Although analog research produces more valid results because of the control researchers can exert in the laboratory, there are many disadvantages. For example:
-the degree of similarity between analog and the real thing (is the analog truly comparable?)
-if researcher's experimental manipulations are truly effective they may be harmful (and therefore unethical)
 -if the experimental manipulations are mild, the research becomes trivial and has little external validity. 

Disadvantages of Analog Research

Due to the ethical concerns of using human subjects in analog research, some propose the use of animals as an alternative. With animals, researchers can exert nearly perfect control over their diets, living conditions, and even genetic background. As animals generally have shorter life spans, phenomena that may take years to study in humans can be studied in a few months with, say, rats. Furthermore, a number of “naturally” occurring behavior disorders (e.g., aggression, mood disorders. activity, eating disorders) commonly seen in animals, are also relevant in the field of psychopathology (Aldelda & Joel, 2011). Some even argue for the relevance of animal research when investigating personality traits (e.g., Canli, 2006; i Ho. & Schwarting, 2008). Nonetheless, researchers debate if the behavior of animals can really be analogous to that of humans, and thus valid in research studies.

The Use of Animals in Analog Research

Most often, analogous studies are used to highlight the nature of psychopathology or therapy. For example, when Watson and Rayner (1920) tried to show how Little Albert could learn to be phobic for white rats, they were constructing an analog of the way they thought real-life phobias were acquired.

Purpose of Analog Research

Studies conducted in the laboratory, where control is easier to exert, but whose conditions are said to be “analogous,” or comparable, to real life. 

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- Control Group
- Experimental Group
- Independent Variables
- Dependent Variables
- Participants must be assigned randomly to experimental and control groups.
- Between and Within-Group Designs
- Internal Validity
- External Validity
- Analog Research

Features of a Typical Experimental Study 

Trull , T. J., &amp; Prinstein , M. J. (2013). Research Methods in Clinical Psychology . In Clinical Psychology (Eighth, pp. 93–124). Textbook, Wadsworth Cengage Learning . 

Clinical Psychology Eighth Edition 

Comparisons might be made on the same patient at different points in time

Within-Group Design

When the results of an experiment can be applied to the general population.

External Validity

Analog Research

In experimental research, an independent variable is the presumed cause in a cause-and-effect relationship. It is the specific factor that a researcher systematically manipulates or varies to observe its impact on another variable. While experiments require manipulation, in some non-experimental or factorial designs, an independent variable may simply be measured.

Independent Variable

A dependent variable is the factor in an experiment that represents the presumed effect within a causal relationship. It is the variable that researchers measure to evaluate if it changes as a direct result of the manipulation of the independent variable.

Dependent Variable

In an experiment, the experimental group consists of the participants who are exposed to the experimental manipulation. This group receives the specific treatment or level of the independent variable that the researcher is investigating to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Experimental Group in Research

In an experimental study, a control group consists of participants who do not receive the experimental treatment or manipulation. This group serves as a baseline to compare against the experimental group, allowing researchers to determine if the treatment was effective. In clinical research, if a treatment is found to be beneficial, the ethical principle of seeking justice dictates that participants in the control group should be offered the treatment after the study concludes to ensure fair distribution of benefits.

Control Group in Research

A between-subjects experiment is an experimental design approach wherein each participant is exposed to only a single level of the independent variable. This method differs fundamentally from within-subjects designs, as individuals are tested in just one specific condition rather than across all experimental variations.

Between-Subjects Experiment

Internal validity indicates the degree to which an empirical study's design justifies the conclusion that changes in the independent variable directly caused the observed differences in the dependent variable. Experimental research designs typically achieve high internal validity because they involve deliberately manipulating an independent variable while rigorously controlling for extraneous variables, thereby eliminating alternative causal explanations. For instance, in the Darley and Latané experiment, the rigorous manipulation of the number of perceived bystanders isolated this independent variable as the direct cause of differences in helping behavior. In contrast, non-experimental correlational designs exhibit low internal validity; for example, a statistical relationship between regular exercise and happiness cannot confirm that exercise causes happiness, as other factors or reverse causation might explain the link.

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