experimental study
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Manipulates1 a variable [anything that can vary] under highly controlled conditions to see if this produces [causes] any changes in a second [dependent] variable
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done in the highly controlled setting of the laboratory - these conditions are artificial2 and may not reflect what happens in the infinitely more complex real world; other researchers often try to replicate3 successful experiments
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correlational study
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attempts to determine the relationship between two or more variables, using mathematical techniques for
summarising data
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only shows that two variables are related in a systematic way, but does not prove or disprove4 that the relationship is a cause-and-effect relationship
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naturalistic (empirical) observation (also known as field study)
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observes and records some behaviour or phenomenon5, often over a prolonged period, in its natural setting without interfering with6 the subjects or phenomena in any way
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can be very time-consuming as researcher may have to wait for some time to observe the behaviour or phenomenon of interest; difficult to observe behaviour without disrupting7 it
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survey
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makes inferences from8 data collected via interviews or questionnaires
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intentional deception, poor memory, or misunderstanding of the question can all contribute to inaccuracies in the data
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