Explain why Dr. Smith's research question prevents him from using a true experimental design. In your explanation, identify what design approach he must adopt instead and how this alternative design addresses the ethical challenges of studying brain damage.
Case context: Dr. Smith is planning a research project to understand how damage to the hippocampus affects the capacity to form new long-term memories. He knows that in a standard experimental design, researchers manipulate an independent variable and randomly assign participants to conditions. However, he is blocked from using this design.
Question: Explain why Dr. Smith's research question prevents him from using a true experimental design. In your explanation, identify what design approach he must adopt instead and how this alternative design addresses the ethical challenges of studying brain damage.
Sample answer: Dr. Smith cannot use a true experimental design because he cannot ethically or practically manipulate the independent variable (inflicting hippocampus damage) or randomly assign healthy participants to a brain-damage condition. He must instead adopt a non-experimental research design. This approach addresses the ethical challenges by studying individuals who have already acquired naturally occurring hippocampus damage from external factors, thereby allowing him to investigate memory impairment without causing harm.
Key points:
- True experiments require manipulation of the independent variable and random assignment, which is impossible here.
- Intentionally causing brain damage to manipulate the variable violates ethical standards.
- The researcher must adopt a non-experimental design.
- Using individuals with naturally occurring hippocampus damage avoids causing harm while allowing observation of memory capabilities.
Rubric: The response must explain why a true experiment is impossible (lack of ethical manipulation of the IV/random assignment). It must identify the non-experimental design approach and explain that utilizing naturally occurring damage avoids violating ethical standards.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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