Control Techniques

Week 6
In order to infer manipulation of independent
variables caused effect observed in
dependent variable, procedure must be in
place (control).

The methods of control:

1.Appropriate Design (Week 5)
2.Statistical Adjustment
3.Control Techniques
3. Control Techniques
1. Control of Experimental Design Flaws
 in BSD and WSD

2. Control of Human Flaws

 Participants and experimenter
effect

3. Control of Treatment Flaws

 Control group and placebo effect
Recap: Disadvantage of BSD

Major Disadvantage

Individual differences affect accuracy of

measurement

If 1 group given vitamin C and another group given

vitamin E to measure their strength. We cannot
say for certain that their performance are due to
the vitamins consumed or individual ability
Solution

Technique in selecting respondents

•Randomization
•Matching

Collecting information on performance

before experiment

•Baseline
Randomization

Equates groups of participants by ensuring

every member an equal chance of being
assigned to any group

Does not reduce or eliminate extraneous

variables but prevent systematic bias
Two types of randomization

Random Selection
Selection of people from defined population

Random Assignment
Assign individuals to groups in experiment
The best method so far as one cannot match
participants on every single detail
How ???
Assuming we have 10 participants

1. Give each respondent a number from 1 to 10,

write on a piece of paper
2. Put all numbers in a box or jar
3. Take one piece of paper, identify the number
and put in group 1
4. Take the next piece of paper, identify the
number and put in group 2
5. Do it alternatively until all 10 participants are
chosen
Matching

Using certain technique to divide

participants into certain group based
on one or more variables

E.g. Giving IQ test to divide participants

based on their score
Example
Par Score Group X Group Y
a 9 a=9 d=8
b 2 e=6 g=7
c 3 f=5 f=5
d 8 b=2 c=3
e 6 ∑= 22 ∑= 23
f 5
g 7
h 5
Types of Matching Techniques

1. Holding Variables Constant

Eg. Study on vitamins and weight lifting

If male is stronger than female, then experimenter

choose only male to reduce extraneous variable

Disadvantage:
a. Restrict size
b. Generalization
2. Building Extraneous Variable Into
Experimental Design

Eg. We study the effect of vitamins on

weightlifting but participants weight may be an
extraneous variable

So, incorporate weight as an Independent Variable

50-55 Kg = Group 1
56-60 Kg = Group 2
61-65 Kg = Group 3
3. Matching by equating participants

a. Precision Control
Matched with other participants on several selected
variables-age, gender, weight

b.Frequency distribution
Match groups in terms of overall distribution of
chosen variables (IQ score)
(as in example).
Baseline

Matching techniques require baseline calculation

Baseline
Measurement of related variables (eg IQ,
Weight-lifted) before an experiment conducted

•Used for matching participants into groups.

•To measure difference of performance pre and
post treatment
Recap: Disadvantage of WSD
Carry-over effect

Having been tested under one condition

affects how participants behave in another
condition

Two basic types of carryover effects are:

1. Practice effect

Occur when subjects get better at the task over

time because of practice, so that they perform
best in the later conditions.

2. Fatigue effect

Occur when subjects get worse at the task over

time because of fatigue
Solution

Counter-Balancing
(ABBA TECHNIQUE)

To plan the order of treatment given to

participants in a WSD
ABBA TECHNIQUE

A B

B A
Example
First Experiment Second Experiment
Vit C Vit E Vit C Vit E
A =50 A =40
B = 63 B = 53
C =59 C =49
D= 45 D= 55
E = 50 E = 60
F = 48 F = 58
 Then We Combine The Score

Vit C Vit E

A =50 A =40

B = 63 B = 53

C =59 C =49

D= 55 D= 45

E = 60 E = 50

F = 58 F = 48
Control of Participant Effects

Single-Blind Technique
The respondents do not know who belongs to
the control group and the experimental
group.

Deception
Providing respondents with misleading
information to hide actual research
objective
Control of Experimenter Effects
Experimenter Attributes
Physical and psychological attributes of experimenter
create differential response from participants

Experimenter Expectancies
Influence of experimenter expectations influence
participants behaviour

Solution: Double Blind Technique

In a double-blind experiment, neither the individuals
nor the researchers know who belongs to the control
group and the experimental group.
 Control Group

Control groups are not manipulated.

They are the foundational point (benchmark)

for which to compare the experimental
group against
For example:

You are testing whether

vitamins can improve
weightlifting strength

You give Group 1 vitamin C

You give Group 2 vitamin E
You give group 3 Flour

The one given flour is the control group.

Since the flour is an inactive substance (compared
to vitamins), we assume the treatment is as good as
no treatment, thus becomes the benchmark
Placebo
A placebo is a substance with no known medical
effects, such as flour from the previous example.
In short, a placebo is a fake treatment

The placebo effect occurs when the placebo, which

cannot on its own merit have any affect, does in
fact have the same or similar effect as the
experimental variable or procedure
In research, some participants in a study may be
administered a placebo while other participants
receive the actual treatment. The purpose of
doing this is to determine whether or not the
treatment has an actual effect.

If participants taking the actual vitamin

demonstrate a significant improvement over those
taking the placebo, the study can help support the
claim for the vitamin's effectiveness.
In previous example:

In order to reduce this bias, a similar pill with

inactive substance (flour) are given to participants
in control group so they receive similar treatment
(given pill) to the experimental group

and thus control the placebo effect (given pills

alone, would improve performance)