask the questions and answers easy to compare as the same questions were asked

limitations- Response by the participants cannot be followed up with additional questions to add more detail as there is a prescribed list of questions and pre-determined questions may not provide the relevant data required for the investigation

The interviewer reads out a list of prepared questions for the participant to answer and does not deviate from the prepared questions

strengths- Comparison easier than unstructured interview as same questions asked for part of the interview and interviewer can gather more info by asking further questions or asking the participant to expand on the answers they have given building rapport as the interviewer can ask more questions and relax the interviewee

limitations- interviewer has to be responsive to the participant and ready to come up with suitable questions on the spot if they feel that this is necessary interviewer, and would need specific training to avoid asking leading questions or loaded questions (with bias)

interviewer uses combination of set questions, with the ability to ask extra questions to gather more information which allows the interviewer to ask for more information if they feel it would be of benefit

strengths- complex issues easier to deal with, ease misunderstanding, data analysis and replication as structured and semi structured interviews standardised

limitations- interviewer effects as interviewers may unconsciously bias answers, interviewers need to be trained, ethical issues as ptpts may not know full purpose of interview, ptpts may have difficulty putting their feelings into words

strengths- quick/easy, large amount of info gathered in short amount of time, lack of investigator effects as researcher not present, qualitative and quantitative data collected, reliability as standardised

limitations- misunderstanding of questions and biased samples as only people who are willing and able will take them

strengths-produce greater depth and insight into a persons experience

limitations- more difficult to analyse and analysis may be subjective