Instructions

Experimental Research

1. Looking at Correlational or Experimental? read the instructions, read the scenarios, and jot down their
own decision for each scenario. Then lead a discussion of the seven scenarios and reach a consensus
for each one. Write down the group’s decision for each one, including the reason(s) for the decision.

2. Ask the group members to take turns thinking of a variable that might be of interest to a psychologist
that can be manipulated. Go around the circle three times. Now ask them to take turns thinking of a
variable that cannot be manipulated. Be sure that the group agrees on each variable. Write down the lists
of variables.
 Correlational or Experimental?

For each scenario, decide whether the research described is basically correlational or experimental. Or
perhaps there is not enough information to tell.

1. An educational researcher compares the performance of students from the “rich” side of town with that
of students from the “poor” side of town.

2. A cognitive psychologist instructs one group of research participants to “read over” a list of 20 words.
He instructs another group of research participants to “form a mental image” of each word on the same
list. He then tests everyone’s memory for the words.

3. A manager studies the correlation between new employees’ college grade point averages (GPA) and
their first-year performance reports.

4. A movie director has filmed two different endings for his movie. He shows one ending to one audience
and the other ending to another audience. Then he asks them all to rate how much they liked the movie.

5. A food scientist studies the correlation between a refrigerator’s inside temperatur and how long it takes
a head of lettuce to spoil.

6. A social psychologist compares the walking speeds of people in different countries and finds that there
are large differences. People in some countries tend to walk quickly while people in other countries tend
to walk slowly.

7. Another social psychologist tells some research participants that they need to hurry over to the next
building to complete a study. She tells others that they can take their time. Then she observes whether
they stop to help a research assistant who is pretending to be hurt.
 Experimental Research

Correlational or Experimental?

Correlational or Experimental? Why?

Scenario 1:

Scenario 2:

Scenario 3:

Scenario 4:

Scenario 5:

Scenario 6:

Scenario 7:

Variables

Variables that Can Be Manipulated Variables that Cannot Be Manipulated